Sister Sylvia Ahr, OSB was born in San Antonio and grew up in Corpus Christi with 8 brothers and sisters. In middle school, her family moved to San Antonio. Sister attended St. Benedict’s School where she was taught by the Benedictine Sisters. She decided to join the community when she was 14 years old. Sister attended high school at St. Albert’s Hall in Boerne, which at the time was a school for girls interested in becoming Sisters. After high school, she attended Incarnate Word College in San Antonio and received her BA in home economics and education. She also obtained teaching certification in high school and elementary education.
Sister Sylvia taught at St. Benedict, Holy Spirit, and St. Albert. She also served as a principal, administrator and executive director of various schools and child-care programs. While doing these jobs, she honed her management skills, and became the Treasurer for the Sisters in 1990. She helped form Benedictine Ministries Corporation and served as Assistant Prioress. In addition, Sister has served on many of the community’s committees, as well as various boards.
Sister Sylvia remains Treasurer for the Sisters and currently serves on the Sisters’ Council. She is also a Trustee. She fondly remembers the Sisters’ Annual Retreats, and how wonderful it was when all the Sisters would come back home to Boerne from schools and the hospital and nursing home. “It was just the idea of ‘Together’ and hearing things ‘Together.’ We were together and hearing the same things.”