Sister Mary Walter Dwyer

Nov 21, 2025

in 1910-1929 (Born), Community Activists, Education, Museums and Libraries, Religious, Social Work, Civic and Philanthropy

1929 – 2022

Sister Mary Dwyer was principal of Saint Columba School in Newark, in one of the poorest sections of Newark and with Deborah Humphreys, she was a driving force in the Saint Columba Neighborhood Club / El Club Del Barrio.

Deborah Humphreys wrote, “It was never enough for Sr. Mary to just be principal of the school”. Sister Mary advocated for and organized a free breakfast and lunch program, an afterschool program, and a summer program; then a day care center. She fundraised for the school, working with Catholics in the suburbs to keep tuition low or nonexistent for poor families. She also connected with the old Irish families who had moved from the community, getting them involved in issues.

With Deborah Humphreys, she was a driving force in the Saint Columba Neighborhood Club / El Club Del Barrio, founded in 1977 to serve the neighborhood, sitting on the board and serving as interim director. Deborah wrote, “Sr. Mary’s commitment to the community is legendary. She can often get to a fire as soon as the fire department.” During a time when the community was plagued by arson she helped families affected by fire, or other situations like domestic violence, find housing and services. She helped the community with all kinds of issues, “on call 24/7”, such as a mentally handicapped adult who’d been arrested or a 5th grader who ran away. In 1997, Maria Vizcarrando said Sister Mary “plays a vital role” and called her an “unsung heroine”.

Mary also worked with other groups including the Apostle House shelter and Camp Fatima for mentally disabled children. She enjoyed traveling, doing shelter work in Texas, and visiting St. Columba families in Puerto Rico.

Mary was also dedicated to the senior nuns, who originally lived at Saint Columba and then moved to the Villa at Convent Station. She served as Directress of Associates at the church, working with prospective nuns.

Mary was born in Jersey City and entered Sisters of Charity in 1946. She served in Florida before coming to Newark in 1969. She was inducted into the Newark Women’s Hall of Fame in 1998. In 1997, she won the United Way’s William Ashby Community Award. In 1990, she won the Gold Broom award for helping keep Newark clean.