Maureen Marr

Sister Maureen Marr, SNDdeN entered religious life in 1965, inspired by the example of Sisters she met as a child at St. Joseph Church in Pepperell, Massachusetts. Raised in a small, close-knit town, she was the oldest of three children in a family shaped by simple joys, neighborhood friendships and the presence of strong, gentle parents. “Home and its environs were a safe and happy place,” she recalls. Her father worked in a local paper mill while her mother ran the household with discipline and love. “My Dad never raised his voice to us… he didn’t need to,” she says. “His quiet presence said it all.” 

Early connections with the Sisters grew during Sister Maureen’s time at Emmanuel College and continued into her first mission at Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody. There, she taught English and Latin and learned community life firsthand. She remembers the challenge of cooking for 22 sisters and the kindness that made it manageable. 

Her vocation has taken Sister Maureen from campus ministry at the University of Maine in Orono to working in a safe house for trafficked women. Both roles stretched her personally. “How did an introvert end up in a position for an extrovert?” she wondered but credits the support of Sister Marie Murphy for guiding her. Of her time in the safe house, she reflects, “Living with young women who had suffered such trauma was a profound learning experience. They taught me about resilience and strength.” 

Over 65 years of ministry, Sister Maureen has served in education, administration, pastoral ministry, leadership and international service as general secretary in Rome. In every setting, she found inspiration in her community’s commitment to the charism of St. Julie Billiart. “I am awed by the Sisters with whom I have shared ministry and life,” she says. “Their steadfastness to St. Julie’s call has always been an inspiration.” 

To those discerning religious life, Sister Maureen offers this wisdom: “Trust in the Spirit… and know the call may be lived out differently, but the way will be made clear in being faithful to that inner small voice.” 

What gives her hope is the enduring faithfulness of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. “God’s loving plan will continue in ways we may not know or understand or envision,” she says. 

Her favorite quote from St. Julie captures her grounded spirit: “Laugh at your touchiness and get on with what God wants.” 

Updated in 2025