Age 96
Known as a formidable advocate for immigrants, Sister Patricia possessed a special gift – a ministry of presence, a stance of accompaniment that endeared her to many.
Born in Chicago in 1929, after graduating from high school in 1947, she joined the Sisters of Mercy at the age of 19. She held a bachelor’ degree in social sciences from St. Xavier University and a master’s degree in religious studies from Mundelein College, both in Chicago, Illinois.
Pat taught at several Catholic schools in Chicago and in Wisconsin before volunteering for mission work in Peru. Arriving in Sicuani, Peru as a teacher still struggling with Spanish, let alone the local dialect, Sister Pat spent the next nine years learning from as well as teaching her Peruvian neighbors. That intercultural experience helped shape Sister Pat’s later understanding and response to immigrants in the U.S.
Upon returning to the U.S., Pat trained as a chaplain and served at Mercy Hospital in Chicago. Her pastoral and justice skills later took her to work with the Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. After serving in community leadership for the Chicago Province, Pat taught at the Austin Career Education Center, helping teen dropouts and adults prepare for the GED test to graduate with a high school diploma.
Sister Pat was a lifetime companion of Sister JoAnn Persch and together they pursued justice and opportunity for immigrants and other marginalized persons. Skilled networkers, this formidable and innovative team, together with others, founded and launched a number of organizations or facilities designed to serve those in need. To name a few – Su Casa, Casa Notre Dame, the David Darst Center, Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants, and most recently Catherine’s Caring Cause.
Over time, Pat’s and JoAnn’s tenacity caught media attention and brought honors and awards. Such public attention became another means of advocating for immigrants and for just and comprehensive immigration reform. They lived by faith, heeding Jesus’ command to love God and neighbor, and adhering to their activist motto: “We do it peacefully and respectfully, but we never take ‘no’ for an answer.”