Sr. Patricia Scharlman

SR. PATRICIA (Mary Cleta) SCHARLMAN, ASC, 89, of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, died peacefully at Benedictine Living Community, Belleville, Illinois, at 7:50 p.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2025, surrounded by her family.

She was born on December 25, 1935, one of four children in the family of Cletus and Dorothy (nee Lindow) Schlarman of Belleville. She made her first profession on July 1, 1956, and her final vows on July 1, 1961, at the Ruma Convent in Ruma, Illinois. She had been professed for 69 years.

Sr. Pat received her bachelor’s degree in theology from St. Louis University in 1968 and her master’s in Elementary School Administration and Supervision from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in 1973.

She held teaching certificates in Illinois and Missouri, as well as a catechist certificate from the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee. She was certified in Campus Ministry in 1987 through a program sponsored by the U.S. Catholic Conference, based at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Additionally, she earned a certificate in Pastoral Administration from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, in 1992. Before her assignment as a teacher and administrator at Colegio Lourdes (school) in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, she experienced a seven-week summer program of Spanish Language Immersion in the Dominican Republic, not in a classroom, but living with a family.

Sr. Pat’s first 25 years of ministry centered around teaching. She taught at Holy Family in Cahokia, St. Mary in Taylorville, St Clare in O’Fallon, Saints Peter and Paul in Waterloo, St. Ann in Nashville, all in Illinois. She also spent nine years teaching in the Missouri schools of St. Augustine in Kelso, Our Lady in Festus, and St. Joseph in Zell. She ministered one year at St. Thomas in Memphis, Tennessee, as a departmental teacher, and three years at Colegio Lourdes in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. For nine of these 25 years, she served as principal. Her two years in catechetical ministry were spent at St. Joseph's parish in Cobden, Illinois.

She served in ministry for four years as the Newman Chaplain at College of the Ozarks, also assisting at Our Lady of the Lake parish in Branson, Missouri, with a focus on Youth Ministry. After a challenging first year, she became increasingly involved in Latino ministry, reaching out to students, parishioners, and even entertainers in Branson who wanted to learn English. Students appreciated her presence and cheering at the competitions between the college and visiting teams. Athletic by nature, she was so faithful in attending girls’ volleyball and boys’ basketball games that, at the end of the seasons, she was awarded an athletic college jacket, an unexpected thrill!

Sr. Pat’s fluency in Spanish brought her to the Dodge City, Kansas, diocese as a Pastoral Associate at Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in 1992. She continued her outreach to Latino families in the local area. Her brother, Bishop Stanley Schlarman, was the leader of the diocese at the time. Here, she organized a Parish School of Religion program for 250 students, comprising both English- and Spanish-speaking children from kindergarten through 12th grade. Her ability to play the guitar brought a sense of joy and encouraged participation in the liturgy for teens and adults alike. She also served as an interpreter for community members during medical appointments. She continued her ministry to the Latino community in Cobden, Illinois, as a Pastoral Minister for nine years before serving in Damiansville, Illinois, and other Clinton County parishes, teaching English as a Second Language, as well as assisting as a translator in the Latino community.

A woman of many talents, Sr. Pat enjoyed painting in watercolor. She also became skilled at playing popular songs on the guitar with friends in the community. Later, she enlivened prayer services and liturgies with modern hymns, particularly in her ministry with the Latino community.

When Sr. Pat moved to the Ruma Center in 2008, she continued her outreach to the Latino families in the surrounding area. In 2022, she moved to Benedictine Living Community at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville.

Sr Pat was preceded in death by her parents and her two brothers - Thomas and Bishop Stanley Schlarman.

She is survived by her sister - Cathy (Jack) Knight, sister-in-law - Rosalie Schlarman, niece - Erica (Brian) Kniffin, four nephews - Steve (Sheri) Schlarman, Tom (Michelle) Schlarman, Patrick (Jordan) Knight, and Sean Knight, many great nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews, and the ASC community.

Memorial Mass:

1:30 pm, Friday, October 24, 2025

Benedictine Living Community Chapel at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows

726 Community Drive, Belleville, Illinois

Officiating:

Fr. Carl Scherrer

Visitation:Friday – 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Benedictine Living Community Chapel at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows

Inurnment:

ASC Convent Cemetery

Ruma, Illinois

Donations in memory of Sr. Pat may be sent to the ASC Retirement Fund, 4233 Sulphur Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63109, or online at www.adorers.org “Support our Ministries”