News

Longtime catechist dies

By Jeff Kurowski
Compass Assistant Editor

Patt Birling died in the early morning hours of Friday, Dec. 14, surrounded by her family and close friend, Lyn Zahorik. Birling, director of faith formation at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish and St. Jude the Apostle Parish, both in Oshkosh, survived glioblastoma brain tumors for 20 months. She was diagnosed with the type of brain cancer in April of 2006.

A charity benefit and spaghetti dinner in her honor was held on Nov. 3 at Holy Spirit Church in Kimberly. A story about Birling and the event appeared in the Nov. 2 issue of The Compass.

"I had the opportunity to spend an hour with her in the last few days," said Mary Ann Otto, director of religious education at St. Nicholas Parish in Freedom. "Patt had a great spirit, great drive and great energy."

Otto met Birling at Holy Name Parish, Kimberly, in the 1990s. Otto, Birling and Alice Lemmers were not only co-workers, but close friends.

"We actually dressed up as the Trinity for Halloween," said Otto. "Patt was of course the Spirit. She had a great sense of humor. She really lived her life her way."

Birling was dedicated to religious education, especially for children. She served as a catechist, high school religious education coordinator and youth director.

"Patt shared faith with so many people in her role as coordinator of religious education in both Kimberly and more recently in Oshkosh," said Tony Pichler, diocesan director of Lay Ministry Formation. "She brought so much life, creativity and enthusiasm to her parish catechetical programs. Patt was commissioned by Bishop (Robert) Banks. In continuing her formation as a minister, she showed her love for Jesus and her dedication to the church by being a lifelong learner. She will truly be missed by all of us."

"Patt was an angel of good tidings. For her, nothing was impossible," said Lee Nagel, former diocesan director of Total Catholic Education and currently the director of the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership. "I met her when she was a youth minister and her rapport with teens was amazing.

"She also had the ability to see gifts in people they hadn't seen themselves," he added. "She would invite them to share their faith and, in the process, their beliefs deepened. Her life was grounded in prayer and she was very active in Cursillo. She not only believed in life-long faith formation, but she lived it herself. She read, she attended workshops and conferences, and she was always learning. She will be missed as much for her enjoyment of life as for her deep and abiding love for anyone she encountered."

Birling's enjoyment of life included her passion for aviation. She took flying lessons and became a pilot. She also hosted annual parties in recognition of Amelia Earhart's birthday.

"She loved convertibles and airplanes," said Otto. "She is going to be buried (Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery) in the flight path of the EAA (Experimental Aviation Association, Oshkosh). She just really loved her life. In her ministry, she had a strong love for the faith and for young people."

Patt is survived by her husband, Dave Birling; her children and their spouses Jody Ryan and her husband Phillip, Michael Birling and his wife Amy, and Jessica Bayer Potter and her husband Christopher; her grandchildren, Cameron, Abby and Casey Ryan, and Ty and Alec Birling; her sister, Barbara Hawkins-Mercer (Frank); two brothers, Michael (Vonnie) Giffin and Peter Giffin; her father-in-law, Ted Birling Sr.; sisters-in-law, Joyce Kohanski, Carol (Terry) Schmidt, Peggy (Tom) Waskiewicz, Nancy (Tom) Pawlowski, Sue (Wayne) Roth, Cindy (Eugene) Moseng, and Debbie (Dan) Derks; and brothers-in-law, Ted Jr. (Judy) Birling, Lee (Amber) Birling, Paul (Pam) Birling, Tim (Ann) Birling and Terry (Brenda) Birling.

The funeral Mass was celebrated on Dec. 18 at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, St. Peter site, in Oshkosh. Fr. Dave Koch presided. Concelebrants included Fr. Jim Jugenheimer, Fr. Tom Reynebeau, Fr. John Becker and Fr. Joel Sember.

In lieu of flowers, Birling requested that memorials be made to the God's Child Project, the Most Blessed Sacrament/ St Jude the Apostle Religious Education Programs or the P.A.T.T. Principle for brain cancer research.