Patricia Ann Lorenz, CSJ
March 6, 1930 - February 8, 2025
Generous, determined, faithful
On March 6, 1930, Herald and Aldora (Buchner) Lorenz of St. Louis welcomed the first of their three children, an only daughter, whom they named Patricia Ann. Soon “Paddy” became the name she grew up with and two brothers completed the family.
Although her father was a Catholic, her mother, who was Methodist and faithfully went to church with them, was the one who made sure that the children, who attended public school, received religious instruction, listened to their catechism and helped them get ready for receiving the sacraments. Sister Paddy recalled that she was a good student in school, but she got bored easily and managed to get herself in trouble, which required her mother to come to school for talks with her teachers.
S. Paddy’s father died when she was 12. Although she did not know how he knew of St. Joseph's Academy, she heard from family members that he had wanted her to attend the Academy. Fortunately, one of her aunts helped with tuition and made the arrangements. It was there that she first met the Sisters of St. Joseph (CSJ). After graduating from the Academy, although she had won a scholarship to Fontbonne College (now University), she told her mother she wanted to enter the CSJ community. Her mother wanted her to finish at least two years of college first, which she did.
She entered the community on September 15, 1950. She received the habit and the name Sister Mary St. Paul in 1951. Sister Paddy's first teaching assignment was fourth grade at St. Thomas of Aquin in St. Louis (1953). She had never been around a group of children that age but made it through — with help. The following year, she was at St. Joseph Hospital in Kansas City, studying radiology technology. From 1954 to 1957, she studied at St. Louis University, graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in radiologic technology.
Her next mission (1957) was at St. Joseph Hospital in Hancock, Michigan, as an x-ray supervisor as well as a basic science instructor. Returning to Missouri in 1960, she was supervisor of the Radiology Department at St. Joseph Hospital in Kansas City. Then, in 1964, she returned to school at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. From 1967 to 1971, S. Paddy taught biology part-time at Avila College (now University). She also earned a doctorate in microbiology from the University of Kansas (1969).
From 1971 through 2009, S. Paddy ministered at Penn Valley Community College in Kansas City, Missouri. She served as a faculty member (1971-1978, 1980-2000), the chair of the Biology Department (1978-1980) and the chair of Life Sciences (1986-2000). Concurrently, she also accepted the position of councilor for the St. Joseph Provincialate from 1992 to 1996. S. Paddy earned an Associate of Applied Science from Penn Valley Community College, Kansas City in 1991. In 2000, she continued at Penn Valley as an adjunct instructor in biology until her retirement in 2009. She remained in Kansas City and volunteered as needed. In 2022, S. Paddy moved to Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis, taking part in the ministry of prayer and presence.
By Sister Helen Oates