Farewell to Sister Rosemary, Chicago's "steel angel"

Chicago is mourning the death of Sister Rosemary Connelly, the visionary and strong-willed nun who for more than 50 years led Heart of Mercy, transforming it into a national symbol for the care and dignity of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She died Friday at the age of 94.

Chicago, IL – Sister Rosemary Connelly, once described by a former mayor with a mixture of awe and admiration, and whom families called their “savior,” has passed away, leaving an indelible legacy in Chicago. Her death, announced by the Mercy Foundation, marks the end of an era of tireless advocacy for the most vulnerable.

Born in Chicago in 1931, Connelly joined the Sisters of Mercy and was appointed administrator of Mercy in 1969. At the time, the institution offered limited care. What she built over the next five decades was nothing short of a miracle of faith and determination.

A Life of Service and Structural Steel

Under Sister Rosemary's leadership, Misericordia grew from a small facility to a 31-acre campus in the West Ridge neighborhood, which today serves more than 600 children and adults, providing them not only with a home, but with a life worth living.

Her philosophy was revolutionary for the time: it wasn't just about housing people with disabilities, but about providing them with education, therapy, jobs, and, above all, a community that loved and respected them. She created self-help programs, speech and physical therapy, and later, social enterprises like a restaurant and bakery that gave residents employment and purpose.

She was known for her tenacity. Journalist Carol Marin, whose son has lived at Misericordia for 24 years, described her perfectly: “Sister Rosemary looks like a sweet, white-haired nun until you realize she’s made of structural steel.” She was a formidable fundraiser and an advocate who wasn’t afraid to stand up to the city’s most powerful politicians to fight for her “children.”

"She saved our lives. My son's life, the lives of our family. She kept an incredible promise that our children would have lives worth living." – Carol Marin, journalist and mother of a Misericordia resident.

A Legacy of Love and Dignity

Sister Rosemary's impact is incalculable. In 2023, she received the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame, the most prestigious honor for an American Catholic, in recognition of her work.

Father Jack Clair, current president of Misericordia, called her "the heart and soul" of the organization. Residents' families consider her a "living saint" who performed miracles daily.

Sister Rosemary Connelly retired as executive director in 2021, but her spirit and vision continue to guide Mercy. Her passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the city, from civic leaders to the thousands of families whose lives she profoundly touched.

Funeral services will be held next week, with a visitation on Monday at Misericordia Home and a funeral Mass on Tuesday at Holy Name Cathedral, a final farewell to a woman who was, for many, the embodiment of compassion in action.