Sister Mary Patricia Thomas, R.S.M.

Sister Mary Patricia Thomas, R.S.M. spent 75 years of active service as a Sister of Mercy. She died at the age of 92 in her home on November 26, 2003. With the given name of Margaret Rose, she was born on August 30, 1911 in Macon, Georgia, the oldest of five children born to Joseph and Mary Murphy Thomas. She was educated at Mount de Sales Academy from primary through high school, graduating in 1928. After graduation, on her 17th birthday, she entered the Sisters of Mercy order in Macon and received the habit on July 2, 1929 in the Mount de Sales Chapel. She and five other novices and postulates were sent to Cresson, PA to complete her novitiate. She was professed in 1931 and selected “Yes, Lord” as her ring motto. She took her final profession on August 15, 1934.
 
After receiving her A.B. degree from College Misericordia, Dallas (PA), she was appointed principal of Mount de Sales, serving for 12 years. During that time she planned and supervised the construction of Mercy Hall, provided scholarships for resident students coming from rural areas to receive a Catholic education, traveled by bus to Warner Robins to teach religion classes to children on the weekends before a school was established there, spent summers in Albany doing similar work and also went weekly, after school to Ft. Benning to teach children of military families. While she served as principal of Mount de Sales, she also completed her graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. She also served as teacher and principal of Catholic schools in Savannah, GA, as well as Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, and Pensacola, FL.
 
During her time in Columbus, she served as principal of Pacelli High School from 1961-1964 and presided over the first graduation ceremony for the Class of 1962. After leaving Columbus in 1964, she returned in 1973 when she taught for six years at St. Anne School and then for another five years at Pacelli High School. Her role as teacher ended at Pacelli High School in 1984. After she stayed active in the mission apostolate of the church in southwest Georgia. She visited with patients at St. Francis Hospital, aiding the Franciscan sisters, and the homebound parishioners of St. Anne’s parish. She was also a faithful volunteer at St. Anne’s Outreach center.
 
At her funeral Mass, then Bishop Boland, termed her as a, “stalwart trooper, a woman of the Church, whose contribution to Catholic education was of the highest quality and significance.” She was buried in the Sisters of Mercy section of Riverside Cemetery in Macon.
 
Her legacy lives on daily here at St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School. Her dedication to Catholic education in a military and Catholic-minority community allowed Pacelli High School and St. Anne School to grow larger and stronger and be bound together now as one.
 
Rev. Michael Cerrone, Pacelli Class of 1964, established the endowed Sister Mary Patricia Thomas Memorial Award in 2004, one year after her death, in celebration and recognition of Pacelli High School's history with an emphasis on promoting the Catholic faith through alumni who are moral, loyal conscientious American citizens. Rising 9th-12th grade students of retired or active duty military parent(s) may apply for this up to $1,000 one-time award. Applicants and their families must be registered and active in a civilian or military parish community. Priority will be given to enlisted and NCO families demonstrating financial need through the FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment. The pastor of St. Anne Catholic Church, the President of St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School and the High School Principal of St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School aid the scholarship review committee in the selection of the award recipient.