![]() Given the film about her which was just released, it seems timely to highlight St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, (1850-1917) the first US citizen to be canonized. She was born and raised in northern Italy, and came to America in 1889 in order to build and operate hospitals, schools, and orphanages for the poor Italian immigrants in New York City. During her life of service she built 67 such institutions in Europe, the United States, and South America, run by the Sisters in the congregation she founded, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Although she loved Italy, she decided to become a US citizen and spent much of her time administrating her congregation, while tirelessly working to make sure the needs of the poor were met. Now as it was then, many immigrants are among the poor, and the need for assistance is great. Therefore, we need someone like Mother Cabrini today! ![]() I first became acquainted with Mother Cabrini when I was a teenager.* She came into my life through a remarkable woman named Joan who belonged to our parish church and had become a friend of my mother. Joan was elderly by the time I met her, but as I grew to know her I learned that she had led a fascinating life and it was obvious she had never lost her ‘joie de vivre.' Convention did not seem make a difference to her and it appeared that she did what her heart led her to do. But the truth of her heart was that it was given totally to Christ. Joan went to Mass every day, possessed of a humble servant’s heart attuned entirely to the Lord. By the time I met her she had slowed down quite a bit, but continued to serve through a ministry of many hours in prayer for others. However, what makes Joan even more remarkable is something that took place when she was only 2 or 3 years old: she was cured of a life-threatening illness as a result of the intercession of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. Joan suffered kidney failure due to an illness, and near death, the doctors told her parents there was no hope. Some Sisters from the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart brought Joan's parents Mother Cabrini's crucifix,** and let them have it overnight. They placed the crucifix on Joan's body and prayed for the intercession of Mother Cabrini for the healing of their daughter. The next morning not only was Joan still alive, but when the doctors examined her later, she was found to be totally healed. Joan lived into her early 90's, and while in her older age she had other health issues, her kidneys were never one of them! Joan was an inspiration to many who knew her, an example of how to live a life with enthusiasm and gratitude, a response which no doubt came from receiving such a great gift as the healing she experienced as a small child. ![]() Just before I entered religious life, Joan brought that same crucifix to my parent’s house so we could pray with it. (The Sisters had given it to her after her miraculous healing.) We had it for one day, keeping it overnight. I remember feeling Mother Cabrini's closeness as I prayed with her cross. I was not expecting any miracles, but it made me realize that all it takes is the openness of faith to recognize when we are in the presence of something that conveys the sacred. The cross was not a good luck charm and had no power of its own. But what was important was the connection to this holy woman and the belief that she could intercede through her prayer, not by power of her own, but through the power of God who hears the cries of the poor and the prayers of His faithful servants. Anyone can intercede for someone who is in need; one need not be a canonized saint to pray in this way. We can pray for the dead and we can also pray to them asking for their intercession in the same way we might ask the living to pray for our needs. Most of us do this quite often when we ask a friend to pray for us or when we pray for the needs of our church and the world when we are at worship in our faith communities. The world is in great need of our intercessory prayer. ![]() Mother Cabrini is important not simply because of miraculous experiences such as the one I have mentioned. She is important because she teaches us about the great courage it took first to found a congregation and then to leave her homeland and cross the ocean at the cost of great discomfort and danger. She teaches us about the patience and fortitude it took to minister to the poor immigrants who had next to nothing, did not speak the language yet, and were (mis)treated with horrifying disdain. She had to raise money, get the right builders, and staff the hospitals, orphanages, and schools with Sisters. She tirelessly traveled to other cities in the United States and then to other countries establishing hospitals and orphanages, able to do all of it as a response of love to God who called and gifted her so she could do it. Although there were many obstacles that Mother Cabrini had to overcome, including the poor health she endured most of her life, she was determined not to let anything stand in her way. This is what faith in God can do. ![]() Mother Cabrini should inspire us to spend time in prayer and to the action born of prayer as our response to God. We do not have to go to exotic lands, but we can open our hearts to the poor in our own towns and cities. There are so many people suffering from the effects of poverty or natural disasters; there are many suffering from unemployment or under-employment; there are many suffering from illness or loneliness due to being home-bound; there are many who are struggling to feed families; there are many who are homeless; there are many veterans who were wounded visibly or invisibly who are struggling to integrate into life back at home; there are needs all around us to which we can respond. This is what Mother Cabrini inspires and challenges us to do: to hear the call of the suffering and do what we can to alleviate it. Nothing is too small when it is a gesture of love for the poor. ![]() May we be inspired with the courage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini to reach out to those in need! May we be moved to pray in intercession for the needs of our communities, our nation, and our world! May we be filled with gratitude for the many blessings we have, especially the small ones we often overlook! And may we be filled with love for all our neighbors, stranger and friend alike, just as Jesus taught! Let us continue to meet in the Heart of our loving Savior! Peace! ©Michele L Catanese NOTE: This is a revision of one of my earliest entries, posted in November 2012 for the feast day of Mother Cabrini. * I did know a little about St. Frances Cabrini before I met Joan because my paternal grandfather did volunteer work in one of the hospitals she had founded. He was given a small relic containing a piece of her veil at the end of his service there. I was given that relic after he died. ** Women and men in religious orders are given a crucifix when they enter their community. When I was in religious life, we referred to it as our bed crucifix since we placed it on our bed during the day. It is usually buried with the Religious. The one that was given to Joan was the ‘bed cross’ that belonged to Mother Cabrini. It was not the cross she wore. Images: (most were added to this revision) 1. Icon; St. Mother Cabrini Missionary of the Sacred Heart, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. You can find this at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-mother-cabrini-missionary-of-the-sacred-heart-209-william-hart-mcnichols.html 2. Photo; St. (Mother) Frances Xavier Cabrini. This seems to have been an official photo of her belonging to her community. 3. My photo; the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine. The ocean has always evoked the sacred for me. 4. My photo; Shrine of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini in Golden, Colorado. 5. Painting; Works of Mercy, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Welcome the Stranger, by Olivuccio di Ciccarello. 6. My photo: relic of Mother Cabrini (a piece of her bone) at the foot of a statue of her. This was taken at the Shrine in Golden, Colorado. Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.
Dcn Domingo
3/11/2024 04:54:20 pm
My wife and I went to see this movie yesterday. We could not help but clap our hands at the end of the film. Do you recall any time when the Name of Jesus was mentioned in the film? I saw this comment from an earlier post and I realized I had not. St Frances Xavier Cabrini, pray for us. 3/11/2024 05:13:46 pm
Deacon Domingo, Actually I do not believe the name of Jesus was ever mentioned, sadly. Her faith was implied of course, but I think the filmmakers wanted to reach as wide an audience as they could and so they left that to our 'understanding.' However, I think it would have been more powerful had they given a bit more 'screentime' to the faith she had in God and her love for Jesus. Comments are closed.
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Heart Speaks to Heart
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