Saints
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini – Patron Saint of Immigrants
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini is the patron saint of immigrants and hospital administrators. She dedicated her life to serving Italian immigrants in the United States. She lived from 1850 – 1917.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was the first citizen of the United States of America to be canonized a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. She would not take “no” for an answer when it came to doing God’s work upon earth. Canonized on July 7, 1946, she is truly a modern saint, one who worked, died, and was raised to the altar of God in the twentieth century.
Biography of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini was born on a farm in Lombardy, Italy, on July 15, 1850, the youngest of thirteen children. Following the example of her older sister, Rose, and her brother, she was trained to be a schoolteacher.
In her early youth, Saint Frances Cabrini spoke constantly of being a missionary, but, in spite of her courage and her manifest spirit, she did not enjoy sufficiently good health to warrant her acceptance even in the teaching community, who had trained her in her studies for a while, Francesca gave up this idea of life in religion and she taught in the public school. This idea, however, never quite deserted her, and she sought admission into other religious communities only to be refused, partially through the intervention of Monsignor Serrati, who saw in the young woman and teacher a possible assistant in his own works.
One of the projects of Monsignor Serrati was a small orphanage that was badly mismanaged by its eccentric foundress, Antonia Tondini, whom Serrati had persuaded, along with two of her assistants to don the religious garb, hoping to curtail her violent behavior. This so-called “Sister Antonia ” did not even make her Easter duty and her primary recreation was squandering the funds of the institute on her worthless nephew. Monsignor Serrati finally persuaded Frances Cabrini to go to this orphanage, much against her will, and do what she could to remedy the situation.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was then twenty-four years of age. She became a member of this community and remained there, under his continued and gentle persuasion for the next six years, suffering much abuse at the hands of the Tondini woman. She managed, however, in the midst of this turmoil, to attract other recruits to the community. With seven of these recruits, in 1877, she took her first vows.
Eventually, after more trouble from Antonia Tondini, whom the bishop excommunicated, the orphanage was closed. St. Frances Cabrini and her community had to find other quarters which were provided through the aid of Monsignor Serrati and the bishop, who helped them financially. They had no name and no constitution, but they continued to wear their old habits which they modified in some fashion. Within a short time the community adopted the name of “The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart”, and Frances Cabrini, herself, wrote the new constitution. After much discouragement, she received approbation from the Holy Father in 1887, and against the advice of others she was determined to found an institution at Rome. After continued attempts, she was finally invited to open two houses in Rome, a free school and a children’s home.
The idea of missionary work still burned strongly in her zealous soul and she thought constantly of China, but many people were trying to make Frances Cabrini look the other way. This particular time was a period of anti-clericalism in Italy, and it was also a time of great migration to America. The religious and social conditions of the Italian immigrant in America were causing deep concern among the hierarchy. Hordes of these people, unable to support themselves in Italy, had come to America.
There were very few Italian speaking priests here, and the result was the Italian immigrant received little or no attention. This very up gentle race, in many ways, were unable to stand for their own rights and were forced to accept very menial and laborious types of work. In Italy, Bishop Scalabrini, who had studied the entire situation in America, acquainted Sister Frances with all of these facts and pleaded with her to go to America and assist the small congregation he had founded for work in this country. She still spoke of her ambition to go into China, but he replied: “No, not to the east, but to the west!” Then, Saint Francis Cabrini had an audience with Pope Leo XIII, who said almost the same thing.
Dedicated to Service
Finally, arrangements were made through Archbishop Corrigan of New York, and Mother Cabrini was informed that Mary Reid, an American married to Count Palma di Censola, had a house here ready for the Community. After a terrible crossing, which was rough and uncomfortable, Frances Cabrini and her seven sisters arrived on the shores of the United States in March of 1899, only to find that nothing had been prepared and no plans of any kind had been made for them.
Archbishop Corrigan claimed that the Comtessa di Censola had acted without his authorization, and he strongly suggested that Mother Cabrini should return home with her seven sisters. He further added the opinion that the house she had rented was in too fashionable a neighborhood for an orphanage. Refusing to leave, Mother Cabrini produced the papal documents given to her, which the Archbishop respected, and she went to her destination.
