Sister Sylvia Comer, RSM

Please pray for the repose of he soul of Sister Sylvia Comer, a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, who passed away on March 25, 2023, at the age of 92.

Born in Bangor to Patrick Comer and Emily Mary Taylor, Sister Sylvia entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1947.

She went on to teach first grade at Holy Cross School in South Portland, St. Edward's School in Bar Harbor, and Sacred Heart School in Portland. She also taught religion for 10 years at what is now the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.  

After receiving a master's degree in religious studies from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Sister Sylvia became diocesan coordinator, training religious educators in the diocese. She then served as a pastoral minister at St. Joseph Church in Gardiner.  

Sister Sylvia was then named formation director for the Sisters of Mercy, where she served for 11 years. She then obtained a second master's degree in sacred theology from Regis College in Toronto.  She was assigned to Saint Joseph's College of Maine in Standish as the director of the religious certification program for the diocese, while teaching in the theology department parttime.  She would later serve as co-chaplain, along with a priest on campus.  Sister Syliva retired from Saint Joseph's College in 2017, after 30 years there.