She was the frail daughter of poor Italian farmers whose faith caught fire as a young girl listening to stories of Jesuit missionaries around the world. She intended to become a religious missionary herself, but was denied admission to the order for her poor health.
So Maria Francesca Cabrini began her own work with the poor around her, eventually founding her own band of sisters. When she asked permission to take her sisters to missions in the East, she was asked instead to go West to serve the legions of Italian immigrants suffering in dire poverty in the still-young United States.
To become a missionary to these immigrants, Frances became an immigrant herself and crossed an ocean despite a lifelong terror of water. She poured out her gifts and her years in service, and established almost 70 institutions—schools, hospitals, care centers—in many major cities across the U.S.—New York, New Orleans, Chicago, Seattle, Denver—that served the poor and needy. She died in her 60s of malaria as she prepared Christmas packages for children in Chicago.
As a naturalized American, Frances Cabrini was the first citizen of the U.S. to be canonized (not to be confused with canonized indigenous people or others who lived here before there was a U.S.).
Ponder how incredible it is what one woman accomplished in a few short decades of devoting herself to love. How long would it have taken the government to accomplish what Frances did? How long for the bureaucracy to build what she built?
Love is always far more effective and efficient than the systems and efforts of government. Love has an energy and creativity and productivity that laws and decrees never could. If you want things to change, don’t wait for someone in office to do it. Don’t wait for policy and bills filled with promises.
Go out and love your community with your own two hands, and feed them from your own kitchen, and care for them with your own heart.
This is why Frances Cabrini could be called “Mother,” while the government never could be.
Love changes everything. Love changes you.
Her feast day is November 13.
Three special notes:
Did you know that St Frances Cabrini is one of several saints who lived and ministered in New Orleans? Come back tomorrow for a special guide on how you can make a Mother Cabrini pilgrimage in New Orleans—where to go, what to see, and how to arrange your time.
Have you seen Cabrini? We took about 200 students to see it last year and it was great! You can rent in on Prime here (or buy a DVD) or rent it on Apple TV here.
I borrowed some of a previous Thy Ship newsletter for this post. You can read the whole thing here and subscribe here.
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