October 17, 2025
Sister Patricia (Mary Cleta) Schlarman, ASC, of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, died peacefully at Benedictine Living Community, Belleville, IL, at 7:50 p.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was 89 years old and had been professed for 69 years.
She was born on December 25, 1935, one of four children in the family of Cletus and Dorothy (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, IL.
Sister 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, MO, in 1973.
She held teaching certificates in Illinois and Missouri and 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. An additional certificate was earned in Pastoral Administration from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas in 1992. Prior to 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.
Sister 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, TN, 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 given at St. Joseph parish in Cobden, IL.
Ministry for four years as Newman Chaplain at College of the Ozarks also included assisting at Our Lady of the Lake parish in Branson, MO, focusing 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!
Sister 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, led the diocese at the time. Here she organized a Parish School of Religion program for 250 students, both English and Spanish-speaking children from K-12. 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 interpreter for members of the community during medical appointments. She continued her ministry to the Latino community in Cobden, IL, as a Pastoral Minister for nine years before serving in Damiansville, IL, 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 liked to paint in watercolor. She also became skilled at playing popular songs on the guitar with friends in 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.
Sister Pat was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Thomas and Bishop Stanley.
She is survived by her sister Cathy (Jack) Knight, sister-in-law Rosalie Schlarman, niece Erica (Brian) Kniffin, nephews Steve (Sheri) Schlarman, Tom (Michelle) Schlarman, Patrick (Jordan) Knight, Sean Knight, great nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews, and the ASC community.
Visitation for Sr. Pat will be at Benedictine Living Chapel on Friday, October 24, 2025, at 12:15 p.m. for the family, and 12:30 for the public. Mass will begin at 1:30 with Fr. Carl Scherrer as the celebrant. After Mass, the Funeral Procession will travel to the ASC Cemetery in Ruma for burial.
Donations in Sr. Pat’s memory may be sent to the Adorers at 4233 Sulphur Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63109, or made online at www.adorers.org
Adorers of the Blood of Christ, United Sates Region