NEWS BULLETIN OF THE SALESIAN SISTERS, OUR LADY OF HOPE PROVINCE – AFE APRIL NO. 5 2018

This special issue of Tujenge Pamoja is dedicated to Sr. Pat

Lacharite who worked in AFE Province for 26 years from 1992

to 2018 side by side with her Sisters, the educating

communities, collaborators and young people. After battling

cancer for nearly two years she passed away peacefully on

Holy Thursday, March 29th in Nairobi Hospital and was laid to

rest in Embu on 7th April 2018. The contributions in this issue

come mainly from the Sisters and past pupils. They are words of

loving remembrance, gratitude, affection, witness, and humour,

focusing on life’s realities shared with Sr. Pat on the pilgrimage

to our heavenly home.

Sr. Pat was the first FMA to be buried in AFE Province. Other

missionaries worked in East Africa, but returned to their

countries for health reasons, and were buried in their homeland.

When it was evident that Sr. Pat would not last, the decision had

to be made where to bury her as there was no FMA cemetery

yet. The choice fell on Embu and so promptly the necessary

permissions were obtained and the site prepared.

Sr. Pat had lived in Embu as a teacher

and later Principal of Don Bosco Girls

so she has been laid to rest in a

familiar place dear to her.

It is difficult to imagine that Sr.

Pat is gone! When we pass by her

room in Hurlingham where she lingered

in her suffering, it’s as if she’s still there

and we want to drop in and see how

she’s fairing. In her sessions with

chemotherapy she courageously

accepted the side effects including loss

of her curly hair! Yet this did not stop

her from teaching in the Secondary in

Makuyu or going to Muranga Teachers’

College.

She came into our lives and we took for

granted she’d always be there. Now

she is gone but her legacy lives on in

the hearts and minds of so many

people she touched. This was evident

by the show of affection and gratitude

at her vigil in Nairobi, the viewing and

Mass in Makuyu and finally the funeral

and burial in Embu. Let us take comfort

in the words of Scripture that sums up

life’s journey: God shall wipe all tears

from their eyes; and there shall be

no more death, nor crying, neither

there be any more pain: for the

former things are passed away.

Revelation 21: 4 Sr. Virginia Bickford

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SR. TERESA FERNANDES-MUTUINI

I want to remember Sr. Pat as one who struggled to

cling to a daring dream that became reality. She

forged head with determination and faith-filled

optimism even through the deserts of criticism,

rejection and abandonment. Her inner shadows and

her visible restlessness – of which she was deeply

aware –did not narrow her horizons or make her

dwell too much on self-pity and discouragement. With

the strength of good will and an enterprising spirit she

bonded with all those who had no chances for

advancement, giving herself unreservedly and

proclaiming the good news of Jesus in a style that

was uniquely hers. Thank you, Sr. Pat for being a

very special beacon of hope.

SR. JANE WAMBUI - SUDAN

May God rest her soul in peace. It is time to rest and

be with the Lord. Sr. Pat was a real human being, a

zealous

missionary and

great lover of

vocations and

human

promotion. May

God reward her.

Buried in our

homeland

(Kenya), may her

blood bear fruit

for the growth in

vocations and strong deep charismatic roots to

qualify our FMA presence as evangelizers and

educators.

SR. SOFIA GURA - KENYA

I lived with Sr. Pat in the community of Laura Vicuna

Makuyu for three years. she was my Liturgy teacher

as an aspirant and postulant and at that time I was

going with her for Sunday service to Makuyu Girls’

Secondary School. I had another chance to work with

her for the youth animation camp in North Horr

Parish to introduce our Charism as preparation for

our new presence in that parish. My memories of Sr.

Pat will always focus on these three aspects:

1. Sr. Pat had a big heart that could accommodate

and embrace everyone. Young in formation we

felt loved by her in a special way. She was very

attentive to the needs of others and gave her

best to us.This was extended from the

community to the young people in the mission

and to everyone who came across her. Her

charity and generosity couldn’t be measured.

2. Sr. Pat portrayed herself as a true FMA who was

an example of living the da mihi animas cetera

tollewherever the young people were gathered.

