News & Events
Sister Patricia McLaughlin, CSJ
(Sister Stanislaus)
September 23, 1927 – July 27, 2023
We Remember Her
In the blueness of the skies and
in the warmth of summer
Sister Patricia McLaughlin, Sister Stanislaus, lived gratefully, joyfully and kindly.
Growing up in Somerville with three sisters and a brother, she described herself on her application to the convent as someone who “found it easy to get along with people.” Her natural disposition as well as her faith life made her approachable and warm, a favorite with young and old, a beloved aunt, and a genuine reflection of the generosity of God’s love.
Sister Pat was the daughter of William McLaughlin and Sarah Babcock McLaughlin, and entered from St. Ann Somerville in 1945. She spent many years in the classroom teaching at St. Thomas, Jamaica Plain, St. Mary, Winchester, St. Ann, Dorchester, St. Mary, Charlestown, St. Paul, Cambridge, and St. Charles, in Waltham.
Her joyful spirit impacted many people across greater Boston. For over 10 years, Sister Pat served in the bookstore at Fontbonne Academy in Milton where she embodied gracious hospitality as she welcomed all — especially in the bookstore — though her smile was always present in the halls, the café, and wherever she went.
God gave us beauty – in creation, in the arts, in each other, to please and inspire us, to soothe and uplift us. In all the places she was, Sister Pat created beauty, decorating homes, classrooms, tables, and her 5th floor corner at Bethany – to celebrate and honor life’s meaningful events.
Her family, who she said live “all over the place,” felt very close to her and she often told stories about them, their adventures, and the joy they gave her. Once, she asked me to mail a “pop up” card to one of her “grands” and made sure I was to mail it that very day so it would arrive on time for the birthday. She lived and loved with intention.
In her time as a pastoral minister and as a guidance counselor, Sister Pat companioned others with compassion, warmth, and hope. She was a healing presence.
The readings that Pat chose for this liturgy speak of the One God calling us to use our gifts for the common good. She reminds us of the most important ask of all, that we love one another, and be loving toward one another — moreover, that we know we are precious to God. We thank our God for the gift she has been to us, the lives she has touched far beyond this gathering, and the way she inspired the best in us by the way she lived.
Reflections given by Sister Betsy Conway, CSJ
August 1, 2023
