68 Years of Service: Remembering Sister Patricia J. Rooney, RSM

A Lifetime of Ministry and Education

Sister Patricia J. Rooney, RSM, whose leadership shaped Catholic education, retreat ministry, and non-profit organizations across Connecticut, passed away on October 26, 2026, at Saint Mary Home in West Hartford. She was 90 years old.

Born in Bridgeport on April 8, 1936, to J. Donald and Mildred (Carlson) Rooney, Sister Pat began her long religious life when she entered the Sisters of Mercy, serving as a professed sister for 68 years. Her early academic path laid the groundwork for a career dedicated to instruction, institutional growth, and the strengthening of community organizations.

Building Institutions Across Connecticut

Saint Joseph College—which is presently known as the University of Saint Joseph—was where Sister Pat completed both her undergraduate and master’s studies in English. She pursued further graduate studies at the American Film Institute and the University of Notre Dame, and spent time as a Research Fellow at Yale Divinity School. Her ministry officially commenced in 1958 when she stepped into an English classroom as a teacher.

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In 1973, she took on a pioneering administrative role as the Founding Chief Administrator at Mercy Center at Madison, a retreat and conference center where she guided operations for six years. That experience in institutional development led her back to her high school alma mater, the Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall. There, she established the development office and served as Director of Development for a decade before moving to the University of New Haven from 1989 to 1999 to manage alumni relations and development roles.

Role / Institution	Years Active
English Teacher	Began 1958
Director of Development, Lauralton Hall	10 Years
Alumni Relations & Development, University of New Haven	1989–1999
Trustee, University of Saint Joseph	1986–1998, 2008–2020

A Legacy of Stewardship and University Leadership

By the year 2000, Sister Pat launched a consulting initiative for non-profit organizations focused on major gifts and special events. During this period, she coordinated the major events marking the 150th anniversary of the Sisters of Mercy’s service in Connecticut. She also served as Interim Director of Alumni Relations at Southern Connecticut State University and directed Lauralton Hall’s Centennial celebration.

Her footprint extended deeply into governance across the region. Her leadership involvement included terms on the Boards of Trustees for Our Lady of Mercy School, Mercy Housing and Shelter, and Mercy Community Health, in addition to holding positions on the Board of Directors of the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Office of Urban Affairs and the Advisory Board of Catholic Family Services. Notably, she served as a Trustee in the history of the University of Saint Joseph, holding a seat for 24 years across two distinct periods, from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2008 to 2020. During her second stint, she spent three years each as Board Secretary and Vice Chair before being named Trustee Emerita in 2020.

Her contributions earned her multiple honors, including the M. Rosa McDonough Distinguished Alumna Award from the University of Saint Joseph, as well as the M. Augustine Claven Award for Life Achievement and a Distinguished Alumna Award from Lauralton Hall.

Services and Final Arrangements

Predeceased by her parents, her brother James and his wife Charlotte, and her sister Margaret, Sister Pat is survived by her nieces Patti, Joan, Donna, and Kate, along with their spouses and families, close cousins, a wide circle of friends, and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.

Remembering Sr. Patricia Pelletier, 82, 7/30/43 ~ 11/14/25, 62 Years Professed

Services are scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, at St. Mark the Evangelist Church, part of Saint Gianna Parish, located at 467 So. Quaker Lane in West Hartford. A wake will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by the Mass of Resurrection at 11:00 AM. Burial will take place afterward in Saint Mary Cemetery at 2021 Albany Avenue in West Hartford. Those unable to attend in person can view a live stream of the service by visiting the obituary page at www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com.

Family and friends wanting to pay tribute through memorial contributions may direct gifts to the Rooney Family Scholarship Fund located at the Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall, 200 High Street, Milford, CT 06460, or alternatively to the Patricia J. Rooney, RSM, ’58, M’72, DAA’00 Endowed Scholarship managed by the University of Saint Joseph at 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117.