Even if the language was a barrier, she would

give herself fully to them with a beautiful smile

that could conquer their hearts.

3. As our Liturgy teacher she taught us by her life

experiences. I don’t remember seeing Sr. Pat

coming late for any liturgical celebration. Her

wrist watch and alarm clock were set 10

minutes ahead! She used to say that everything

belongs to the Lord who provides all and so He

deserves the best.

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SR. ASSUNTA COLUSSI - LV MAKUYU

I remember Sr. Pat as

being very punctual in

everything and

committed to her

apostolic work. She loved

the young and the poor.

Later on she suffered

when there were no

vocations coming to our

Province. She loved

everything around her

especially the sisters. I

think Pat suffered at the death of her sister, but she

suffered in silence. After the first surgery, she told me

at times with tears in her eyes,“Now I am out of

everything and unable to do anything.”When she was

in Makuyu, she tried to do a few things like going to

Muranga Teachers’ College, to the secondary and

primary schools and teach the aspirants. She used to

come in my office and cry.I think she felt that she was

going to die soon. Notwithstanding her sickness she

was always present in the community. When she met

priests, sisters, and lay people she would tell them,

“Sr. Assunta was my assistant when I was an

aspirant in the USA,” and I would feel very proud

about that!

SR. CATHERINE LEE - MAKUYU

Sr. Pat had great enthusiasm for the common good and a sense of belonging to God and everyone.

SR. LETIZIA NGARI – N. HORR Sr. Pat was generous and ready to do things for others even when she was sick. May God reward her with eternal light.

SR. EUSEBIA MUNENE - HURLINGHAM

Sr. Pat taught me catechism from the time I was a

new aspirant. She made me aware of many things

about the catechism of the Catholic Church

Some Tidbits of Catechesis she taught me:

The on-going formation conversion process

involves the heart as well as the mind which

means that Evangelization and catechesis must

go hand in hand.

Catechesis is an

essential ministry in

the church. Its

primary goal is to

help people grow in

faith. Growing in faith

is a long process.

Scripture manifest

both the creative

power of God and the

creative gifts of the

inspired writers.

To be an effective catechist who can paint a

picture of the wonders of God for the people

today, one must be imbued with knowledge of the

Bible. The Bible is a wondrous sign of God’s

continual presence in human life.

The twin process of Prayer and Ritual are

significant pillars in catechesis. We are

challenged to provide many and varied

experiences of ritual prayer/ prayer to our people/

youth/ children. Lead them to a sacrament life.

Sacraments are touchstones to meaning and

life; sacraments are imbued with mystery, some

of which can be seen, touched, smelled, tasted

and heard.

SR. ADELINE BENIMANA – GISENYI, RWANDA

Sr. Pat wasa modal for all. When we were

together in Makuyu community as aspirants, we

loved her and she loved us. Besides teaching us

liturgy, she used to joke even at table. She was

hard working.

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SR. CATHERINE URBANSKA - EMBU

I saw Sr. Pat once or twice when I came

occasionally from Dar to Kenya for a Retreat or for

other reason but I really did not know her. Then in

2001 Sr. Pat was transferred to Embu to be the

principal of the Secondary School. When we got the

news Sr. Mary Riva exclaimed, " Oh my goodness,

we will have to plant some more trees here in the

compound.” I was surprised and asked why. Sr. Mary

explained, "Because Sr. Pat will want to hang all the

girls and our trees are not enough for that.”It was a

joke, but truly "hanging the girls" was one of Sr. Pat's

expressions.

She had a powerful voice and sometimes I even felt

embarrassed when we could hear from the house

when she shouted at the girls in the school or called

them "stupid". The girls, however, got used to her

and took her expressions in good spirit.

Sr. Pat had a sweet tooth. When she

became a member of our community in Embu she

told me (I was the economer) that as long as there is

something sweet for tea breaks, she would be O.K.

Well...if sometimes there wasn't, there was no

problem either.

