In Memory of Patricia Piorkowski

Seonghwa

Sep 15

Written By Youth and Young Adult Ministry

Patricia Hannan Piorkowski

Spouse: Zachary Piorkowski
Children: Carl, Martin, and Peter
Birthdate: August 31, 1930
Blessing: February 8, 1975
Ascension: September 9, 2023
Seonghwa Ceremony: September 18, 2023

Patricia Hannan Piorkowski was born August 31, 1930 in Bayonne, Hudson, NJ. Growing up in a Roman Catholic family made Pat spiritually sensitive, and through her love for Jesus she felt drawn to a life of devotion. In 1948, at the age of 18, she became a Trinitarian nun and took the name Sister Rose. She worked primarily with young people in multiple locations in the eastern U.S.

After 21 years she felt that the Holy Spirit was not active any more in her convent life, and she left to find what new path God had opened for her. In 1970 she met Joe Stein in their graduate education class at the University of Rochester. Joe felt strongly that he should witness to her. Wayne Miller taught her Divine Principle—and although Pat was 20 years older than Wayne and much better versed in theology, when Pat heard just the key points of Principle from Young Oon Kim’s red book, she responded saying, “It’s true, and this is the way I must go.” Pat was always obedient to God’s will. Her first mission was helping Joe and Wayne care for a guest who came to their small center, showing them a motherly heart.

In 1971 Pat moved to Upshur House in Washington, DC, where she met True Parents for the first time when they arrived to begin their ministry in America on December 18, 1971. Being an elder both physically and spiritually, she was asked to help serve True Parents. Pat was later assigned to be an itinerant worker, visiting church centers in the U.S. as a counselor in addition to supporting the national HQ.

In 1975 she was matched and blessed by True Parents to Zachary Piorkowski, a former priest, in the 1800 couple blessing in Korea. They began their family life as missionaries to Argentina, where with God’s help they established a national spiritual and financial foundation that thrives to this day. During this time they adopted two orphan boys, Martin and Carl Poblete.

In 1980 Father Moon commissioned Pat and Zach to establish a business raising chinchillas in the U.S., duplicating a venture they had developed earlier in Argentina. After four years operating a chinchilla ranch in the California Sierras, they relocated to the East Coast.

In 1988 the love of God provided them with their third son, Peter. Several years later the family moved to Zach’s hometown in Connecticut to care for his mother. After 8 years there, they all returned to the Washington, DC area, where Pat worked at the World & I magazine as assistant to the director, Mr. Dong Moon Joo.

After Zach’s death in 2006, Pat lived with several families in Maryland, until Peter returned to the area to start an online business. She was an ongoing source of guidance in living a life of faith for numerous members, who recall her warm heart.

Always keeping in touch with what True Parents were doing, Pat was a continuous “prayer warrior” behind the scenes. She always considered that her first and primary mission was being a Blessed Wife and Daughter of God.

Patricia ascended to the eternal world on September 9, 2023, and is survived by her three sons, Carl, Martin, and Peter.