Overview

• Sister Pat Murphy died on July 21, 2025, at age 96 after nearly half a century of faith-driven advocacy for immigrants in Chicago.
• She co-founded Su Casa Catholic Worker in the 1980s with Sister JoAnn Persch to provide housing and support for refugees fleeing Central American conflicts.
• In 2009, Murphy helped secure passage of the Illinois Religious Ministry Act, granting authorized access for religious workers to state detention centers.
• For almost two decades, she and Persch held weekly Friday morning prayer vigils at the Broadview ICE processing center and later moved visits online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Her legacy endures through Sister JoAnn Persch and organizations like Catherine’s Caring Cause, which now support 17 immigrant families with housing, legal aid and mentorship.