I had the joy to go with Sr. Teresa

Fernandes (the Provincial), Sr. Pat and some others

to explore the possibility of opening a community in

the Diocese of Marsabit and I witnessed the zeal with

which Sr. Pat responded to the challenges of the

mission in North Horr. I then went with her to settle

the furniture when they arrived from Meru and to

prepare the house. We stayed there a full week. I

was positively impressed by Sr. Pat's great zeal for

the first evangelization of the Gabra people. Nothing

would discourage her, nothing was too difficult to put

herself totally to the service of that mission.

Sr. Pat sometimes used strong language

(she hated this or hated that stupid ....) and could

sometimes be annoying when she repeated the same

things over again, especially when she was upset.

However she had a great spirit of faith and she was

able to find the positive side to problems and

challenges.

On the 16th February this year I went to

Karare together with two friends from Italy, Luisa and

Assunta. In the evening of Saturday, the 17th I was

already in bed when I heard Sr. Pat crying, "Please

somebody help me." I went to her room, gave her the

bucket she wanted as she was feeling nauseated and

then I stayed there until she was calm. That evening

Sr. Pat had problems with breathing and a lot of pain

in her stomach. She was restless and afraid, and

that's why she wanted somebody to be with her. As

we were talking she said, "I have a premonition that I

will die at Easter.” Of course, I objected, trying to

calm her, but she said, "I have seen my sister.” I

asked if she dreamt of her sister, but she said, "No, I

did not dream of her. I was fully awake, and she

passed through this room. I will spend Easter with

her.”I did not take it seriously then, but now I know

that she was right.

SR. ANNA WAIRIMU – DAGORETTI

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SR. GISELE NDEKEZI – AFE PROVINCIAL

“Ask and it

will be

given to

you; seek,

and you

will find;

knock, and

the door

will be

opened to

you.” Mt

7,7. Yes,

this is the

experience

of our Dear

Sr. Pat,

especially

during her

last days on

earth. She

was ready to meet the Lord because she kept on

telling us: “I want to go home”; the home she meant

was Heaven. She kept on asking the Lord to take her

home, to take her to celebrate Easter in heaven, and

the Lord granted her that gift; infact she left us on

Holy Thursday. She asked and the Lord gave to her.

Sr. Pat suffered for the last 2 years and some months

of cancer, she was treated with love and care, she

underwent 2 surgeries and 12 chemotherapies with

courage and determination. We admired her

resignation to the will of God. May God grant her

peaceful repose! I had the privilege, together with my

dear sisters, to accompany Sr. Pat during her last

days. She was grateful to God for everything, she

was grateful to the Institute, she was grateful to the

Province for the life lived to the full. She told us: “ I

don’t regret anything, I gave all the best I could,

now I only want go home”. When the pain was

becoming too much, she would pray saying: “Dear

Lord please take me home, I have given you

everything, now I don’t have strength anymore to do

something, please Dear Lord take me”.

Sr. Pat was a cheerful Sister, very generous, a self-

giving and courageous woman, she loved very much

the missions wherever she was sent and she has

worked with dedication and love. She knew how to

care for others, she was a woman of relationships

and would make sure her responsibility is done till the

end. The people who have worked with her

appreciated very much her ways and the competence

she showed in what she did. Sr. Pat loved catechesis

and she was an apostolic sister. I thank the Lord for

the life of Sr. Pat spent generously, she offered all

her sufferings for the Institute and for the Province,

we believe that she has reached home and she will

intercede for us.

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L to R: Sr. Anastasia, Sr. Pat and Sr. Gisele in N. Horr

SR. ANASTASIA WARINGA KIBE

A life generously given and shared with love!

It was a blessing in my life to meet Sr. Pat in Ruchu

Parish - Maragua (Murang’a Diocese) towards the

end of the year 2004 when I was in search of my

religious vocation. Through her, I did not only find my

way to the door of the convent, the good Lord

brought me to such a wonderful Religious Institute of

the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA).

