We Say Goodbye to Sr. Patricia Corr

March 5, 1932 —July 8, 2026
Reception: January 17, 1960
Profession: January 18, 1961

Sister M. Patricia (Colman) Corr, OP, a Dominican Sister for 65 years, died peacefully on July 8, 2026, at Dominican Convent in San Rafael. Ever faithful, deeply committed to her spiritual life, and endlessly curious, Sister Pat was a lifelong learner. An educator, retreat leader, archivist, and gifted storyteller, she believed that both the mind and the soul should continually be nourished. She approached life with wonder, intellectual rigor, and profound gratitude, often reflecting on the simple truth that became her guiding philosophy: “Everything is a gift.”

Patricia Corr was born on March 5, 1932 in Oakland, California, to Owen Corr and Johanna (Twomey) Corr, Irish immigrants who came to California in 1926. The youngest sister of Owen David Corr and Mary Jo Lammars, she developed a deep devotion to her large Irish family and to her Irish heritage—often wrapped in a beloved cable-knit Irish sweater. She attended St. Jarlath Parish School and graduated from Holy Names High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of California, Berkeley in 1955.

It was during her high school years, when her family moved from St. Jarlath’s Parish to St. Cyril’s Parish in Oakland, that Pat first encountered the Dominican Sisters. At St. Cyril’s Parish School, staffed by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, she participated in the Children of Mary youth program and attended various youth retreats, including several Holy Week retreats held in San Rafael. She later recalled these experiences with great warmth, as they offered her an early glimpse into Dominican spirituality and community life. After college, she taught in the Oakland Public Schools before entering the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael in 1959.

Known in her early religious life as Sister Colman, she began teaching at Our Lady of Mercy School before serving in Dominican-sponsored schools throughout California, including Santa Catalina School in Monterey, San Domenico School in San Anselmo, St. Mary’s High School in Stockton, and Justin-Siena High School in Napa. A gifted educator, Sister Pat challenged her students to become thoughtful scholars, cultivating in them a love of history, Scripture, careful inquiry, and lifelong learning. She believed education was not merely about acquiring knowledge, but about learning to seek truth with humility and integrity.

Her own pursuit of truth never ceased. During summers she studied Scripture, theology, and history at Dominican College and the University of San Francisco. She later earned a Master of Theological Studies through the Institute of Spirituality and Worship at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and continued her formation through studies at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Ohio.

Scripture remained at the center of her life. It shaped her teaching, her retreat ministry, and her way of seeing the world. She delighted in conversations about history, archaeology, genealogy, current affairs, music, and the arts. She possessed an exceptional eye for beauty, whether found in a work of art, a piece of architecture, a line of Scripture, or a meaningful conversation shared with a friend. She also loved both classic and contemporary films and could always be counted on for a thoughtful—and reliable—critique afterward.

These many interests enriched her ministry at Santa Sabina Retreat Center, where she offered retreats, days of prayer, Scripture studies, and directed retreats. Her thoughtful presence, gentle humor, and love of learning invited countless people into a deeper relationship with God.

After decades of teaching and spiritual ministries, Sister Pat embraced a new ministry when she was asked to become archivist for the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael. As a historian at heart, she eagerly accepted, spending the next decade preserving the remarkable story of the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael. She delighted in uncovering forgotten stories, preserving treasured documents, and ensuring that the congregation’s rich history would endure for generations to come. To Sister Pat, every discovery in the archives was another reminder that history is not simply about the past—it is the living story of God’s grace unfolding through ordinary people. Her head for history and work in the archives fostered an interest in her family genealogy, and she relished tracing all the branches of her large Irish family. Her tender care of the congregation’s Heritage Room and to her family lineage will forever be a reminder of her attention to the stories that connect us all.

Her love of history extended well beyond California. During a 2011 Dominican pilgrimage through Europe, she wrote movingly about tracing the footsteps of St. Dominic and encountering the countless artistic expressions inspired by his life. She was especially captivated by the Monastery of the Cross—the birthplace of her congregation—whose bright yellow front door became for her a joyful symbol of Dominican hospitality. Equally powerful was standing above the crypt of St. Peter in Rome, reflecting on the remarkable convergence of faith, archaeology, and tradition. She marveled that archaeologists, following the witness of centuries, had discovered the Apostle’s remains beneath the basilica. For Sister Pat, history, faith, beauty, and truth were never separate pursuits—they continually illuminated one another.

Throughout her life, Sister Pat remained grateful for the sisters, students, teachers, pastors, researchers, family members, and friends who shared her journey. She treasured thoughtful conversation, laughter, shared meals, and opportunities to continue learning. She believed every encounter carried the possibility of grace.

We remember Sister Pat with gratitude for a life marked by faith, scholarship, humility, curiosity, and joyful service. She preserved the history of the Dominican Sisters with loving care, and in doing so became an enduring part of that very history. Her legacy lives on in the students she inspired, the retreatants she accompanied, the stories she safeguarded, and the Dominican community she loved so dearly.

Sister Pat was preceded in death by her parents, Owen and Johanna (Twomey) Corr, and her siblings Owen Corr and Mary Jo Lammars. She is survived by her numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews, and her Dominican Sisters.

A Funeral Mass will take place on July 30, 2026, at 10:30 am in the Gathering Space at Dominican Sisters Center, 1520 Grand Avenue in San Rafael. After the funeral, Sister Pat will be buried in St. Dominic’s Cemetery in Benicia at 1:30 pm. All are welcome.

Memorial gifts in Sister Pat’s honor may be made to the Care of the Senior Sisters Fund, Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, Advancement Office, 1520 Grand Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901 or online here.

MINISTRIES

• 1961–1964 Our Lady of Mercy School, Daly City; Teacher: Gr. 2, 4
• 1966–1968 Junipero Memorial High School, Monterey; History/ Religious Studies /English
• 1968–1972 Santa Catalina School, Monterey; History/ Religious Studies/English
• 1972–1976 St. Mary’s High School, Stockton; Religious Studies /History
• 1976–1978 San Domenico Upper School, San Anselmo; Religion/History
• 1978–1979 Institute of Spirituality & Worship, GTU Berkeley; Student
• 1979–1980 St. Vincent’s High School, Vallejo; Religious Studies
• 1980–1983 Santa Sabina Center, San Rafael; Spiritual Direction/Retreats
• 1983–1986 Justin-Siena High School, Napa; Counselor, Religious Studies
• 1986–1987 St. Michael Parish, Livermore; Minister of Spirituality
• 1988–1989 St. Matthew School; San Mateo; Grade 4
• 1989–1994 Our Lady of Mercy School, Daly City; Religion Coordinator
• 1994–1995 St. Philomene Parish, Sacramento; Director of Religious Education
• 1995–1996 St. Christopher Parish, San Jose; Sacramental Coordinator
• 1997–2002 St. Dominic Parish, Benicia; Director of Religious Education
• 2002–2008 Queen of the Valley Hospital, Napa; Volunteer
• 2008–2019 Congregational Archivist