Mother Cabrini – Patroness of Immigrants
Cabrini’s message to us all: “We must pray without tiring – for the salvation of mankind does not depend upon material success – but in how we serve at the calling of our Creator.”
The first American Saint of the Catholic Church, Mother Cabrini, was born in 1850 as Maria Francesca Cabrini in the Lombard Province of Lodi, Italy. She was the youngest of thirteen children, but only four survived beyond adolescence. Born two months premature, Cabrini was small and frail and suffered throughout her life from delicate health – and was particularly prone to lung infections and related illnesses.
At thirteen, she attended a school run by the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and graduated cum laude with a teaching certificate. After being refused entry into the sisterhood due to her poor health, she found her calling in working at an orphanage in Codogno. Later in 1880 she made her vows and established the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, becoming its prioress.
Cabrini and her sisters were dedicated to serving the poor and educating children, especially orphaned girls. She somehow received an audience with Pope Leo XIII and requested permission to do missionary work in Asia and to evangelize in China. The Pope rejected this plea but instead directed Cabrini and her seven nuns to go “not East but West” – and he sent them to New York City to assist Italian immigrants who were facing bigotry and extreme hardships there.
And so she went to New York, with a mission but with almost no money to fulfill her calling. Her goals were deemed impossible to achieve, and way too big for others to comprehend. She reportedly told the Pope: “The world is not big enough for my vision.”
Italian immigrants in New York in the late 19th and early 20th centuries faced severe poverty, overcrowded living conditions, and widespread prejudice. They worked long hours in dangerous jobs with little to no safety regulations. Many were illiterate and lacked access to basic education and had no healthcare, which compounded their struggles. Most came from rural backgrounds with little formal learning. The children often had to forgo schooling to work to support their families.
Many Italian immigrants lived in overcrowded tenements on the Lower East Side. These buildings were poorly constructed, lacked proper ventilation, and had little to no indoor plumbing. The cramped and unsanitary conditions made them hotbeds for diseases including cholera, typhus, and tuberculosis. Immigrant families often faced harsh measures during disease outbreaks, including forced quarantines.
The Italian community also faced exploitation and violence – and crime was a significant issue in these immigrant neighborhoods. Organized crime groups, such as the Sicilian Mafia and the “Black Hand,” were active – often preying on their own community through extortion and other criminal activities. Prostitution, alcohol, and drugs were also prevalent in areas like the Bowery, contributing to the overall sense of lawlessness and dangers.
This was the world that Mother Cabrini discovered and immersed herself into when she arrived in New York. It is hard to believe that any of us would accept her task.
Cabrini faced overwhelming (some said impossible) challenges and poor reception from almost all quarters. New York’s Archbishop Corrigan was not supportive of Mother Cabrini’s mission, and he suggested (urged) that she return to Italy. She showed him her letter from Pope Leo. But Corrigan restricted her fundraising efforts to the impoverished Italian community, making it seemingly hopeless and undoable for her to gather the necessary resources.
The general attitude from city officials and the broader New York society was anything but welcoming. Many viewed the influx of immigrants with suspicion and prejudice. Mother Cabrini focused on building support within the financially strained Italian community. Her dedication to helping the poor and orphaned children gradually earned her their respect and whatever support they could offer. She adapted to the challenging conditions by finding various creative ways to fund her missions, such as teaching embroidery and lace-making to the orphans who then made products for sale.
Cabrini’s determined spirit is reflected in characters in our novel such as Noliander when he said, “When something is important, just do it, even if the odds are stacked against you.” Mother Cabrini was facing an impossible task but she knew it was important so she pushed through the struggles and got it done.
Throughout very difficult years, Mother Cabrini’s unwavering commitment and innovative approaches somehow eventually led to the establishment of numerous schools, hospitals, and orphanages. These facilities collectively provided essential but missing services and helped improve the quality of life for countless immigrant Italians. One of her most significant achievements was the establishment of Columbus Hospital in New York, the first USA hospital dedicated to immigrants.
