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Patricia Griffin, BVM (Michael Ellen)

Patricia Griffin, BVM (Michael Ellen) died Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, at Caritas Center in Dubuque, Iowa. Visitation will be from 9–11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015, in the Marian Hall Chapel followed by a prayer service at 11 a.m. Funeral liturgy will be at 1:30 p.m. Burial is in the Mount Carmel cemetery.

She was born in Evanston, Ill., on July 28, 1932, to Michael and Mary King Griffin. She entered the BVM congregation Sept. 8, 1950, from St. Henry Parish, Chicago. She professed first vows on March 19, 1953, and final vows on July 16, 1958.

Sister Patricia was an elementary school teacher, principal, ESEA counselor, and administrator in Chicago and Omaha, Neb. She served in parish ministry in Chicago and Indianapolis, Ind., where she was also a counselor. She served as BVM regional representative and as volunteer in Dubuque, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by cousins and the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with whom she shared life for 64 years.

Sister Patricia Griffin, BVM (Michael Ellen)
Funeral Welcome
Marian Hall, Sept. 3, 2015

Good afternoon and welcome to the celebration of life of our Sister Pat Griffin.

Patricia Therese Griffin was born on July 28, 1932, in Evanston, Ill. After several miscarriages, Michael Griffin and Mary King were overjoyed to welcome their only child. Keeping true to her promise to the Blessed Mother, Pat’s mom dressed her daughter only in blue and white for the first seven years of her life. Pat received a red dress for her seventh birthday.

Her father, a police officer, grew up on a farm near Farley, Iowa, and helped to build St. Joseph Catholic Church. Every summer the family returned for a three week visit. “There was no place I would rather be than in Farley, Iowa,” Pat wrote in her autobiography. “[It] was heaven for this city kid . . . Time in Farley meant seeing family, being around animals, freedom to run and play . . . ” Throughout her life, Pat was the glue of the extended Griffin family.

Back in Chicago, Pat was a tomboy—playing baseball, kick-the-can, roller hockey, and “War” with the boys on the block. “Don’t think I went to kindergarten because I needed socialization,” Pat commented. “I think my mom needed some breathing space from a very active child.”

As her mother did, Pat attended The Immaculata HS. She wanted to attend a co-ed school, but her mother thought that an all-girls school run by sisters might have a better chance to “make a lady of her.” During her senior year, Pat began thinking seriously about religious life. Influenced by Thomas Merton’s writings, Pat wondered if she might not want to be a Trappistine. When she mentioned this to one of her BVM teachers, the sister laughed out loud and said, “Pat, you couldn’t keep the silence!” Later, that same sister gently suggested becoming a BVM, and the rest is history. Still, in recent years, Pat volunteered with the Trappistines at Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey during their busy candy seasons.

Pat entered the BVMs on Sept. 8, 1950, and received the name Michael Ellen upon her reception on March 19, 1951. During her novitiate, Pat’s mother’s health began to fail. After professing first vows on March 19, 1953, Pat was sent to teach at Our Lady of Lourdes in Chicago to be close to her mother, who died in December of that year.

Pat continued to teach in the primary grades for several more years at Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Cornelius, and St. Dominic, all in Chicago. She moved into the intermediate grades at St. Bridget in Chicago, taught junior high at St. Bridget in Omaha, Neb., and served as principal at Holy Family and St. Agatha schools, both in Chicago. Her favorite missions were the inner-city schools. “St. Dominic radicalized me to the needs of the poor,” Pat wrote, “. . . so that most of my ministerial life has been spent with the poor.” She was devoted to the African-American communities where she ministered and used her determination along with a little bit of feistiness to help effect change.

Pat completed a master’s degree in counseling and served as a counselor at St. Bernard school in Chicago while caring for her aging father. After his death, she accepted a position as a counselor at The Immaculata, only to see her alma mater close in 1981. She also worked as the lead counselor at Forest Manor Multi-Service Center in Indianapolis, Ind., which offered services and support to help individuals and families become self-sufficient.

After the closing of The Immaculata, Pat entered a new mission field—pastoral ministry. She was the pastoral associate at Our Lady of Angels Parish in Chicago, developing her own job description for this newly created position. She taught religion classes, established a food pantry, started a Minister of Care program, presided over wake services, and performed many other tasks as they arose. Pat then moved to Indianapolis, Ind., to take a job as pastoral associate at St. Andrew parish and ended up serving as the pastoral administrator. While in Indianapolis, she was a member of the Police Advisory Task Force about which she commented, “Wouldn’t my dad be proud?”

Pat served the congregation as a regional representative from 1984 to 1990. Almost every year since completing her term, she arranged a trip for the regionals who served with her: Donard Collins, Anita Therese Hayes, Anne Kendall, Teresita Poulin, and occasionally, Carolyn Farrell. Pat also served as assistant administrator of Wright Hall during the extensive renovation there. After retiring from fulltime ministry, Pat remained in Chicago, volunteering at St. Andrew Parish and at Wright Hall. She moved to Mount Carmel in 2011 and was a dedicated volunteer in the Mount Carmel Archives until shortly before her death. In all her ministries, Pat heeded the words of the prophet Micah: “Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love.”

Pat was proud to be a Chicagoan. She generously shuttled BVMs between Dubuque and Chicago and enjoyed taking visitors on her “ethnic tour” of the city. Pat’s two great hobbies were photography and travel. She owned a camera her entire adult life and considered herself a nature photographer who tried to “capture the whimsical that sparked my interest.” Many of her photos are on display here at Mount Carmel and some reveal the contemplative side of the photographer. Pat was also adventurous; “Have hat, will travel” was her theme. Her travels took her to most of the 50 states, to Canada, on a whirlwind tour of Western Europe, a leisurely trip to Ireland, and, in her words, a “most impressive journey” to Ghana in Africa.

Pat was a strong, wholesome, exuberant woman with a good sense of humor and a hearty laugh. Her plain-spokenness led some to view her as woman of wisdom. She looked for the good in everyone she met, was liberal with encouragement, never forgot a friend nor abandoned those in need. Pat lived 64 years as a BVM. “I have no doubts that I made the right decision,” she wrote. She was a great presence in the lives of her family, friends and her BVM sisters. We thank you for your life, Pat, and we rejoice that you are home with your God, but gosh darn it, Pat, we’re gonna miss you for a long, long time.

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