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Rosemary Connelly Obituary
Connelly, RSM, Sister Rosemary
Sister Rosemary Connelly, RSM born into life on February 23, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois, to Bridget and Peter V. Connelly from County Mayo, Ireland passed away peacefully at home at Misericordia Heart of Mercy. She grew up in a family rooted in deep faith and service, which led her to join the Sisters of Mercy when she was just 18 years old. As a child, Sister attended Chicago parochial schools and taught in several Archdiocesan schools while continuing her studies. In 1959, Sister Rosemary earned a Bachelor of Social Science from St. Xavier University, a Master of Arts in Sociology from St. Louis University in 1966 and a Master of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago in 1969. Sister Rosemary was awarded the University of Notre Dame's 2023 Laetare Medal, considered the oldest and most prestigious honor given to an American Catholic. She also received numerous honorary degrees, awards and honors throughout her life.
Sister Rosemary was the devoted daughter of the late Peter Val and late Bridget Connelly, and dear sister of the late Marie (late Ed) O'Brien, Kathryn (late Robert) Connolly, the late Donald Connelly the late Joe (late Patricia) Connelly, and the late Patricia (Pat) (late Bob) Martin; loving aunt to many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. Special gratitude to Sister Rosemary's sister Kathryn for her unwavering devotion to her sister and to Lois Gates and Bob Noga who never left Sister Rosemary's side from the moment they met her.
As a Sister of Mercy, Sister Rosemary found religious life a source of support and challenge as she lived the motto she chose to have inscribed in her profession ring: "Love Serves Joyfully." Love, service, joy, gratitude and an ever-widening understanding of community were the roots of her work as a teacher, social worker, and then – for 56 years – administrator of Misericordia Heart of Mercy. Sister Rosemary credited the Sisters of Mercy for providing the education that shaped her work and for her sisters' steady love and active support as Misericordia grew and found ever-expanding and creative ways to respect the dignity of each resident and foster lives worth living. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." (Jn. 10: 10) With faith, compassion, grit and tenacity, Sister Rosemary made that teaching of Jesus alive for countless individuals aligned with Misericordia.
In 1969, when Sister Rosemary was appointed to the role of administrator at Misericordia Heart of Mercy on Chicago's South Side, there were no services for children with disabilities. So she started a variety of programs designed to help the children achieve the highest level of independence possible. In 1976, Sister Rosemary, 39 children and 35 dedicated staff members moved to the former site of Angel Guardian Orphanage on the North Side of Chicago at 6300 North Ridge. Today, Misericordia serves more than 600 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For more than 50 years, Sister Rosemary guided Misericordia through enormous growth, touching and ultimately changing the lives of thousands of children, families and supporters in the process. She was a visionary who devoted her life to the community that has become the Misericordia of today – a loving and caring environment that provides a full continuum of care and life-enriching programs for individuals from diverse racial, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds with a wide range of abilities. Sister Rosemary was instrumental in developing a compassionate and holistic approach to caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and set the tone for Misericordia, believing in the potential of each and every individual and in their right to life and one worth living. She oversaw a far-reaching program that has become one of the nation's leading communities for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and includes not only its 600 residents of Misericordia, but also an Outreach Program, 1,200 employees and thousands of volunteers both on- and off-campus.
Always humble, Sister Rosemary credited her great staff and the residents themselves for making Misericordia an extraordinary place, providing exceptional programs for those who need its services, giving peace of mind to families and sharing its mission with supporters across the country. Sister often said, "At Misericordia we look upon each one of our children and adults as a person with individual needs, feelings, aspirations, limitations and gifts. Each one is unique, a gift to us today, a loving and loved person made by God with a purpose in life-no matter how wrapped in mystery that purpose is. We believe, we accept, we love each person and we are a better people because they have touched our lives."
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 23, 2025, from 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Misericordia Home, located at 6300 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago, IL. 60660
Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at Holy Name Cathedral, located at 735 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654. Free Parking is available at 14 W. Superior.
Sr. Rosemary's Funeral Mass will be live streamed, please go to her obituary page at donnellanfuneral.com and scroll down to Webcast and click Watch Now.
Interment will be Private.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Misericordia Foundation c/o the Sister Rosemary Connelly Fund. https://www.misericordia.com/giving/donate-online/ Misericordia Foundation
Info: donnellanfuneral.com or 847-675-1990.
