A renowned anti landmine campaigner - and so much more
Obituaries
SR PATRICIA PAK POY - Born 16 October 1935 - Died 24 February 2026
Sr Patricia Pak Poy RSM “was an amazing Sister of Mercy,” said Archbishop Patrick O’Regan, “holding many leadership roles, including congregational leader and principal of St Aloysius College”.
It is just a snapshot of the many roles, and causes, undertaken by the renowned anti landmine campaigner. Sr Meredith Evans RSM, who first met Sr Patricia at a YCW training session in the Adelaide Hills in 1969 recalled Sr Patricia having a short holiday in the South-East and visiting the Mt Gambier cemetery where she came across a tombstone on which it was written Ethel – she did what she could’, Sr Meredith said.
“Those words must have found some deep connection for her. It was the first thing that Pat told me when she returned home. Pat said to me that’s all we need to do to make a difference in our world. ‘You do what you can.’
Sr Patricia embraced life in all its abundance with a zest for life and when Patricia was in residential care, valued her trips with her friend Anne Tormey to the beach, the hills and the vineyards in McLaren Vale to enjoy a coffee and be immersed in the ocean, the trees and the birds.
Patricia Pak Poy, who had five siblings, moved as a child from Darwin to Adelaide where her family ran a grocer’s shop on Magill Rd and was enrolled at St Aloysius College (SAC) as a seven-year-old in 1942. She completed her schooling at the college before graduating from Adelaide University with a bachelor of arts degree in 1955.
In 1957 she entered the Sisters of Mercy and was admitted to Final Profession in 1962. She taught at SAC until 1969 before studying in the United States for a year and on her return to Adelaide took over as principal of SAC, a role she held until 1976. She was affectionately known as ‘triple P’ by many girls she guided in her time as principal.
Her lifelong commitment as a Sister of Mercy was her passion said Sr Meredith.
Moira Weir, now mayor of the city of Onkaparinga said Sr Patricia was a constant mentor and role model when she was a student at SAC and St Patricia was school principal from 1970 to 1976.
“She set me on a lifelong path commitment social justice,” Ms Weir said.
In 1976 Sr Patricia became executive officer for the National Conference of the Sisters of Mercy and played a major part in bringing 17 independent Mercy Congregations around Australia into one entity in 1979, since known as The Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Sr Patricia was also Vicar of the Sisters of Mercy in Adelaide from 1972 to 1984 and then Congregation Leader in Adelaide from 1985-1989 while also a member of many Boards of Governance – St Aloysius College, Mercedes College, Star of the Sea School, Coolock House and the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools.
The 1980s brought a wider remit with Sr Patricia Pat involved with the National Catholic Committee for Justice and Peace, the Children’s Interest Bureau SA, Mercy Refugee Service, the National Mercy Justice Committee and as a member of the Australian Delegation to the United Nations re Inhumane Weapons Convention.
Furthermore, she pursued her studies in Chinese language and literature and was passionate in encouraging Vietnamese Sisters to become fluent in the English language
In 1993-1994 Sr Patricia was appointed Director of Formation for the Sisters of Mercy in Adelaide.
She never ceased from pursuing learning in many areas that interested her which advanced her principles and values, including peace studies, conflict resolution, and even a seminar on mine warfare with the Australian military.
She made full use of her networking skills and contacts when she visited Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam in 1990 and became aware of the need for landmine clearances and importantly the need to support civilians in banning landmines.
This prompted her to start advocating for a ban on the use of landmines and she took on the role of the first National Co-Ordinator of the Australian Network of the International Campaign to ban landmines.
Under her leadership the organisation played a crucial role in changing Australian Government policy. In 1997 Pat was present when the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer signed the Ottawa Treaty, banning land mines which came to force in March 1999 and for which the campaign was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pat’s commitment and dedication to so many significant causes was widely recognized with the Order of Australia, RSL Peace Prize, Human Rights Award and others including a Doctor of the University (Honoris Causa) from the Australian Catholic University.
Sr Meredith recalled a time spent at the famous Camino de Compostelo trek in Spain with Sr Patricia.
“I had been training for several weeks to improve my physical fitness. We met in Madrid and caught the train to Compostelo. On this occasion we had walked several kilometres in fairly rugged up hills and down dales before stopping for a drink and something to eat.
Two young men from Scotland also had stopped for a drink. I was looking particularly disheveled – jeans, t-shirt, backpack etc. Pat, as always was well dressed, tailored blue pants, a white t shirt and a tailored blue jacket including a red ribbon around her neck. She set the whole outfit with her small leather handbag.
When we said goodbye, one of the young men said to me as we started our walk once again ‘Your friend looks like she is having a stroll in the local park. Is she really walking the Comino?” Yes she was.”
Pat approached all of life with lightness of heart and mind, always open to new possibilities and new initiatives that called on her and us as Mercy women with faith, hope and love in abundance.
Sister Patricia’s Funeral Mass was celebrated on Friday March 6 at the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Henley Beach, Adelaide.
