The youngest of thirteen children, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (originally Maria Francesca Cabrini) was born on July 15, 1850 in a small village called Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, near the city of Milan, Italy. She grew up enthralled by the stories of missionaries and made up her mind to join a religious order.
Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Frances worked fervently at her studies, obtaining her teaching certificate. She applied for admission to the Daughters of the Sacred Heart, who had been her teachers, but was unfortunately not permitted to join due to her frail health.
Undeterred, she turned her attention to the House of Providence orphanage in Codogno, Italy, where she taught and did charitable work. She took her religious vows here in 1877, adding Xavier (Saverio) to her name in honor of the Jesuit saint, Francis Xavier, the patron saint of missionary service. In 1880, with seven young women, Frances went on to found the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was as resourceful as she was prayerful, finding people who would donate what she needed in money, time, labor and support.
Helping Italian Immigrants in the US
Frances and her sisters wanted to be missionaries in China, so she visited Rome to obtain an audience with Pope Leo XIII. Contrary to what Frances expected, the Pope told her to go “not to the East, but to the West,” to New York rather than to China. She was to help the thousands of Italian immigrants in the United States.
In 1889, Mother Frances Cabrini and her sister companions entered a new world: New York City. Initially, they met many difficulties and disappointments, but as always, Frances persevered. She organized catechism and education classes for the Italian immigrants and provided for the needs of the many orphans. She also established schools and orphanages despite tremendous odds.
Expanding Operations Around the World
Soon, requests for her to open schools came to Mother Frances from all over the world. She traveled to Europe, Central and South America and throughout the United States. She crossed the Atlantic Ocean repeatedly, rode on horseback in the Andes and crossed the lands of Central America, Brazil, Argentina, Europe, and the United States by train and even on foot, establishing a total of 67 institutions: schools, hospitals and orphanages.
Her desire was to spread love and devotion towards Jesus’ Heart through prayer, example, and the work of her Missionaries—promoting solidarity, defense of life, and the dignity of human beings.
Canonization
Her activity was relentless until her death on December 22, 1917 in Chicago. Following the exhaustive Vatican processes of beatification and canonization, Mother Cabrini was declared Blessed on November 13, 1938.
On July 7, 1946, she was canonized a saint by Pope Pius XII in recognition of her holiness and service to humanity. She became the first United States citizen to be canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
In the book, “Immigrant Saint, The Life of Mother Cabrini” by Pietro Di Donato, he writes of the canonization day,
“On July 7, 1946, St. Peter’s wore a holiday appearance. It’s venerable and imposing pillars were decked with magnificent ancient damask hangings. Countless electric lights and candles were grouped around the pontifical altar…paintings depicting Mother Cabrini hung from the balconies. The activities in the Vatican began just after seven in the morning, when the Cardinals, patriarchs, Archbishops and other dignitaries who were to participate in the canonization began to arrive at the Sistine Chapel. Pope Pius XII entered the Sistine Chapel and intoned the Ave Maris Stella.”
The Pope made the following solemn declaration in Latin:
“…we inscribe in the Catalogue of the Saints, the blessed Francesca Xavier Cabrini, ordaining that her memory be celebrated in the universal church on the Day of December 22, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.”
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was named Patroness of Immigrants in 1950, and in 1999, Pope St. John Paul referred to her as the Missionary of the New Evangelization.
“Religious leader, business administrator and spokesperson for the downtrodden, Mother Cabrini was always a woman of compassion. Despite hardship, poor health and disappointment, Mother Cabrini’s peace of soul enabled her to radiate a joy born of unfaltering trust in divine providence. This total and unabashed trust in God was her outstanding personality characteristic and was the source of an inner strength, which propelled her to remarkable accomplishments in a relatively short amount of time. Some saw in Cabrini the embodiment of immigrant aspirations: to get ahead, to excel, to prove one’s self. Others, instead, attributed her achievements to the zeal of a saint.”
~ Sr. Mary Louise Sullivan, MSC, Ph.D., Mother Cabrini, “Italian Immigrant of the Century”
The Statue of Mother Cabrini in Saint Peter Basilica in Rome
A large statue of St. Cabrini was placed in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on December 8, 1946, five months after her Canonization. It is located in the central nave. Here, marked by mighty pillars, are 39 niches with the figures of the Founding Saints of Religious Orders and Congregations. In one of these, twelve meters high beside the papal altar, was placed the statue of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, foundress of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was one of the few niches then available, and it was Pope Pius XII, who a few months earlier, on July 7, 1946, had canonized Mother Cabrini, who decided to pay homage to the saint.
Read more HERE.
Read an insight on Mother Cabrini’s relics HERE.
On March 8th in the Theaters in the US a new film about Mother Cabrini will be released!
We deeply thank Mr. Eustace Wolfington, Executive Producer of the film, for passionately willing to make this film and allow the story of St. Frances Cabrini to reach as many people as possible!
Discover more on: https://www.angel.com/movies/cabrini
Watch the film Mother Cabrini (2019), by Cristiana Video
in Italian HERE, in Spanish HERE and in English HERE.
Read more about the film HERE.
Read the latest news about Mother Cabrini
Anniversary of Canonization of Frances Xavier Cabrini
On July 7, 1946, Frances Xavier Cabrini became a saint.The … Read more
Novenas in preparation for the Feast of the Sacred Heart of JesusToday begins the novena for the Feast of the Sacred … Read more
The Newspaper Article that Saved Mother CabriniPlus, New Limited Edition Mother Cabrini Tiny Saint In the … Read more
Mother Cabrini and the TitanicHere is Mother Cabrini’s letter to Sr. Gesuina Dotti, where … Read more
Thinking about Compassion with Mother CabriniMother Cabrini’s compassion was an outpouring of her love of … Read more
April’s Mother Cabrini StoryDanger in Denver Mother Cabrini rushed to the hospital as … Read more
Cabrini MovieThese weeks we are witnessing the promotion of Alejandro Monteverde’s … Read more
Thanks for your love for Mother CabriniWe wanted to sincerely thank everyone who contacted us through … Read more
« Oggi c’è una rabbia nuova. Mi sento investita di un ruolo»Con Marcella è entrata nella Storia. Romana Maggiora Vergano, che … Read more
