Vita of Sister Patricia Ann Froning
It was Wednesday, October 2, 1935, the day after the first killing frost of the season when I was born to Clement and Marie (Sutter) Froning at home on Plum Street in Coldwater, Ohio. Two days later, on the feast of St. Francis, I was baptized “Patricia Ann” at Holy Trinity Church by Rev. Louis Yauss. Rosina Sutter and George Froning were my godparents. I was the first child and became big sister to Virginia, Margaret, Joan, Judith, Clement (who died at birth) John, Kathleen, and Cynthia.
In March, 1939, we moved from Coldwater to St. Sebastian (Mercer County), Ohio, where we lived near the church on two and a quarter acres of land. I attended Marion Township Elementary School, a two-room rural school about a mile west of St. Sebastian Church. In the 8 years of elementary school I had two teachers: Miss Henrietta Kehres in Grades 1-4 and Mrs. Betty Dabbelt in Grades 5-8. Two very important life lessons I recall learning there: how to study and that learning is its own reward.
On May 2, 1943, I made my First Communion in St. Sebastian Church and on November 2, 1947, I was confirmed by Bishop George Rehring, Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Drawn to religious life, I wanted to join the Sisters of St. Joseph in Buffalo, New York, where my aunt and two cousins were members. Both of my cousins had gone to high school there and I wanted to do the same. However, Aunt Martha told me that I was too young and would have to wait until I was 16. Not wanting to do that I talked with our pastor, Rev. Harold V. Diller, CPPS, who was a brother to Tiffin Franciscan, Sister M. Adela Diller. He offered to take me along to Tiffin the next time he visited his sister. I remember feeling at home when we visited. The novices were house-cleaning the chapel and I said to myself: “I could do that.” I spent my high school years at St. Francis Convent High School.
On August 31, 1952, I entered the congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis of Penance and Charity, Tiffin, Ohio, as a postulant and senior in high school and graduated in May 1953. On August 12, I was received as a novice and given the name Sister Mary Sebastian. Two years later I made profession of temporary vows and on August 12, 1958, made profession of perpetual vows.
Mary Manse College (Ursuline), Toledo, Ohio was my place of study for several semesters and a number of summers. I received a BA degree in Elementary Education and Social Studies in 1964. From 1964-1966 I completed an MBA Degree (with a concentration in Hospital Administration) at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. That included a residency in Hospital Administration at Mount Carmel Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
As an elementary teacher in 1957, my first mission was at Millersville, Ohio, followed by Custar, Peru, and Seneca East. Strange are the ways of God! I was asked to move into hospital administration at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky in 1966. While there, following Vatican Council II and its emphasis on Baptism as the sacrament of religious life, I returned to the use of my baptismal name as Sister Patricia Ann in 1968 and served at Lourdes Hospital until I was elected to the General Council of the Sisters of St. Francis as Councilor and Apostolic Coordinator (1970-1974).
Called by the congregation to serve as the President of the Sisters of St. Francis (1974-1982), I completed an Internship in Spiritual Direction and Retreats at the Jesuit Renewal Center in Milford, Ohio. These were the early years of post-Vatican Council II and together we Sisters gave our attention to the directive of the Council: “aggiornamento” and to “return to our roots.” Our efforts were focused on congregational renewal – spiritual, communal, ministerial, governmental and personal – and reclaiming our Franciscan heritage. I was immensely inspired and blessed by the Sisters. These years expanded our horizons through membership and participation in the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and in the Franciscan Federation and the expansion of our ministerial outreach.
Certainly a highlight for me personally during that time was our participation in the world-wide consultation and writing of the text for the renewal of the Franciscan Third Order Regular Rule and Life, and my own opportunity to participate in the International Assembly of the Third Order Regular Franciscans at Rome, Italy which approved the post-conciliar text of “The Rule and Life of the Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis” in 1982.
After the years in congregational leadership I participated in an international renewal program for Apostolic Religious Communities (ARC) in Rome, Italy (1982-1983). This was followed by ministry in the Diocese of Owensboro, Kentucky (1983-2007) as: Pastoral Associate at Holy Name Parish in Henderson, Vice President of Mission Services and, later as Administrator at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Pastoral Associate at St. Anne Parish in Morganfield, and as Director of the Diocesan Office for Lay Ministry and Outreach. While in Owensboro, I was blessed to serve as the Spiritual Assistant for the Companions of Saints Francis and Clare Fraternity of the Secular Franciscans Order,. Later I also served in this capacity with the St. Joseph Fraternity in Green Springs and most recently with the St. Anthony Fraternity in Carey/Shelby. In 2007 I returned to Tiffin in response to the call of leadership to begin the Office of Mission Advancement for the congregation. Since 2009 ministry has focused on retreat and spiritual direction, care of the library, a variety of congregational history projects, and serving as a Minister of Prayer and Service.
Preceding me in death are my parents Clement and Marie, brother Clement, sisters Joan Brown, Judith Mescher, and Virginia Stephenson, brothers-in-law William Scholes, Nicholas Rammel and James Stephenson, niece Jennifer Scholes, nephew Chris Goecke, and grandnephew Jesse Vorisek. Surviving are my sisters Margaret (and James) Goecke, Kathleen Scholes, and Cynthia Rammel, brother John (and Beverly Bertke) Froning, and brothers-in law James Brown, and Urban Mescher, as well as many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and great grandnieces and great grandnephews.
Our gracious and loving God called me home on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. From my new home, I embrace you all with love.
May the angels lead her into paradise. With her we proclaim: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”