She also organized catechism and education classes, ensuring that children received both religious and secular education. The orphanages she founded cared for the many children left without parents due to the harsh conditions faced by immigrant families. Despite numerous obstacles, including unimaginable financial difficulties and constant personal health issues, she remained determined and resourceful – and her unwavering commitment inspired many to support her mission in whatever ways they could.
Mother Cabrini’s work was driven by deep compassion. Her unwavering faith was her greatest source of strength. She believed that her mission was divinely inspired, and she relied heavily on prayer and trust in God’s guidance to overcome difficulties. Her spiritual resilience helped her stay focused and motivated, even when faced repeatedly with seemingly insurmountable challenges. She was known for her tenacity and ability to push through obstacles with an almost miraculous resolve. Despite her frail health and numerous rejections, Mother Cabrini never wavered – when most mortals would have surrendered.
She was highly adaptable, frequently finding creative solutions to inconceivable problems, seeking donations and support from sources who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. She inspired everybody around her – and was able to mobilize resources and people to support her mission, including volunteers to provide labor she could not possibly pay for. She built strong networks with church leaders and philanthropists – and worked closely with local communities, understanding their needs and tailoring her efforts to provide the most effective support.
Her deep compassion and empathy for those marginalized drove her to work tirelessly for their betterment. This genuine care helped her increasingly gain trust and support. Her clear vision and mission to serve the needy provided a strong sense of purpose, which helped her navigate and overcome the many challenges she faced. This deeply compassionate spirit is reflected in our character Tariana in Adam in Taoland as she emerged as CEO of TSU – Tao Services for the Underprivileged. Tariana’s difficult home life gave her a deep sense of compassion towards others who were struggling.
In 1946, 30 years after her death, Mother Cabrini was canonized as Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini by Pope Pius XII (who was the fourth pope after Pope Leo who first ordered her to New York). Cabrini thereby became the first USA citizen to ever be granted sainthood. Pius also recognized her tireless work in supporting and advocating for immigrants by granting her the title “Patroness of Immigrants.” Another 50 years later, Pope St. John Paul II advanced this title by declaring her to be the “Universal Patroness of Immigrants,” underscoring her global impact and the universal recognition of her efforts to help immigrants around the world.
These titles honor Mother Cabrini’s legacy and her lifelong dedication to selfless service. Remarkably, during her life, Mother Cabrini founded 67 institutions worldwide, including schools, hospitals, orphanages, and other social service outreach programs demonstrating the breadth of her travels and the global reach of her humanitarian efforts. Her singular life is a testament to her incredible strength, faith, and dedication.
Today, Cabrini’s life’s work continues – more than 100 years after her passing – inspiring many, while demonstrating the profound impact one person can have through perseverance and compassion. Cabrini’s legacy continues through the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who still work worldwide to support education, healthcare, and social services – in various nations and ministries across six continents – where the sisters and their volunteers serve as nurses, teachers, social workers and administrators. They immortalize Cabrini’s efforts to significantly improve the lives of countless immigrants, building on her lasting impact on communities across not only in the United States, but globally.
The film Cabrini, released in 2024, portrays her life and work, focusing on her efforts to help immigrants and the poor and highlighting her determination, faith, and tireless service. We highly recommend this film to all. You will be amazed and inspired as you reflect on how one person can achieve great things through selfless service to others in need.
Discovering one’s true purpose in selfless service to others is an overarching theme in our novels. Helping others is the most rewarding aspect of life and we believe everyone should discover this purpose. If we all help one another the world will become a much better place. But it can be difficult to overcome ourselves in order to put our focus on helping others. Our character Adam struggles with this exact obstacle but he eventually overcomes his own selfish desires and finds immense satisfaction in serving with Tariana in Tao Services for the Underprivileged and later in helping various peoples in his homeland Novana. Individuals like Mother Cabrini inspire us to create heroic characters in our novels.
