Sister Patricia A. Gallogly, MM

Born: February 15, 1933
Entered: September 6, 1951
Died: March 1, 2026

We welcome you to enter this celebration of the Life Journey of Sr. Patricia Gallogly.

John O’Donohue, an Irish Poet, shares: “The Journey of Life is a sacred unfolding pilgrimage requiring inner stillness, courage and self-compassion to navigate thresholds and embrace change. True living involves shifting from outward routine to inward authentic self-discovery, allowing the soul to awaken to new rhythms, beauty and belonging.”

Patricia Ann Gallogly completed her long and fascinating journey on Sunday March 1, 2026, the feast of the Transfiguration. Pat died very peacefully about 9:05 pm at our Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, New York. Pat had just celebrated her 93rd birthday with her many friends here at Maryknoll on February 15, 2026. She had been a Maryknoll Sister for 75 years.

Pat was born on February 15, 1933, in the Bronx, New York, to Joseph and Rose O’Rourke Gallogly. She was baptized at St Jerome’s Parish. Soon her sisters Peg (Margaret RIP 2012) and Kay (Kathleen) joined her and they became the “Threesome”!

Pat completed her Primary School education at St. Simon Stock School and received her high school diploma there as well in 1950. All through school her parents encouraged Pat to take vocal and piano lessons as she was an exceptional singer. In fact, Pat had considered following a career in voice after her schooling. A one-time try-out on the Ted Mack Show was the incident that “ended her high thoughts” about a career in singing!

The religious sisters who taught at St. Simon Stock often spoke to the girls about a religious vocation but for Pat that was the last thing she was considering at this point. Meanwhile at home the family received Maryknoll Magazine and often read and shared some of the stories. Pat became very aware of the pull inside her to become a missioner, a deep desire to help the poor and outcast. She became an avid reader of the Maryknoll Magazine and soon wrote to inquire about entering the Maryknoll Sisters congregation. Pat was accepted and entered the Maryknoll Sisters on September 6, 1951, at the Venard Maryknoll Society Community in Clarks Summit, PA. Here Pat studied scripture and theology and learned many other things, most importantly, how one lives community life, as well as cooking, sewing, and housekeeping.

After six months at the Venard, Pat and the other postulants went to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY, for their formal novitiate training. On reception day, Pat received the name of Sr. Rose Joseph in honor of her mother and father. The two-year Novitiate went quickly with studies in theology, scripture, and missiology. The novices were enthralled by the stories that the sisters shared with them about their missionary experiences in various countries. Pat’s mission spark was growing into a flame!

On March 7, 1954, Pat was formally accepted into the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation and pronounced her first vows. It was a significant step in the journey into mission life, and the big question was “What Now?” Pat’s first assignment was to work in the sisters’ promotion department and for the Maryknoll Magazine. In 1956, Pat was assigned to Maryknoll Teachers College where she completed her studies and received a bachelor’s degree in education in 1960. In summer, Pat attended the Pius X School of Liturgical Music at Manhattanville College. On March 7,1960, Pat made her final vows at Maryknoll, NY.

Now Pat was ready, and in 1960 she received her assignment to the Africa Region!

In those days the sisters traveled to their mission by steamer. Pat writes: “I was 40 days on the seas; it was quite a journey from New York across the Atlantic to South Africa and around the Cape of Good Hope. What an experience! The ‘Cape Rollers’ hit us when we were passing the tip of the Cape. The ship was tossed to and fro like a bouncing ball! OH! The seasickness! The ship finally arrived safely at Dar Es Salaam, Tanganyika port and I was overjoyed to be on solid ground and see our sisters welcoming me as we docked, I had finally arrived at my new home!”

Pat’s many talents were put to good use immediately, first learning the language, Kiswahili, and then teaching in the Makoko Girls Primary School. One funny story Pat tells about herself in regard to the language happened in her first year of teaching. The children still used “ink wells” and the word in Swahili for ink bottle (Chupa) and underpants (Chupi) are very close. One day she told the students to bring up their (Chupi) underpants and she would fill it with ink!! Complete uproar! Eventually Pat became very fluent in Kiswahili and taught in that school for seven years.

After returning from her decennial visit home, Pat returned to the now independent Tanzania and started teaching in the Musoma Junior High School Seminary for young boys. After two years, Pat received an invitation to go to Kenya and teach in a new Girls’ High School in Machakos. After two years there, Pat was appointed Orientation Director for the congregation and returned to Maryknoll, NY. To prepare for her new assignment, Pat took courses in spiritual direction, theology and counselling techniques.

