Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

(From the April 28, 2011 edition of the Inland Register)

The City of Spokane’s Human Services Advisory Board [HSAB] has selected Franciscan Sister Pat Millen, executive director of St. Joseph Family Center in Spokane, as a board member.

The HSAB is appointed by the mayor to provide a liaison between the City Council, human services providers and its recipients in an effort to determine the human service needs of the City of Spokane. It also recommends financial resources to meet service needs prioritized by HSAB and approved by the City Council.

St. Joseph Family Center provides counseling, retreat opportunities, healing arts, and spiritual direction.

Before beginning her ministry at St. Joseph Family Center, Sister Pat worked with Catholic Community Services in the Seattle Archdiocese for nine years in leadership roles as Program Director for the Catholic Community Services Family Center and the Max Hale Center in Bremerton, Wash.

She established HOST, the Homeless Outreach Shelter Team that spanned three years, serving 268 homeless men and provided 6,107 bed nights.

Throughout the HOST program she raised $1.6 million to found the Benedict House. The Benedict House opened in 2006 and provides room for 24 men who would otherwise be sleeping on the street.

Sister Pat holds an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from Loyola College in Baltimore. She received her B.A. in Behavioral Science and Religious Studies in 1985 from Neumann College in Aston, Pa.