Sign Guest Book at legacy.suntimes.com
Sister Rosemary Connelly, RSM born into life on February 23, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois, to Bridget and Peter V. Connelly from County Mayo, Ireland passed away peacefully at home at Misericordia Heart of Mercy. She grew up in a family rooted in deep faith and service, which led her to join the Sisters of Mercy when she was just 18 years old. As a child, Sister attended Chicago parochial schools and taught in several Archdiocesan schools while continuing her studies. In 1959, Sister Rosemary earned a Bachelor of Social Science from St. Xavier University, a Master of Arts in Sociology from St. Louis University in 1966 and a Master of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago in 1969. Sister Rosemary was awarded the University of Notre Dame's 2023 Laetare Medal, considered the oldest and most prestigious honor given to an American Catholic. She also received numerous honorary degrees, awards and honors throughout her life.
Sister Rosemary was the devoted daughter of the late Peter Val and late Bridget Connelly, and dear sister of the late Marie (late Ed) O'Brien, Kathryn (late Robert) Connolly, the late Donald Connelly the late Joe (late Patricia) Connelly, and the late Patricia (Pat) (late Bob) Martin; loving aunt to many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. Special gratitude to Sister Rosemary's sister Kathryn for her unwavering devotion to her sister and to Lois Gates and Bob Noga who never left Sister Rosemary's side from the moment they met her.
As a Sister of Mercy, Sister Rosemary found religious life a source of support and challenge as she lived the motto she chose to have inscribed in her profession ring: "Love Serves Joyfully." Love, service, joy, gratitude and an ever-widening understanding of community were the roots of her work as a teacher, social worker, and then – for 56 years – administrator of Misericordia Heart of Mercy. Sister Rosemary credited the Sisters of Mercy for providing the education that shaped her work and for her sisters' steady love and active support as Misericordia grew and found ever-expanding and creative ways to respect the dignity of each resident and foster lives worth living. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." (Jn. 10: 10) With faith, compassion, grit and tenacity, Sister Rosemary made that teaching of Jesus alive for countless individuals aligned with Misericordia.
In 1969, when Sister Rosemary was appointed to the role of administrator at Misericordia Heart of Mercy on Chicago's South Side, there were no services for children with disabilities. So she started a variety of programs designed to help the children achieve the highest level of independence possible. In 1976, Sister Rosemary, 39 children and 35 dedicated staff members moved to the former site of Angel Guardian Orphanage on the North Side of Chicago at 6300 North Ridge. Today, Misericordia serves more than 600 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For more than 50 years, Sister Rosemary guided Misericordia through enormous growth, touching and ultimately changing the lives of thousands of children, families and supporters in the process. She was a visionary who devoted her life to the community that has become the Misericordia of today – a loving and caring environment that provides a full continuum of care and life-enriching programs for individuals from diverse racial, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds with a wide range of abilities. Sister Rosemary was instrumental in developing a compassionate and holistic approach to caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and set the tone for Misericordia, believing in the potential of each and every individual and in their right to life and one worth living. She oversaw a far-reaching program that has become one of the nation's leading communities for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and includes not only its 600 residents of Misericordia, but also an Outreach Program, 1,200 employees and thousands of volunteers both on- and off-campus.
Always humble, Sister Rosemary credited her great staff and the residents themselves for making Misericordia an extraordinary place, providing exceptional programs for those who need its services, giving peace of mind to families and sharing its mission with supporters across the country. Sister often said, "At Misericordia we look upon each one of our children and adults as a person with individual needs, feelings, aspirations, limitations and gifts. Each one is unique, a gift to us today, a loving and loved person made by God with a purpose in life-no matter how wrapped in mystery that purpose is. We believe, we accept, we love each person and we are a better people because they have touched our lives."
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 23, 2025, from 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Misericordia Home, located at 6300 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago, IL. 60660
Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at Holy Name Cathedral, located at 735 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654. Free Parking is available at 14 W. Superior.
Sr. Rosemary's Funeral Mass will be live streamed, please go to her obituary page at donnellanfuneral.com and scroll down to Webcast and click Watch Now.
Interment will be Private.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Misericordia Foundation c/o the Sister Rosemary Connelly Fund. https://www.misericordia.com/giving/donate-online/ Misericordia Foundation
Info: donnellanfuneral.com or 847-675-1990.
Sign Guest Book at legacy.suntimes.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by Chicago Sun-Times on Jun. 22, 2025.
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Catherine Gallagher Causby
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