S. Alice "clowns around" with S. Mary Florian Schneider

Clown Committed to Peace

S. Alice Rademacher is committed to many different important ministries. She worked for 32 years as a teacher, and then studied at Gateway Technical College to become a licensed practical nurse. Currently, she works in the Health Care Center for retired sisters.

S. Alice’s job involves driving and accompanying the sisters to their doctor appointments. “I get to be a reassuring presence for them,” she said. “Otherwise they would be waiting all alone.” S. Alice explained the importance of being with the sisters while waiting to see a doctor and getting test results: “We can all feel alone and worried, especially when the waiting takes many hours. During that time it’s important to have someone there with you.”

These opportunities to help others are one of the many things S. Alice likes about living at Siena Center, motherhouse of the Racine Dominicans. She describes Siena as “life-giving” because everything about it nurtures her spirit and love for fun. “You never run out of things to do. I especially love parties. There’s always an opportunity to celebrate something and I am literally able to ‘clown around!’” S. Alice always enjoys donning her clown costume to entertain the sisters.

S.Alice (left) and S. Mary Vosters display the Racine Dominican peace banner

Along with her dedication to the care of the sisters, S. Alice is also deeply involved with local peace efforts. With her involvement in groups like the Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice and the Racine Dominican Political Focus Group, S. Alice brings speakers, organizes rallies, marches in parades, and writes letters to newspapers in order to be a visible and active protester of the war in Iraq. The Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice recently hosted Witness Against War walkers, a part of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, who walked from Chicago, IL, to St. Paul, MN, to draw attention against the war and Iraq’s occupation. “There are times when just talking isn’t enough,” she declared. “You need to take the time and physically be seen so people know where you stand. Your whole person has to be involved, not just your thoughts and words.”

S. Alice carries this conviction in all aspects of her life, and our civic and religious communities are better because of it.

To read about other Racine Dominican Sisters, click here.