A Tribute to Sister Mary Alice Rowan

1895 - 1970

     Of all the memories of Sister Mary Alice Rowan that were submitted after her death, the one that gives the best thumbnail sketch of her is the editorial that was written by Father Banahan for the Chicago Tribune and was dated September 20, 1970.

     " A Column long obituary in the Tribune last week marked the death of Sister Mary Alice Rowan, Daughter of Charity.  In her case, the title of religious order is a misnomer.  Sister Mary Alice was a mother of charity to thousands of boys and girls born out of wedlock in the City of Chicago.  For years she worked at St. Vincent's Infant Hospital on LaSalle Street.  Sister Mary Alice boasted of the loudest voice heard outside of the marine boot camp, a voice exceeded in volume only by the size of her love.  She loved babies with a ruthless passion rivaled only by the love of God.  Sister Mary Alice liked adults, but her love was reserved for children, particularly those who were deprived of parents.  That voice of hers was something else!  I used to live at Holy Name Cathedral some three blocks away, and often I pointed out that she could save the price of a phone call to me simply by facing east and raising her voice.  Her laughter on such occasions threatened to level the buildings between us.  Chicago will miss more than her loud voice and her quick laughter.  It will miss her practical and ready love of children...I tell you what she taught all of the policemen, firemen and priests who worshipped her.  She taught us that the ultimate prize in this world is not a basket full of diamonds but a bassinet filled with life - Sister Mary Alice died too soon - she should have taught her message to social workers and welfare groups.  Perhaps she should have taught it to you."

     In 1932, Sister Mary Alice Rowan came to St. Vincent's.  She embodied St. Vincent's and served like a drill sergeant for over 30 years, into the early 60's.  Heaven help you if she noticed one of the children being cared for improperly.  The student nurses would be read the riot act, which could be heard up and down the halls of St. Vincent's.  She would always finish with a "now" listen honey", which would take the bite out of her words.

     When founding babies would come in, Sister would give them a name, which was in some way connected with the day on which they were found, the place where they were found or the person who found them.  She always tried to make the name plain so the it was not tied in with any particular nationality unless she felt the child was of that nationality.  over three decades, Sister Mary Alice dynamically served St. Vincent's.  There were many newspaper articles and pictures of her and written about the work done at St. Vincent's.