Who Is St. Frances X. Cabrini?
“Defend the lowly and the fatherless; render justice to the afflicted and needy” (Psalm 82:3).
God shows up in the most unexpected ways. Recently, it was through my mail slot. The envelope was unassuming, and the return address revealed it was from my childhood best friend. Little did I know where the contents would lead me.
Inside the envelope was a card and two small items, along with a handwritten note from my friend. She wrote that she found the objects among her deceased mother’s belongings and, as I was a practicing Catholic, thought I would appreciate having them.
One of the items was a small silver figure of St. Anne, and the other was a tiny photo of a religious sister encased in a plastic covering sewn together by string. The name on the picture was “St. Frances X Cabrini.”
St. Anne was well known to me as the mother of Our Lady. Both the figure and the accompanying prayer were beautiful but familiar. The small photo of St. Frances Cabrini, and the care taken to preserve it, stoked my curiosity. Turning it over in my hand, I saw that on the back of the photo was a tiny piece of what looked like cloth and an inscription in Latin: “Ex Indumentis.” I quickly typed this phrase into my Google search bar.
“From the clothing.”
I inhaled quickly. I was holding a second-class relic in my hand. A saint, whom I’d forgotten for decades, had entered my life. I felt taken aback. Was I worthy to be a steward of this holy relic?
My question after “What is this?” was, “Why me?” I don’t believe in coincidences. This holy object had come to me for a reason. So, I started searching.
I was raised a Protestant by parents who knew next to nothing about the Catholic Church. But I distinctly remembered my mom talking about Mother Cabrini, as she was widely known, and how she helped many homeless children by opening orphanages across the United States. That tiny recollection was the only thread, but it was something.
I learned a lot over the next few days and weeks. When I had free moments, I would search the web for information on St. Francis Cabrini, and what I found was pretty amazing.
One of 13 children, St. Frances was born in Italy in 1850. Early in her life, she had a great love of God and a heart for mission work. She joined a religious order, and later, the pope encouraged her to start a new order, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
She Was a Catholic Woman in Business
St. Frances was a teacher and a founder. She worked tirelessly to help refugees and opened more than 60 orphanages, convents, hospitals, and chapels all across the U.S., Central and South America, and Europe. Her mission was to provide physical and spiritual care and access to education.
Mother Cabrini was a savvy businesswoman who was not easily deterred by obstacles. One of my favorite stories is that when she thought she was being duped when buying a piece of property, she gathered some sisters and, by tying strings together, measured the parcel in the dead of night. She was correct; the initial measurements were wrong.
She Trusted God’s Plans
The plans St. Frances had for her life were not God’s plans. She had always been intrigued by stories of missionary work, and she thought God was calling her to China. Instead, the pope sent her to the United States. He knew of the needs of the growing refugee population here and entrusted this task to her. She spent the next 30+ years living this calling.
She Overcame Her Fears
One striking connection to my mom was that St. Frances Cabrini was terrified of water and could not swim due to a scare early in her life. My mom also had a fear of water due to a frightening incident when she was a child. Unlike my mom, Mother Cabrini overcame her fear and crossed the perilous ocean 27 times (remember that a trip from France to New York City took 12 days at that time). She and her sisters were seasick and had poor accommodations at sea, but they still brought comfort and aid to the other passengers.
She Came to Me for a Reason
I’m so grateful for this unexpected gift—a saint who connects me to my childhood, my mom, and my friend’s mom, who was dear to me. Maybe our moms in heaven conspired to bring her to me—what a lovely thought!
Although I am unsure of the reason St. Frances Cabrini came to me, I am grateful to have learned so much from her life. I have a new saint to pray for me and to be an example of a strong, independent woman who lived her life for God in service to others. That seems reason enough.
Sources
https://www.cabrininationalshrine.org/timeline-and-her-life-s-work
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=278
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-frances-xavier-cabrini/
Cathi Kennedy is passionate about building relationships. At the University of Notre Dame, she advises graduate students for the Mendoza College of Business. Her background is in marketing and communications, and she recently received her MBA. Impassioned writer, voracious reader, aspiring knitter. Married to a musician and mom to two amazing sons. Cathi is a convert to Catholicism and seeks to learn something new about her faith every day. Connect with Cathi: LinkedIn • Instagram • Facebook • Blog