Sister Claire Marie Patik
Sister Claire Marie (Clara) Patik was one of eleven children, born of immigrant parents in Cedar Rapids, IA. She attended Catholic school there before attending Ottumwa Heights Junior College. After entering the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1940 she continued her higher education receiving an MA in science education at the University of Iowa.
As sisters explored new opportunities for ministries after Vatican II, Sr. Claire Marie answered a request from her missionary priest brother to come to Papua, New Guinea and minister to the people there. This fulfilled a childhood dream nurtured since grade school. Sister was responsible not only for teaching but writing and printing textbooks for her students.
Her retirement years at Humility of Mary Center were spent providing secretarial services to both the sisters and the Davenport Diocesan Marriage Tribunal.
Sister was a skilled organizer and planner. Her final days were spent working on her family history and providing very detailed plans for her own funeral.
MISSIONS:
St. Anthony, Des Moines
St. Alphonsus, Davenport
Sacred Heart, West Des Moines
Cosgrove Public School
St. Ambrose Academy/Assumption, Davenport
Catholic elementary school, Papua, New Guinea