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Mary Alice Quinn was known as "Chicago's Miracle Child".
Mary Alice was born on December 28, 1920, a child of Irish immigrant
parents. She suffered from a heart condition, and spent much of her
time in bed, praying to
St. Therese of Liseaux
, the "Little Flower".
At the age of fourteen, on November 8, 1935, Mary Alice died. She was buried in the Reilly plot. After her death, other Chicago Catholics who prayed in her name reported that they had seen the apparition of a young girl and been cured of their afflictions. Visitors began to arrive at the cemetery and leave gifts at her then-unmarked grave.
Her mother lectured at schools during the 30s and 40s, distributing relics of her daughter - scapulars with a photo of the girl and a small piece of her clothing. Mary Alice's name was eventually carved into the Reilly monument.
To this day, pilgrims continue to visit the grave of "Chicago's Miracle Child" and pray for cures. The front of the grave is always decorated with flowers and religious emblems - statues of the Virgin Mary, plastic crosses and holy cards.
Many visitors have reported a strong smell of roses at this grave, even in the dead of winter when no roses are nearby. St. Therese of Liseaux, as she lay dying, had promised to "send showers of roses" to those who prayed in her name. It would seem that Mary Alice Quinn does likewise.
Section 15 - north of the "Capone" monument.
References & Links
- Bielski, Ursula.
Chicago Haunts: Ghostly Lore of the Windy City
Chicago:
Lake Claremont Press
, 1997
- Crowe, Richard.
The Ghosts of Chicago (video)
-
Ghosts of the Prairie: Mary Alice Quinn
-
Ghost Research Society: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
