In Memoriam: Sister Victoria Pastrano, MCDP

Sister Victoria Pastrano, MCDP, went peacefully home to God on July 10, 2020, in San Antonio, TX at the age of 89 years.  
 
Sister Victoria Pastrano was born to Emilio Pastrano and Felisa Mojica, on January 12, 1931 in Lockhart, TX, and baptized on Feb. 1, 1931 at St. Mary’s Church in Lockhart. She is preceded in death by her parents, brothers Filimón and Joe, and sisters Augustina Gray, Mary Guzman, Della Cuellar, and Sister Emilia Ann Pastrano, MCDP.  She leaves behind two sisters: Kathy (James) Wrenn, Carmen (Leon) Newberry, and numerous nephews and nieces.  
 
Sister Victoria, better known as " Sister Vicky", entered religious life as a Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence in San Antonio, TX on June 2, 1946 and professed her first vows on March 20, 1948, and final vows on August 6, 1954.  As a dedicated Catechist, she served in numerous parishes in Texas: San Antonio (’48-’51,’56-‘59), Edcouch (’52-’53), El Campo (’55), Gonzales (’60-’62), Dallas (’63-’65), Brownsville (’67-‘72, ’75-’76), Alamo (’73-’74), San Antonio (’76-’84) on the MCDP Leadership Administration, Corpus Christi (’85-’93), and her ministry continued in Tomball until she returned to San Antonio. 
 
Her academic studies took place at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Seattle University in Seattle, Washington, and the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.  One of her greatest contributions was the co-creation of the Master Catechist Program with Father Harry Schuckenbrock, OMI, while serving as Co-director in the Religious Education Office in Brownsville in the 1980’s. The program was uniquely designed to offer Directors of Religious Education and Catechists a three-week residential event that integrated the personal, spiritual, and theological living experience of Catechesis. It was a program designed ahead of the times which today, is a common practice of many programs throughout the United States.
Among other contributions, she also published,  Teachable Moments of the Mexican American, Copyright © 1986, in bilingual form, English and Spanish while she served in Corpus Christi.
 
Everyone that knew Sister Vicky will remember her warm smile that lit up a room, and her unmistakable gregarious laugh and friendly demeanor. She spent her last eight years under the loving and professional care of the Sisters of Divine Providence at McCollough Hall Nursing facility in San Antonio. 
 
She will be deeply missed, though not forgotten, by her family, MCDP Sisters and the people she served throughout her religious life. 
 
Services:
In keeping with the safety regulations of COVID-19, all services were private. Interment was in San Fernando Cemetery #2 on Castroville Rd. on July 14, 2020. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made toward the  MCDP Mission Groups that host programs for the training of faith formation leaders in the westside parishes of San Antonio: Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence – 2318 Castroville Rd. – San Antonio, TX, 78237. (210) 432-0113.