Sister Mary Jo Divney

Manchester, NH – SISTER MARY JO DIVNEY (SISTER ST. JOHN OF THE DIVINE HEART), died on September 12, 2025, at Eliot Hospital. She was born on January 3, 1943, in Portland, ME, the daughter of the late John M. and Mary A. (McNaughton) Divney.

Mary Jo was a student at St. Mary’s Grammar School, Westbrook, ME, and graduated from Cathedral High School, Portland, ME Class of 1961.  She entered the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood Monastery in Portland in August of 1961. She professed her final vows on November 25, 1964.

The Monastery on State Street was a special “Power house of Prayer”, a cloistered contemplative order where the Sisters prayed for intentions, requested prayers for all reasons such as health, safety in travel, prayers for children and those in prison. and those who had no one to pray for themselves. The list never ends.

Mary Jo was a very prayerful member of her community and did many works of charity too numerous to mention. Most especially the Sisters prayed for vocations to the priesthood.  Sister Mary Jo initiated the “the Apostolate of Prayer for Priests” which was a calendar prepared by the Sisters each month assigning individual priests names for each day. They were printed and sent to benefactors and priests and anyone requesting a calendar.  It wasn’t just the Diocese of Portland. There were 40 Dioceses that sent their priests names to the Sisters and calendars were done for each of them Even though the Monastery in Portland is closed, the Apostolate of Prayer continues (Taken on by the Sisters of the Community of the Resurrection).  Sister Mary Jo was the Superior for many years and was also an active board member of the Federation of America of Precious Blood and was President for several terms.

She loved to cook and could be found in the kitchen baking new and old recipes.  She loved to make Irish bread using her mother’s recipe. She would make small loaves and give them to anyone coming to the back door.  Sr. Mary Jo also enjoyed cooking meals for the Sisters. And a very good cook!

She had a special fondness for the Jesuit priests from Cheverus High School They celebrated daily Mass for the Sisters from when the Monastery first opened in 1934. That was such a blessing knowing they were always available for Mass.  When she entered as a postulant she was very much drawn to their chaplain, Rev. Nicholas J. McNeil, S.J. who was a great support for her.

Sister reached out to others by inviting the Burundi’s to use the Chapel of the Monastery on Saturday afternoons. They would come and chant in their native tongue, sing beautiful music and just felt very comfortable in God’s presence praying as they had brought from their home- land.  It was so uplifting for anyone who visited the Chapel at that time and for the Sisters to hear them praying and chanting as they were in their Choir.  Sister would bake cookies to give to them as they left the Chapel.

In October of 2018 the Sisters left the Monastery and their presence in Portland to live in the Precious Blood Monastery in Manchester, NH.  It was difficult because this had been her home for 57 years but she followed God’s design for her. In early October, 2018, Bishop Deeley celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception attended by no less than 1,000 benefactors and dear friends of the Sisters, her family and several priests.  Afterwards there was a reception at St. Peter’s Hall to say good bye to them.  It was difficult and sad but was necessary.

She transitioned into the life expected of her at the Manchester Precious Blood performing well what was asked or her, whether it was in the kitchen being a prep cook, writing Mass Cards, laundry, or working in the infirmary with a gentle smile of appreciation!

Mary Jo is predeceased by her brother, John M. Divney Jr., and brother-in-law, George Hunter. She is survived by her brother, Daniel J. and his wife Susan Divney; sister, Deborah A. and her husband Carl J. Rossow; sister-in-law, Joeng; and nieces and nephews, Steven, Jeffrey, Robert, and Erik Divney, Tina and her husband Robert Burton, Susan B. Hunter, Brian and his wife Deborah L. Hunter.

Relatives and friends are welcome to gather at 9 a.m on Thursday, September 18, 2025, where prayers will be recited at the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Homes of Portland, 172 State Street, Portland, ME, followed by a 10 a.m a concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress St. Portland with the Most Rev. Robert P. Deeley, J.C.D., as principal celebrant and Rev. Daniel Greenleaf the homilist. Interment will follow at Old Calvary Cemetery, 1461 Broadway, South Portland.

In lieu of flowers, send donations to Cheverus High School, 267 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine 04103.