During my initial formation in religious life, Sr. Pat

was the Assistant, Catechist and Liturgy teacher of

Aspirants and Postulants in Makuyu-

Laura Vicuna Community. Her

lessons were both theory and

practical with her life example which

made it possible to learn and to gain

a lot from her. I found in her a strong

Christian and consecrated woman

who was fully and generously

dedicated with great enthusiasm and

love in the mission. She was burning

with a strong missionary zeal for the

salvation of souls and especially

those of the young people. She

never counted the sacrifices she had

to make in order to see that

whatever was necessary for the

formation and needs of the young

people was done to the best

possible. Her great dedication in

daily life, both in the Community and

in the mission at large was a true

witness of one who gave all her life

with great love for the Risen Christ

with a strong message of hope. Who

ever lived with her can declare this with me that Sr.

Pat had a boundless love for the Church. Despite her

strong character, she always worked in collaboration

with the Communities of the FMA and SDB, and with

the young people and the Christians in the Parish

where necessary during various occasions in the

parish. In regard to faith, there is nothing I can

rememberof her taking it for granted. Her eco is still

resounding in Makuyu and beyond as she also

worked in the Education Office of Murang’a Diocese

for five years.

In the early years of my Religious life, I was again

privileged to live with Sr. Pat and have her as my

Animator in North Horr Community - Marsabit

Diocese for about four years. What a blessing it was

for us to live and share life together as Daughters of

Mary Help of Christians! No one ever knew that our

first encounter could one day lead us find ourselves

together as Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.

I must say that living and working together with Sr.

Pat in North Horr helped me a lot in my vocational

growth towards mission, prayer life and community

life. The three dimensions were inseparable in her as

she did all she could with God’s help, to see that we

the community members had whatever we needed in

orderto live and carry on with the mission despite the

geographical site of the community. It’s a community

located approximately

700km from Nairobi

City, along the

boundaries of Chalbi

desert with a dry hot

climate, lack of

electricity and internet

which by then were not

stable, lack of local

language, and so on.

Her great enthusiasm in

the mission wasn’t

hindered by this;

instead, it was felt by

the entire community of

North Horr Parish. It

rebounded in the small

Christian communities

and in some outstations,

in the Schools both

Primary and Secondary

where she was

teaching; in some other

neighbouring Parishes

like Dukana and Karacha which by then were part of

the North Horr Parish.

I would like to share my first striking experience when

I first arrival in North Horr accompanied by Sr. Pat.

As soon as our community car entered the town of

North Horr, the small children were running towards

us with great joy calling out loudly and waving their

hands saying; “Sr. Pat, Yoia! Sr. Pat, Yoia!” which

means in the local language Sr. Pat, hello! She too

waved back and greeted them. The young people

were not out of the picture. They were happy to greet

and to welcome her back in the mission after being

absent for some days. The simplicity and joy of the

people of North Horr with Sr. Pat impressed me and

7

helped me to see the joy of evangelisation in just a

blinking of the eye.

All what I had witnessed in Sr. Pat while in Makuyu,

the joy and enthusiasm in the mission was extended

and it was overflowing again in this mission. We owe

her the task of keeping the missionary spirit burning

in this mission for which she tirelessly gave her life.

Unfortunately, it was towards the end of her second

term as the Community Animator (six years), when

she was diagnosed with cancer. While she was in

bed with great pain, she was still saying with great

passion; “I want to go back to North Horr as soon as

possible” She often repeated this and as soon as she

recovered a little bit from the first seven

chemotherapy, she was fortunate to go back to the

mission in Marsabit as she had greatly desired.

May she intercede for us from above that we too may

generously and joyfully give ourselves fully in the

missions, becoming signs and bearers of God’s love

to all and especially towards the young people.

SR. ANISIA NGAI – NORTH HORR

Sr. Pat was a

person who was

kind to the poor

and she could

prepare things for

them. She was

never late for

Mass or Rosary

and adoration.

She had love for

the Eucharistic celebration so much such that even

she could try to bring the one standing outside, inside

the church. She liked the work for the apostolate to

be done well with enthusiasm. She loved kids such

that she was punctual for Oratory helping the kids in

many ways.

SR. ROSETTA GUARNIER - SIAKAGO

Sr. Pat was focused on her educational and catechetical mission and never missed her high tone voice to make herself understood.