Pat’s rich and varied experiences in mission and the launching of the Second Vatican Council in 1962 all came together and expanded Pat’s commitment to justice, especially regarding the inequality of women in the Church and society. Thus, began what Pat called her “letter writing career.”

The call of UJAMAA (Unity in Familyhood) was sounded by President Nyerere. In 1980, Pat was once again ready to return to her beloved Tanzania and joined Maryknoll Sisters Bernice Rigney, Joyce Burch and Maureen Meyer in the village of Kung’ombe, Bunda. Here the sisters lived and worked among the villages, assisting where needed and sharing the joy of the Gospel with the people. There was no running water, electricity or transportation. Pat started women’s groups and while she taught them how to knit and sew for their children, the conversations were about women’s rights. Here our city-born Bronx Sister was exposed to rural life. Pat learned quickly to carry water and cook on a charcoal stove. Pat wrote of this experience: “I knew nothing about the source of my food and the land on which life depends. I found digging in the soil and planting seeds a life-giving experience, seeing what I planted sprout and grow seemed an absolute miracle. Sharing life in Kung’ombe was a pure gift for me.”

After eight years, other sisters wished to minister in the villages, so Pat moved to the Singida Diocese where the Maryknoll Sisters had a secondary school for village girls. Msange village was about 20 miles from the school, and the needs of the women were like those of Bunda, but a new form of service emerged with the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The Sisters decided to train women to be health promoters and started a two-year program of training–assisting the women to understand how to deal with many of the illnesses of their children–dysentery, malnutrition, malaria, etc. The women eventually trained their own leaders and continued this ministry.

In 2001, Pat received an invitation to join Sr. Rosemarie Milazzo in Mwanza near Lake Victoria. Mwanza is a heavily populated area and the hub for travel to other African countries. HIV/AIDS was rampant. The Sisters set up support groups and started to teach about HIV/AIDS so people could avoid the virus and also care for themselves and their families when disease struck. Medical personnel often came to share with the people at these support groups and give out medication and vitamins. Many women suffered terribly at his time and babies born with HIV/AIDS were dying. There was still little awareness about the disease or medical assistance. The sisters used an old church as a center and with the help of Pat’s niece Joan Ryan, in 2004, they built meeting rooms and a storeroom. The center was called UZIMA Center (Wellness). Joanne Miya, Maryknoll Lay Missioner, joined them and when Pat was assigned to the States in 2005, Joanne continued as Director and the Center has expanded to include Adult Education, a kindergarten, etc.

In 2007, Pat was assigned to the Eastern U.S Region. Saying goodbye to her beloved Africa was difficult, but her experiences in Africa had truly transformed her theology of mission. She shared community in Yonkers with Marilyn Ingraham and Mary Mullady and continued her ministry of justice and peace with Pax Christi and her letter writing. In 2009, Pat was assigned to be the representative for the Faith and Justice Network in Washington DC 2008-2009. Pat was also assigned as representative to the Maryknoll Affiliates and Full Circle representative for Maryknoll Sisters from 2017 until 2020.

In 2019, Pat was assigned to the Chi Rho Community at Maryknoll, NY, and in 2022 to the Eden community so she could receive the medical care she needed. This did not deter her from continuing her interest in peace and justice and keeping in touch with her many friends in Tanzania. Pat received all these assignments with joy and adaptability saying “I see myself in Mission wherever I am.”

Pat wrote about her many experiences:

“In our novitiate training we were told to become adaptable; I thank the people of Tanzania for enabling me to learn this trait as I certainly moved from a classroom teacher to a ‘worldwide’ teacher on all levels. My life journey is a mystery with each step unravelling parts and revealing wonders of all our encounters. My life has been so much broader and deeper than I can even express. I have been transformed by new cultures and challenged in my thinking. I am grateful for all who had a part in my life journey.”

We celebrate and give thanks, at this Eucharistic Liturgy for Pat’s sacred journey and we give thanks for her sharing her life with us all these 75 years. Pat has donated her body to science, which will continue her legacy of assisting others to learn so they can assist more people.

“As one candle lights another, nor grows less,
so, nobleness enkindles nobleness”
James Russell Lowell/MMJ

We welcome Fr. Thomas A. Tiscornia, MM, who will preside over our liturgy this morning.