Roger Thomas Cyr

Rev. Roger Thomas Cyr, O.M.I.
Missionary Oblate Priest for 62 Years

Rev. Roger Thomas Cyr, O.M.I., 86, died on April 9, 2020, at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. He was a son of the late François Joseph and Gertrude (Chasse) Cyr. He was preceded in death by a sister, Gloria Cyr.

Fr. Cyr was born and raised in Old Town, Maine, where he attended St. Joseph parochial school. He completed his secondary education at the seminaries of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Bucksport and Bar Harbor, Maine. He completed his studies in philosophy and theology at the Missionary Oblate seminary in Natick, Massachusetts. He completed his pastoral year in Washington, DC.

On August 1, 1953, Fr. Roger followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Myles, and entered the Oblate Novitiate in Colebrook, New Hampshire, professing his first vows on August 2, 1954, and his perpetual vows on September 8, 1957.

He was ordained on August 15, 1959, in the Missionary Oblates' summer chapel in Yarmouth, Maine, by Most Rev. Daniel J. Feeney, DD, of the Diocese of Portland, Maine.

Fr. Roger was first attached to the Novitiate staff in Colebrook as a professor. This was followed by three years as associate pastor at St. Louis Parish in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. In 1967 he was named assistant director of St. Joseph the Worker Shrine in Lowell, Massachusetts, and eventually became director. In 1970, Fr. Roger and his brother, Fr. Myles Cyr, O.M.I., were both assigned to St. Joseph the Worker Shrine, and, under their direction, the shrine became a thriving center of religious programs for the working people of that area.

From 1981 to 1995, Fr. Roger and his brother teamed up to become roving missionaries in the true Oblate tradition. They traveled through the rural areas of New England offering support to country pastors in need. They preached conferences and replaced pastors in need of vacation while working together or individually. During his years on the mission band, as it was referred to, Fr. Roger was in residence at the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, Colebrook from 1981 to 1993. He was in residence at St. Paul Center in Augusta, Maine, from 1993 to 1995.

From 1995 to 2015, Fr. Roger and Fr. Myles did parish ministry in Maine. The people they served were relatively poor, in keeping with Oblate philosophy. They ministered at St. Mary of Lourdes Parish, Lincoln, while serving the mission parishes of Sacred Heart, Winn; St. Anne, Danforth; and St. James, Kingman. Other parishes served were St. Leo in Howland and St. Francis Xavier in Brownville Junction. Fr. Roger was Pastor of St. Mary of Lourdes, Lincoln, from 1999-2015 and was also Superior of the Maine District Community from 2006 to 2015.

In 2015, Fr. Roger transferred to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence in Tewksbury, as did Fr. Myles, since the Missionary Oblates ceased doing ministry in Maine after 47 years.

In addition to his Oblate family, Fr. Roger is survived by his brother, Rev. Myles V. Cyr, O.M.I.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, funeral services were private.

Donations in memory of Fr. Cyr may be made to the Oblate Infirmary Fund, 486 Chandler Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876-2849.
The McKenna-Ouellette Funeral Home, 327 Hildreth Street, Lowell, MA, is in charge of arrangements.