A funeral Mass for Sister M. Patricia Delaney, SSND, was celebrated Oct. 1 at The Sarah Community Marian Chapel in Bridgeton. Sister Patricia, 89, died on Sept. 24 at Anna House at The Sarah Community.
The youngest of 10 children was born to Loretta (Myler) and Edward Delaney at St. Mary’s Hospital in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Jan. 31, 1937. She was baptized at Holy Angels Church on Feb. 21, 1937, and named Charlotte Mae. The Delaney family consisted of four boys and six girls.
Charlotte attended Holy Angels Grade School staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She was awarded a scholarship to the Academy of Notre Dame in Belleville, Illinois, which was also staffed by the SSND. Charlotte was interested in religious life and asked to enter the candidature after graduation.
Her father had died during her sophomore year, and her mother asked Charlotte to wait a year before entering. Due to a shortage of teachers, her pastor asked her to teach fourth grade at her parish of Holy Angels in East St. Louis. While teaching, she also attended Saturday classes at a local college.
Charlotte entered the candidature at Sancta Maria in Ripa in St. Louis, on Aug. 31, 1955. She was received into the novitiate on Aug. 1, 1956, and given the name Mary Patricia in honor of one of her sisters. She pronounced first vows on Aug. 3, 1957, and final vows six years later on Aug. 3, 1963.
She was awarded a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the former Notre Dame College in St. Louis in 1963 and a master’s degree in elementary administration from Saint Louis University in 1974.
Sister Patricia was an elementary classroom teacher for 14 years. She taught at Holy Ghost and Our Lady of Sorrows in St. Louis; St. Dominic in Breese, Illinois; and St. Hilary in Pico Rivera, California. She was a principal for 13 years at St. Francis Solanus in Quincy, Illinois, and Our Lady of Sorrows in St. Louis.
In 1984, she became assistant superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois. During the next 15 years, she was responsible for interviewing prospective principals, conducting and attending meetings and working with schools on strategic planning.
In the spring of 1999, Sister Patricia was elected as a member of the Provincial Council of the former St. Louis Province. Her experience in the Belleville diocesan office enabled her to organize gatherings of SSND to attend the Assemblies of the Whole and gatherings for the Theological Development Council.
Through these ministries, she worked with SSND in the North American Provinces. She was also the liaison to the St. Louis Provincial treasurer and attended national meetings related to finances. She served in this ministry until 2007 and then enjoyed a sabbatical year.
At the conclusion of her term as provincial councilor, she was invited to become a part-time adjunct consultant for Catholic School Management in Los Angeles. She served in this role for two years. She was then engaged in volunteer services at Corpus Christi Parish in Shiloh, Illinois; St. Vincent de Paul in East St. Louis, Illinois; and Theresa Center at Sancta Maria in Ripa until her transfer to Veronica House at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton in 2022.
As her health declined, she was transferred to Anna House at The Sarah Community in May. Following a short stay in the hospital in September, she was placed on hospice. She passed away peacefully in the early morning of Sept. 24.
Sister Patricia was an excellent educator and organizer. Although she was strict in the classroom, she was also encouraging, supportive and cared greatly for her students and their parents. She assumed her roles in leadership with humility and responsibility. She accepted the challenges of these positions and found support and encouragement from her co-workers. She loved the SSND community and felt blessed to be of service to her sisters. She was a loyal friend and very close to her family.
Sister Patricia was preceded in death by her parents, Loretta and Edward Delaney; her brothers, Thomas, John, Philip and James; and her sisters, Audrey Armour, Mary Loretta Sweeney, Margaret Ann Doughety, Rita Harrison and Patricia Hopkins. She is survived by nieces, nephews, extended family members, friends, School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND Associates.
Burial was in the Sancta Maria in Ripa cemetery.
