Sister Patricia Knopp, SNDdeN
May 6, 1936 - July 12, 2025
“With your children: kindness, patience, charity, concern in all trials. Talk sense to them, religion without doubt, but let us begin by sense; that is the most useful thing in the world for finding an entrance to their hearts.” (Letter 206, Saint Julie Billiart, Foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur)
Although Sister Patricia Knopp was born in Dayton, Ohio, on May 6, 1936, she quickly referred to her deep roots in Catholic Kentucky! Her parents were both born within miles of Gethsemane and Loretto, Kentucky. Family ties to relatives in Kentucky remained strong throughout her life.
The second child of John W. Knopp, Jr. and Mary Lorine Edelen Knopp, Patricia and her brothers, John III, Kenneth and David, grew up in Dayton, Ohio. The Oldenburg Franciscan Sisters educated them at St. Anthony School. At Julienne High School, Patricia met the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and learned of their foundress: Saint Julie Billiart.
The camaraderie Patricia witnessed among her high school teachers and stories of Saint Julie’s courage in the face of adversity taught Patricia the importance of empowering women to build a just world for all of humanity. This lesson fundamentally shaped her character and opened her heart to God’s inspiration that grew into a call to religious life and a life-long commitment to service.
Patricia entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1954 and, with the other women in her band, prepared for the teaching ministry. As a novice, she received the name Sister Kenneth Mary by which she was known until she returned to her baptismal name in 1968. After professing her First Vows, Patricia taught for 11 years in parish schools in Chicago, Cincinnati and Dayton. Her field was speech and language arts, gifts she would eventually use locally, nationally and internationally.
Patricia realized that the Church’s renewal begun by Vatican II would be effective only through new approaches in the religious education of adults and young people. Consequently, she completed an MA in religious education at the University of Notre Dame. Applying her degree, she developed and piloted adult religious education programs for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, taught religion in high schools, and served in parish adult religious education. These broadening experiences led her to a new ministry.
In 1975, she became the Managing Editor of Books and Newsletters for Claretian Publications in Chicago. She edited religious education materials, co-authored A Guide for Family Bible Reading and How to Teach our Kids Right from Wrong, which were translated into Spanish, and authored the kitchen katechism: No Nonsense Advice for Busy Parents. She also edited Bringing Religion Home, a monthly newsletter helping parents to be actively involved in the spiritual and religious development of their children.
At Claretian Publications, Patricia also addressed sexist language issues in publications, which, she believed, could be done without creating words that felt cumbersome and sounded ridiculous. Her basic guideline was that the person reading or hearing something “…should not be aware that there is no sexist language in it. If it jumps out at you, it’s been handled very poorly.” Patricia linked this issue to respecting human dignity and justice. “Language transmits values. The way we talk about and to people connotes what we think of them and their abilities. As long as we project a language that allows one segment of society to believe it is superior and the other inferior, both sides are suffering.”
For the following seven years, Patricia served as Director of Public Relations and Communications for Chaminade Julienne High School in Dayton. There she helped organize the celebration of “100 Years of Continuing Catholic Education at the Corner of Franklin and Ludlow,” worked with Julienne alumnae to create a stained-glass window of St. Julie for CJ’s chapel, helped create the CJ Athletic Hall of Fame and spear-headed campus beautification.
In 1984, Patricia served as support staff for the General Chapter of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, held in Rome. Her role included editing the U.S. version of the Congregation’s Constitutions that were drafted at that meeting. In 1988, she edited the approved version of the new Constitutions. She moved to Washington, D.C. when Congregational Leadership asked to her begin and edit Forum, a newsletter for the entire congregation, and to assist with other communication tasks for the Congregation serving on five continents.
Over the next 18 years, several organizations benefited from her communication skills. In Chicago, she served as Director of Communications for the National Religious Vocation Conference. Next, she was invited to be the Communications Coordinator for the Marianist Office of Vocation Ministry located on the campus of the University of Dayton where she enjoyed working with the Marianists. During this time, she was also a founding member of the National Communicators Network for Women Religious whose purpose is to network and support those working in communications for congregations of women religious. The organization continues today in collaboration with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR).
In 2009, Patricia’s spirit remained strong, yet her physical energy began to lessen. She “retired” to volunteer, spend time with family and pursue other interests. She assisted in organizing Chaminade Julienne’s archives, took numerous courses in tailoring, astronomy, and other subjects, enjoyed hobbies, including trying out new recipes on friends and family.
In community, Patricia took an interest in each individual Sister, was a wonderful conversationalist, and could be counted on to lift inconsistencies and connections to justice issues. She was a faithful participant in her faith-sharing group and involved in Province activities and ongoing formation opportunities. She helped create the “Blessing of the Notre Dame Cross” used in First Vow Ceremonies. She always wanted to do “more” for the mission of Notre Dame and the Church. Family, both immediate and extended, was always important to Patricia. She stayed connected, no matter where her ministries took her, and always kept her family in prayer.
When asked if there were something she would liked to have done, Patricia replied, “I’m content with what this life has offered. However, I have great plans for the next one. I hope to soar around the universe, see a star being born, dive into a black hole, and see if there is life in other universes. It would be great to have Teilhard de Chardin as my guide.” As we celebrate Patricia’s life, we thank God for the gift she has been to so many. As she experiences the expanse of God’s goodness in the next life, we remember a piece of wisdom Patricia shared from Meister Eckert: “If the only prayer you ever say is thank you, that would be sufficient.” Thank you, Patricia, for a life faithfully and wholeheartedly lived.
- Nancy Wellmeier, SNDdeN and Kim Dalgarn SNDdeN - July 18, 2025