“Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor, honor them, my children, as you would honor Christ Himself.”
St. Louise de Marillac
Closing a Chapter
By Katelyn Rieder, Communications intern
For more than 30 years, S. Pat Hill took the bus to her ministry at St. Clement Parish.
Recently, S. Patricia Hill officially retired after more than 30 years in pastoral ministry at St. Clement Parish in St. Bernard, Ohio.
S. Pat moved from Xenia, Ohio, back to her hometown of Cincinnati in 1988 as her parents were growing older. “I thought I could be of help to them if I was closer,” she said. Having left her parish behind in Xenia, Sister was in the market for something new. She was drawn to St. Clement in St. Bernard, Ohio—which happened to be her late grandfather’s parish as well. A year after he passed, S. Pat started as a religious educator at St. Clement. In this role, she taught a small program for children that attended public school and did not have religion education. She also assisted in the sacramental programs through St. Clement School.
As she interviewed for a position in the parish, S. Pat also mentioned to the pastor that she found great joy in visiting with the sick and the elderly. The pastor responded to this and allowed Sister to split her time between religious education and pastoral ministry. Over the course of her first year of work, her list of people to visit had grown so large that another individual was hired to take on the religious education need. Since then, S. Pat focused solely on these home visits. There, she would bring Communion to the individuals, sit and talk with them, and offer a break to their friends and family who, at times, were overwhelmed. “The good part of that was it was like someone from home had come to visit them—someone from their church,” she explained.
Because the community of St. Bernard did not have many retirement homes at the time, these visits sometimes took S. Pat all across the Cincinnati area. To get there and back she did not go by car—but by the Metro bus service.
“I grew up taking the bus,” she said, “so why should I stop now?” Even as she joined the Sisters of Charity and had the Transportation Department available to her, S. Pat continued taking the bus nearly everywhere. Community members may recall seeing Sister waiting by the campus bus stop to get to her ministry almost every day for many years. Not only does S. Pat feel motivated by the environmental benefits of public transportation, but also the extra time it gives her to pray and to be in solidarity with the poor. “I felt one with all of humankind on the bus,” she said.
Over the years of ministering at St. Clement, Sister formed many relationships. Whether it was with one of the eight pastors she saw come and go, the schoolchildren, or people she met during home visits, S. Pat’s gentle and loving spirit facilitated strong connections. “I feel like part of everyone’s family, and that has been a privilege,” she said.
While you may no longer see S. Pat waiting for the bus as often, rest assured she is still active in the SC Community. Now that she is fully retired, she plans to spend more time praying in the Motherhouse and visiting her Sisters in Mother Margaret Hall. Looking back on her long and fulfilling ministry, she shared, “I’m just grateful for all the good memories.”
S. Pat Hill has always enjoyed the extra prayer time during her bus rides.
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