Maria Francesca Cabrini was born on July 15, 1850 in Sant’ Angelo Lodigiano, Lombardy, Italy. She was 2 months premature and the youngest of 13 children of which only 3 survived past adolescence. She lived most of her life in a fragile and delicate state of health.
From an early age, she became dedicated to living a life for religious work and received her education from the Daughters of Sacred Heart convent, graduating with high honors and a teaching certificate.
At 18, she applied to join the convent but was turned down because of her health. Instead, a priest asked her to teach at the girl’s school of House of Providence Orphanage in Cadagono, Italy. For 6 years she taught and drew in a community of women to live the religious life.
At 27 she took the name of Frances Xavier in honor of Saint Francis when she was able to make her vows.
The orphanage was forced to close and the Bishop asked her, along with 6 other women from her community, to found the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for the poor children in both schools and hospitals. She proceeded to compose the Rule and Constitution for the religious institute.
Very soon they had 7 homes and a free school with a nursery. She wanted to continue her mission in China but the Pope urged her to go to the United States which was gaining a surge in Italian immigrants.
At 39 she arrived in New York, along with 6 other sisters, and immediately encountered hardships and disappointments. The house for their orphanage was no longer available but she did not give up, against the Archbishops wishes.
She then received permission to establish an orphanage in what is now West Park, New York and now known as the Saint Cabrini Home.
She founded 67 institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals, within 35 years of dedication to the poor, uneducated, sick, and abandoned. They were spread throughout the United States as far West as Colorado.
She was able to restore the sight of a child who was blinded by exposure to silver nitrate and she healed a terminally ill member of her congregation.
In 1909 she became a citizen of the United States and 8 years later died in her own hospital at the age of 67 due to complications from dysentery.
She was canonized in 1946 making her the 1st U.S. citizen to be made a saint.
She is the patron saint of immigrants, and hospital administrators.
Her feast day is November 13.
For God’s Glory.