SR. GISELE MASHAURI - HURLINGHAM

A WOMAN OF THE SEASON!

A woman of the dew. The one I love

Love is greater than death. The one I will never forget

The one my memory will be ever fresh about,

Whose life was for others, With a great love for Jesus,

Ever punctual for mass, Great planner and organizer

A woman of union, Who loved her Sisters

With a motherly heart, very caring Generous like Jesus

So sacrificing a woman of the people,

Great lady of the mission; Great catechist, and very liturgical.

Committed and dedicated, Very determined and clear in what she wanted.

Mother of all and lover of the Church The one I shared life with,

Yet very open The woman of the season,

Extraordinarily punctual Open minded, saw on the horizon, not in the box,

Lover of nature, stars and sunset, including the cat especial Goldie.

Ever ready to serve; with a heart like the one of a child;

Because she is a Woman, sister and mother - for that I will never forget her.

Always appreciative for the efforts of her sisters, Leaving me a memory, finish your project

Thinking about others even at the last breath. Yes, Sr. Pat, I will never forget you.

Sr. Pat Educator, Mwalimu, Teacher. In her heart the youth were ever present,

I love you. Peace to your soul. I live to remember you

with gratitude from Masha. .

P = Passionate

A = Active

T = Time Manager.

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SR. DELFINA CERON – KIGALI, RWANDA

I had the joy to spend some year with Sr. Pat in the

Community of Makuyu, when she was working in the

Diocese of Muranga following the Catholic schools.

Beside that she was also teaching Liturgy and

Catechism to the Aspirants and Postulants. She was

an excellent teacher, quite strict, but the young

people in formation learned a lot from her. She was

sharing with them the responsibility to prepare the

liturgy, and encouraging them to prepare with the

young people and the children of the parish, beautiful

and sacred presentations for Christmas, Holy Week

and Easter. Also I remember with nostalgia those

moments.

She Pat was always ready to help when somebody

was in trouble.She never counted the sacrifices for

helping young people in various circumstances

For a few years in Makuyu we had a small Secretarial

College for young people. Sr. Pat wanted to help as

many young people as possible because some were

from very poor families. We tried to get help from

many sources because we felt bad not to accept

them just because they lacked money.

Sr. Pat sometimes was using some strong words

when she was upset, but after sometime,we Sisters

and the young people in formation, were repeating

those words with her during recreation! We laughed

together so that all bad feelings vanished.

I really enjoyed living, working and sharing life with

her.

A Short Story

When Sr. Pat was headmistress in Embu, she said to

Sr. Mary Riva, Superior of the community, “I want to

hang that girl”because she was upset with a student.

Sr. Mary replied smiling calmly, “Very good, Sr. Pat, I

will help you. Let’s go to choose the tree to hang her.”

Slowly they walked away together and everything

finished in laughter!

A reflection by Sr. Pat

During the past week we have journeyed the path of

Transformation.We have allowed ourselves to be

transformed by Jesus We have experienced his

transforming power, his healing, his compassion, and

his light.Today as we have come to the end of our

retreat we invoke the Holy Spirit to keep in us that fire

burning of his Word, his love and compassion so that

we can return to our missions ready to handle all the

events with a transformed heart of mercy and love.

Let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us as we resolve to

commit ourselves to be agents of transformation and

encounter.

SR. CECILIA CARDINAL – MUTUINI DAGORETTI

Pat had an extraordinary sixth sense, the GIFT of

FORESIGHT in

her community as

an animator to

her sisters and

to people whom

she mingled with

daily. She was a

dreamer and

realist, never

procrastinating to

complete her

plans. She was a

woman of sincere

relationships and

of good heart. I

admired her

EUCHARISTIC

veneration and

her preparation of the Liturgy by giving high

importance to festive celebrations. As an animator

she had that sense of FAMILY, a mother among her

sisters in the community, a welcoming heart.

