Dear Friends,
How much do you know about our patron saint, Frances Cabrini?
Did you know that she is the first United States citizen to be canonized a saint? She became a U.S. citizen in 1909.
Did you know that because of the terrible treatment of Italian immigrants, Bishop Scalabrini of the Diocese of Piacenza in Italy encouraged her to go to the United States? She wanted to go to China, which is why she took the name Frances Xavier. However, while meeting with Pope Leo XIII in 1877, he advised her to go “not to the East, but to the West.” She arrived in New York City on March 31, 1889.
Did you know she was the youngest in a large family? Born two months premature, Cabrini was one of four surviving children out of the 13. The remaining nine children died at young ages.
Did you know that she was rejected for being a nun by the religious order that had taught her as she grew up because she was too frail? She went on to found her own religious order, Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in 1880 and had six other women join her who had worked with her at an orphanage.
Did you know she started 70 different institutions – schools, hospitals, orphanages – in several different countries?
Did you know she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in New York in 1996?
Did you know she is the patron saint for immigrants? She immigrated to the U.S. at age 38 and became a citizen at age 59.
Did you know she was beatified in 1938 and was canonized a saint in 1946?
Did you know she often took the train between Chicago and Denver? And that during her layovers in Omaha she may have prayed at our church?
Did you know she died December 22, 1917 at the age of 67 in Chicago while preparing Christmas candy for children?
Did you know that 120,000 people showed up at Soldier’s Field the day of her canonization?
This Wednesday, the feast day of St. Frances Cabrini, I invite you to join me at 7:00 p.m. at Gross Catholic High School for the Omaha premier of a new movie/documentary about St. Frances Cabrini. The director of the film, Lucia Mauro, will be there to introduce the film and answer questions afterwards. The movie lasts around an hour. This is a great opportunity to learn about our patron saint and to grow in our appreciation of her life and all the things that God did through her!
See you there!
Peace,
Fr. Damian