FAITHvideo: Pat Murdock Honored with Bishop Murphy Award 2017

Описание: Pat Murdock grew up in a faith-filled family in Bad Axe. One of eight children, she was raised in the Methodist faith tradition. Her family was very involved with their church community, and Pat fondly recalls actively participating in the church choir.

She attended country school through seventh grade, and graduated from Bad Axe High School in 1966. Pat credits her kindergarten, first and second grade teacher, who taught her for three years and made a lasting impression with a creative approach to instruction, for inspiring her to pursue a career in education herself. She attended Michigan State University in East Lansing, and received a bachelor’s degree in 1969.

Pat initially returned to her roots, spending a year teaching in country school, before accepting a faculty position at Our Lady of Lake Huron in Harbor Beach. While teaching at the Catholic school and attending Mass with her students and colleagues, Pat felt drawn to the Catholic Faith. After six years teaching there, she converted and became Catholic in 1977.

Pat taught at Our Lady of Lake Huron for 40 years, retiring just last year. In her time at the school, she taught history, English, reading, writing and eventually religion. Her students say she has a gift for calling forth the very best from each one of them. She set a standard of excellence for the young people in her classes, and worked with them until they achieved what she believed they were capable of achieving. She taught them they were each deserving of that kind of time and attention, because of their intrinsic worth as children of God.

Pat’s colleagues were equally inspired by her commitment to the school and her students. She was known for working early mornings, late nights and weekends. She requested to teach something different each year, as a way to keep her classes and approach fresh and updated. She was skilled at integrating religious instruction into history, English, reading and writing classes, and was an asset to any committee she served on.

In 1977, she received a master’s degree in school librarianship from Central Michigan University. An avid reader, she donated hundreds of books to Our Lady of Lake Huron School library, and also helped to select new books for the collection.

About 20 years ago, she began writing and directing a yearly Christmas play, which involves the entire school, and is enjoyed by the whole community. She later began directing students in the Living Stations of the Cross, which is offered during Lent and similarly looked forward to.

A member of Holy Name of Mary Parish in Harbor Beach, Pat is a member of the choir and the evangelization committee, she served as a leader of the alpha course, is a former member of the RCIA team, is a substitute for Eucharistic adoration and assists with many parish events and activities.

Pat is an exceptional teacher who has devoted her entire life to Catholic school education. She teaches the Faith to her students, young and old, and even more importantly models it through the example of her life as a missionary disciple. Her commitment and love for her school, parish and community is known by all who have been blessed to encounter her.