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SR. PATRICIA OYUGA - EMBU

I have had many experiences with my name sake. I

have shared life with her and she has left a strong

impact in me of what it means to live my commitment

faithfully and joyfully despite the setbacks that may

sometimes seem to rob the beauty of our

consecration. I wish to particularly share my first

encounter with SR PAT. It

was in August 2010 when

I was still a VIDES

member when with 4

other volunteers from

Kenya, 1 from the USA, 5

from the U.K, Sr. Regina

and Sr. Connie(U.K.) set

out for North Horr to

animate a 2 week oratory

camp. Throughout the

journey, Sr. Pat kept

mentioning to us the features that we came across

but she was more particular with the desert. From

time to time she could point out to us a road that was

headed to some village but we were all left in

amazement because all we could see was sand. She

had a very good mastery of the place that you would

think that she had lived there for ages unending. At

the various stops she seemed to know everyone and

she easily engaged them in a conversation. She was

well conversant with the culture of the Gabbras and

she kept explaining so much to us. At some point I

felt ashamed of myself because I thought that being a

Kenyan I should be aware of the life of these people.

Arriving after a two days’ journey, we had to put the

house in order because the masons had just finished

their work. So we embarked on clearing what was left

around and cleaning the house to make it more

habitable. The energy that I saw in Sr. Pat kept me

wondering and admiring her. What followed was a

lively oratory for the children and young people who

were perplexed at this very experience. Some things

that caught my attention and remained written in my

mind about Sr. Pat was her high organization, her

consciousness of time, her sincere and genuine care

for each one of us and she always said to us, How

are things? How are you? Drink a lot of water, take

often some juice… it’s hot.... Go and have a rest in

the afternoon.”Waaa!!! I felt loved and cared for. Her

selfless giving, her love for the young and her care

for prayer convinced me more and more of my

Salesian Vocation.

Dear Sr. Pat, may the energy and the love that you

put in pioneering North Horr community as a way of

going out to the periphery never go to a waste. Long

live NORTH Horr!!!With your gaze from heaven,

intercede for each FMA in this Province and in a

special way for North Horr community and its mission

whose foundation you laid. Thank you for your

COURAGE!See you some day, some time in heaven.

SR. SUSAN FERNANDES – HURLINGHAM

In the chapel Sr. Pat would like the back seats, being

there quietly, punctually, actually before time, with

one eye catching all that was taking place! She

wanted the liturgy to be celebrated well and

according to the norms. I can't remember her making

spontaneous prayers regularly, but she was well

informed of the events and dates in the Province, so

in a way I can say she was not buried in her own little

world or community but was aware of what was

going on around in the Province.At timesshe would

lament if some information would not reach on time,

as she felt part of the whole Province and Institute.

She was present for the community practices of piety

and for the meals and other moments, rarely making

exceptions, even when she was not well, and taking

chemo treatments. As soon as she could, she was up

and around making herself useful in doing many

small works. She loved company, and did not miss to

show up for community moments and common

chores.

What greatest impression I have of Sr. Pat is how

she was serene in her last days. She no longer

thought of the North, where her heart was before, but

let go and let God! She was not anxious for a cure

anymore having knowledge of the gravity of her

sickness. But the miracle she wanted was to go to

Heaven. She did not want to go for any treatment or

much less to be admitted to the hospital any more

those last days. But because of the great difficulty in

breathing she expressed her wish to be taken to the

hospital. What I can say is that in the last two days,

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through all the medical treatment that was given, she

had to endure a crucifixion, in the Holy Week. She

was so much like the suffering Jesus! But I did not

hear a lament, or an angry word or impatience or

moaning. She was not fearful, but brave in the face of

death. True, she wanted at least a sister to be

present when she died, and Sr. Gisele Ndekezi, the

Provincial was the only sister around when she

passed on. I am sure Sr. Pat had great faith!

SR. LAURENZIA NDWIGA – MMV MAKUYU

I recall an incident that occurred in Embu. Sr. Pat

loved one cream colouredcat called Carlos so much.

This cat used to follow her everywhere in the

compound. One day she went to put on the TV for

the girls to watch news after supper. The cat followed

her and remained at the door.When the bell rang and

the girls had to go for the Good night thought, they

rushed out and created a kind of stampede at the

door. The poor cat was

trampled on and was

breathing the last when

Sr.Pat realized and came

out shouting at the girls.

