Stories about St. Vincent's from Adoptive Children

    From Dennis M. Halloran

    In August of 1945, a remarkable couple stopped by St. Vincent's Orphanage and picked up a six-week old, brown eyed, brown-haired baby boy.  They took him home, named him Dennis and showered him with unconditional love, understanding, attention and affection.

    Twenty years later, the boy and his mother returned to St. Vincent's while the father was lying critically ill in the hospital. their purpose was to present a check to the sisters for more than $1000 from a fund-raiser the son had chaired at DePaul University.  Upon returning to the hospital, the son told his father about the donation.  He smiled and died.  The mother passed away in 1992.

    Though it occurred more than 50 years ago, that couple's unselfish act of "caring and sharing" has never been forgotten and today is no exception.  From the grateful six week old, brown-eyed, brown haired baby boy of long ago, I hope you succeed in your efforts to reopen St. Vincent's.

From Kathleen Mack

    I was adopted from St. Vincent's in 1957.  My mother told me wonderful things about St. Vincent's.  She kept many newspaper clippings.  I wish my mom and dad were here to give their story.  They could not say enough about St. Vincent's.  I grew up knowing about the care and guidance your organization gave them.  Mom had cancer and could not have her own children.  She and dad adopted three of us.  We feel fortunate to have been given a home and loving family.

Harry & Pat Michalski

    We adopted three children from St. Vincent's in 1962, 1962 and 1965.  We visited St. Vincent's with the children for years and saw the loving care given there by the staff.  The volunteers and staff always held the babies for their bottles.  When we adopted our children, we already had three children by birth.  Our daughter Carol and her husband Mike, are adopting a baby from Vietnam.

    A few years ago, a meeting was arranged by the social worker of Catholic Charities for Cindy to meet her birth mother and eventually her grandmother and half sister.  The social worker did a fantastic job.  Cindy and her half sister wanted nothing to do with their birth mother.  it turned out pretty bad.  We thank God for our good fortune.