Sr. Patricia Graham, CND: Organized, Joyful, and Grace-Filled

Sr. Patricia Graham, CND (S. Anne Patrice), has always brought energy and compassion to her ministry. She entered the Congrégation de Notre Dame in 1961 after graduating from St. Jean Baptiste High School and Marymount Manhattan College in New York. Her teaching journey began with first graders at Notre Dame Academy in Staten Island and continued through primary classrooms in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. She also served as Assistant Principal at both Villa Maria Academy in the Bronx and St. Columba School in Manhattan­ always focused on creating joyful, welcoming classrooms.

Sr. Pat’s talents extended far beyond teaching. Known for her strong organizational skills, she took on leadership roles including Finance Minister at Villa Maria Retreat Center in Stamford, CT. Even after a serious accident left her temporarily in a wheelchair, she didn’t slow down – coordinating the move of elderly Sisters from Ridgefield, CT, to Andrus on Hudson in New York, and overseeing the relocation of the U.S. province archives. She also helped her beloved brother, Rev. Msgr. Neil Graham, through several moves before his passing.

Before retiring in 2020, Sr. Pat served as Administrative Assistant for the Permanent Diaconate Program at St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, NY. Now living at Villa Maria Convent in the Bronx, she reflects on her life of service: ‘‘At every mission I served, I felt truly graced.”