Sr. Patricia McNally, Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, died Aug. 2, 2019, at the age of 93 in Mother Margaret Hall, the nursing facility for the Sisters of Charity. Sister Patricia was born on Oct. 25, 1925, to John and Elizabeth (Milhouse) McNally in Springfield, Ohio. She was a Sister of Charity for 76 years. 

Sister Pat grew up in Springfield, Ohio; she attended St. Raphael grade school and graduated from Catholic Central High School in 1943 where she was taught by the Sisters of Charity. The call to become a Sister of Charity began in first grade when her mother died and Sister Mary Clementine Kasselmann gave her extra love and attention. Sister Pat decided then that she wanted to be like her; that desire never left and in 1943 she entered the Sisters of Charity.

Sister Pat earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French from the College of Mount St. Joseph (Cincinnati) in 1959 and a master’s in administration from Xavier University (Cincinnati) in 1964. 

Her more than 50 years of ministry included 24 years in education, time in several Houses of Prayer and 20 years in pastoral ministry. From 1969 until 1973 Sister Pat chose a ministry of prayer, living in Houses of Prayer in the Detroit area.

In the fall of 1973 Sister Pat moved into pastoral ministry, serving at St. Christine parish, Detroit (1973-75); St. Rita, Saginaw (1975-76); Sacred Heart in Saginaw (1976-78); St. Elizabeth, Ravenna, Kent. (1978-79); St. Basil, Detroit (1979-81); and Holy Family, Metter, Ga. (1981-’86). 

In 1990 Sister Pat chose to move into retirement, volunteering full time with the Refugee Resettlement program in Nashville, Tenn. There she accompanied refugees from 15 different nations as they attempted to become acculturated in the U.S. Since the mid-1990s she has continued to remain busy volunteering in a variety of settings which included Caracole House accompanying persons with AIDS, Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen and teaching weekly watercolor painting classes to Sisters and Associates, always enjoying life and people. Sister Pat moved to Mother Margaret Hall earlier this year when she began to need nursing care.

Sister Pat McNally is survived by her sister, Rosemary Ryan, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, John McNally.

Sisters and family will receive visitors in the Heritage Room of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 3 p.m. in the Motherhouse chapel. Burial will be in the Sisters of Charity cemetery.

Memorials can be made in Sister Patricia McNally’s name to the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Retirement Fund, 5900 Delhi Rd., Mount St. Joseph, Ohio 45051.