Sister Maria Patterson

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri.  I am the oldest daughter of six children.  I was raised in various cities and small towns, due to my dad's job and his need to travel with his job.
 
I was educated by the sisters in my religious community from the age of seven through college.  I earned majors in English Literature and Creative Writing with minors in Education, Theology, Psychology, and Philosophy from Marillac College in St. Louis.  I went on to receive a master's degree in religious education with an emphasis on Liturgy from The University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.  I've continued my education over the years by attending workshops and various conferences in the areas of Pastoral Counseling from this diocese, Wholistic Mental and Spiritual Health, Creative Songwriting. Liturgical Studies, to name a few.  I also spent a month in Italy and a week in Germany being trained for leadership in my community in '97, and in '98 the training continued in Edmonton, Canada.
 
I've been a Sister of Divine Providence for 50 plus years. I taught in our Catholic School System in the St, Louis area for ten years and in 1981 I was offered a job as Liturgy Coordinator in a parish here in Nashville.  After 35 years serving in this position, I spent a year on sabbatical where I wrote music, studied Scripture, and experimented with various foods in my kitchen.  In 2017, I was offered a part time job here at St, Stephen as the Director of Adult Faith Formation. A short time prior to coming to St. Stephen, I was asked to be part of our Associate Leadership Team for the associates (lay members) of my religious community.  
 
Besides serving in parish ministry and teaching/being taught  I love writing music, especially worship and Christian Contemporary music, gourmet cooking, reading everything, especially poetry, hiking, spending time in the Smoky Mountains, traveling (I've traveled from Canada to Mexico and from our east coast to west, including Hawaii, to Ireland and Scotland ) gardening, playing guitar with friends, spending time with my community and so much more...
 
I still have dreams of my songs getting published, of hosting more songwriting evenings, of growing larger vegetables, of returning to my favorite places in Ireland and Italy...in Hawaii and to the Smokies (Lottery win required!).  I am a dreamer, but also a realist...God always comes through!
 
I have been blessed; I am blessed.