I quote her words, "Girls, you

are murderers! Who has

killed Carlos! Oooh, poor

Carlos! Why on earth kill

Carlos! Carlos did nothing wrong to you! If I get the

one who did it, I gonna shoot and hang her!" This

caused a loud laughter instead of remorse! She

carried away the cat that was already dead and shed

tears! She loved kittens and they knew it! She gave

them names such as Midnight, Socks and Goldie.

May Sister Pat rest in peace. Amen.

SR. VIRGINIA BICKFORD – MUTUINI DAGORETTI

Although Sr. Pat and I both came from the same

Province in the USA, I hardly knew her. We only

became acquainted here

in Kenya when we lived

together in Embu in

1994 - 1996! She would

speak often of places

where she worked and

loved in the USA, and so

too she gradually

adapted to her new

missionary life,

requesting at the end to

be buried on African soil.

She used an array of expressions with the girls that

were typically American but not used here in Kenya.

The girls were called “Honey” which used to

embarrass and amuse them at the same time. If they

were in trouble she’d warn them, “That’s your

funeral!”

Sr. Pat called herself a Preemie because she was

born two months prematurely. That can explain

something about her personality of always being

extremely punctual and organized; even in the womb

she had to exit early to get things done! Farewell,

Dear Sr. Pat. Save us a place in the Salesian section

of heaven. We’ll be there sooner or later, but we’re

coming too!! Your life and death have inspired us!

SR. CHANTAL MUKASE - VISITING COUNCILLOR

Dear Sisters of AFE,

I am with you on

this day in which

our dear Sr. Pat is

being accompanied

to her last home.

She is our hero.

May she intercede for many good

vocations for our

Province AFE.

Feel me close to

you in this

sorrowful moment

when Sr. Pat has left us physically; however, in faith

we have the strong conviction that she is even closer

to us now than before.

SR.PHYLLIS NIEVES – VISITING COUNCILLOR

Dear Sr. Gisele and Sisters of AFE:

I am in communion with you as you lay to rest Sr.

Pat. She has finished her earthly life and celebrates

11

this Easter time with Jesus the Pascal Lamb. She

told me that she wanted to work among her beloved

African people until her last breath. The Lord heard

her prayer and now He has taken her home. I pray

with you in thanksgiving for her life and I trust that

God holds her within His gentle arms of Peace.

Please express my condolences to all the Sisters.

SR. MARY CHERIAN – SIAKAGO

Sr. Pat lived a full fruitful life in

the Institute as an FMA

missionary.. May she enjoy the

bliss of heaven. May she pray

for us especially for the Sisters

in Kenya.

SR. PURITY WAWIRA – DAGORETTI

Sr. Pat, you have fought the

good fight. You have finished

the race. Enjoy the heavenly

reward. We will miss you.

REMEMBERING SR. PAT

Here are some of Sr. Pat’s amusing expressions remembered by past pupils of Don Bosco Girls Secondary School Embu when they were students: “Girls, if you continue dragging yourself, you will

be late for your funeral!”

Girls I said move Now; N-O-W!

She’d tell us to stop fooling around. (??)

In the dormitory she told us, “Ladies; visiting hours are over, I want everyone in their own beds N-O-W Now!”

“If you sit there warming the chairs, you will have a baby grade." (A baby grade meant a zero.)

During English lessons she’d tell us, “Girls, today we have a vocabulary Bee.. (We had no idea what a Bee was!)

I remember Sr. Pat waking us up in the morning in Don Bosco Girls and how we wished she would have forgotten to set her alarm! When waking us up, she used to come into the dormitory without her vail and all we saw was her curly hair!

“The Eucharist and Mary Help of

Christians, the zeal for catechesis

and the love for young people,

especially the poor have always

been my source of strength.”

“I don’t regret anything. I

gave all the best I could;

now I can only go home.

Dear Lord, please take me

home, I have given you

everything, now I don’t

have strength any more to

do something. “