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Couple's big step: Become full-time retreat leaders Chris and Beth Carlin are people of faith, but that didn't stop them from wondering if they were crazy for believing God was telling them to leave their jobs. The Carlins, members of St. Mary's parish in Clinton Heights, recently made the decision to become full-time retreat presenters. "Living Hope Ministries," their new company, is offering retreats for parishes and organizations within the Albany Diocese and beyond. "We're just doing what God is asking us to do. That's never done us bad before," Mrs. Carlin told The Evangelist. New calling A graduate of St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry in Albany who worked in faith formation, youth ministry and other parish and campus positions for 13 years, Mrs. Carlin had already led 40 retreats when she and her husband started thinking about focusing on that work. Three years ago, she was working at Nativity/St. Mary's parish in Stuyvesant Falls. The couple were about to have their fifth child when she found out that her mother had breast cancer. With two life-changing events looming, she decided to leave her job, instead working part-time at The Academy of the Holy Names in Albany. That was the beginning of the couple's transition to retreat leaders. Mr. Carlin, for his part, was working at St. Mary's Hospital in Troy when he started to think the spiritual side of suffering was not being fully addressed, particularly in people's struggles with addiction. Time to quit This past summer, the couple began praying about their future separately. "We were getting the same message: 'Quit your jobs,'" Mr. Carlin remembered. By now, the couple had six children -- and no idea whether the retreat work could support a family of eight. Mr. Carlin told his wife: "This can't be from God." But she told him: "I'm getting the same [message]." Together, they decided: "Let's see where God takes us." Topic list Looking through Mrs. Carlin's notes from retreats she had led over the years, the couple amassed a huge list of possible topics for different age groups. For youth, they could offer retreats on friendship, communication, sexuality, pornography awareness, social justice, music, living faith and more; for adults, they could cover addiction, discernment, marriage and family issues, teaching-related topics and grief. They also came up with specific retreats for Lent and Advent, retreats on sacraments and saints, and intergenerational retreats. Experience Mrs. Carlin told The Evangelist that she especially loves working with young people; in fact, she puzzles over adults who don't. Kids "are fabulous!" she declared. Mr. Carlin's medical training also put the couple in good stead to answer questions during youth retreats on sexuality. With "those kinds of retreats, we balance each other well," Mrs. Carlin remarked. "He's got the medical answers -- 'Yes, you can get an STD from oral sex' -- and I [can say], 'Your body is a gift from God, but you don't know your body yet. It's a half-made gift, still; you don't want to be sharing it with anybody yet.'" Marriage After 11 years of marriage, the couple also feel they're in a good position to offer retreats on marital issues. Mr. and Mrs. Carlin decided they would travel to the host parish or organization to offer their retreats. As many retreat centers in the Diocese struggle to stay afloat, Mrs. Carlin observed that "parishes are more comfortable having you come to them." She doesn't think many people are willing to "go that extra mile" to a retreat house when parish facilities closer to home are available. Feedback Almost as soon as they created Living Hope Ministries in September, Mrs. Carlin started hearing positive feedback from diocesan and parish staff. "I was at a diocesan youth ministers' meeting, and they said, 'There is really a need for this,'" she said. She got the same reaction at a catechetical leaders' meeting. During Mr. Carlin's last days working in the emergency room, he shared his new path with co-workers and was surprised at the reaction he got. "It was truly amazing," he told The Evangelist, "to see the discussions of Christ that sprung up. There was an entire awakening in the E.R." Scheduling The couple now have several retreats booked, including Confirmation retreats for several Albany parishes; a workshop on pornography addiction at the Dominican Spiritual Life Center in Niskayuna; and a day of reflection for catechists. With babysitting help from family, the couple hopes to keep expanding their new business. As they work toward that goal, Mr. Carlin is working part-time for The University at Albany's health center; Mrs. Carlin is substitute teaching. When everyday life gets busy and prayer goes by the wayside, Mr. Carlin occasionally starts to panic, asking, "What have we done?" But "90 percent of the time, we feel great," Mrs. Carlin said. The couple said they rely on a line from Scripture that advises: "Be confident and determined." (Contact Living Hope Ministries by calling 727-7972 or going to www.living-hope-ministries.com.) (12/06/07) |