Sister M. Patricia

Born: January 22, 1939
Entrance: October 7, 1964
Professed: May 1, 1967
Died: October 13, 2026

The good and compassionate God called to Himself our dear Sister M. Patricia, née Helene Pöttker, Hospital Sister of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis.

Jesus says: “I was sick, and you visited me.”

(Matthew 25:36)

Sister M. Patricia was born in Tinnen, 130 km north of Münster, and grew up in a loving home with her six siblings. She was able to fulfil her dream of becoming a nurse by completing her nursing training in Lingen. There she met our Hospital Sisters and entered the Congregation at the age of 25.

Sister Patricia spent her entire religious life at St. Franziskus Hospital in Münster and lived at the motherhouse. For 59 years, she could be found at the hospital every day. Sister Patricia said about herself that the hospital was her home.

Many are familiar with her words: “Can I help?” For the first 20 years, she served as the head nurse of Orthopedic Ward 10 and later transferred to the orthopedic outpatient clinic. Since 2011, she cared for the hospital chapel, took on additional pastoral duties, and kept vigil and prayed at many deathbeds.

Due to her age, Sister M. Patricia had to leave her beloved hospital a few weeks ago and move to the St. Heriburg-Haus nursing home. After a brief illness, she returned her life to God in the palliative care unit – to the One to whom she had dedicated her life.

During the many years Sister M. Patricia lived at St. Franziskus Hospital, she got to know a great many people. Open-hearted, with sparkling eyes, and in her warm, friendly manner, she reached out to everyone and always had a kind word for them. This was appreciated by the patients and their families as well as by the many staff members. Yet she always remained humble and unassuming. It was important to her that others were well. She provided support not only through her nursing skills and compassionate care, but also by offering to pray for them and bless them. It was her firm belief that God is the One in whom one can place one’s trust in every situation in life.

We gratefully bid farewell to Sister M. Patricia. We will remember her in our prayers and during the celebration of the Eucharist, and we will remain united with her in sisterly love.

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 2 pm, we will say goodbye to Sister M. Patricia at the Resurrection Mass in the Motherhouse Church, after which we will accompany her to her final resting place in the Sisters’ Cemetery. Afterwards, we can share our memories of her over coffee at the Motherhouse.