After much correspondence Mother Cabrini came to agree with Archbishop Corrigan that the site was much too elegant and too far removed from the lower part of New York where all the Italian immigrants were gathered. They became very close friends and Mother Cabrini used to accompany the Archbishop on nanny of his Confirmation tours. On one of these tours he pointed out to her the site across the Hudson river, where the Jesuits were giving up their novitiate called “Manresa”, and suggested that place as a good location for her work. To omit many details, she obtained this property and renamed it “West Park”, setting her sisters to work in the areas of New York where the Scalabrinian Fathers had their church. Now she began to turn her eyes towards Chicago and the western part of the country.
Before realizing her ambitions in this venture, however, Mother Cabrini first of all went to South America, and to Nicaragua. She opened a school for children at Grenada, and established hospitals in New York and later Chicago. She travelled to England, France and Spain, setting up schools and hospitals, personally appearing at each place, and she, herself, supervised the entire construction. It is almost impossible to keep up with her in these long ocean travels back and forth across the world and it is indeed a great mystery as to where she obtained all her energy and stamina.
Back in America, her community was still growing and branching out. In Colorado she opened a mission for the Italian miners and sometimes would even go down into the mine shaft with them. She and her sisters had as one of their great works of mercy visiting the prisoners scheduled for execution in Chicago and Sing Sing prison. At one time to show their devotion to her community the prisoners at Sing Sing sent her an illuminated address on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of her order.
Mother Cabrini was a shrewd business woman, and as her contractors discovered, one with whom they should not trifle or try to fool. The story is told of an incident in Chicago when she and her community had negotiated to buy the North Shore Hotel for one of their centers. The price had been set for $100,000.00, and the transaction was almost completed.
On the very dawn of the day, however, when the down-payment was to be made, Mother Cabrini accompanied by another sister stole out to the location. With bits of knotted string, they obtained the exact measurements of the property they were about to purchase. It was well they had done so for they discovered an attempt was being made to swindle them of twenty-five feet of their property extending the full length of the block! They produced their amateur measurements and won the battle.
In addition to this incident, Mother Cabrini discovered that in the repair of the building itself, which was in a terrible state, more than she had required for alterations was being done and exorbitant prices being charged. She summoned the contractors and after hearing their feeble explanations, she fired the whole lot. She then became her own contractor, hiring workmen, and supervising what they did, thereby reducing not only the cost of the work but the time of construction from twelve to eight months.
Legacy of St. Frances Cabrini
Altogether, during her active career, Mother Frances Cabrini had established more than fifty foundations for free schools, high schools and other institutions, which were no longer restricted to Italian immigrants alone. Her community which numbered eight persons in 1880, had increased to more than a thousand members in eight countries when it received its final papal approval in 1907 from the Holy See, a magnificent tribute to this woman’s organizational power and executive ability, not to omit, of course, her supreme trust in Almighty God.
In the course of time and as a result of her tremendous labor, Frances Cabrini suffered a failing in health which lasted for six years. On December 22, 1917, at the age of sixty-seven years, the saint and skillful business woman died all alone at one of their convents in Chicago. The ordinary rule is that fifty years must elapse before the beatification process for any candidate. This was not enforced in her case because of her obvious saintliness and her unbelievable work for the Church of Christ. One of the miracles accepted by the Holy See was the complete cure of a baby named Peter Smith who had been blinded at birth at Columbus Hospital Extension in New York. His eyes had been almost burned out at birth by a careless nurse who had poured into them a 50% solution of silver nitrate. Through the intercession of Mother Cabrini his sight had been restored and he served in World War II. Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini was beatified in 1938 and she was canonized a saint on July 7, 1946.
A great many lessons can be learned from the life of this industrious and holy woman, and she is certainly one of the foremost saints whose life can be followed by the Catholic woman of today, for she is the contemporary of many close to our own time. One important lesson is that nationality never interferes with the work of propagating the Faith of Christ. Like the Apostles, who were unlettered fishermen but who went out and converted the then-known world, Frances Cabrini, a simple Italian farm-girl, came to a so-called sophisticated country and by sheer determination and piety accomplished even more than she had set out to achieve. In a sense she was the female counterpart of the great saint of the east whose name she had adopted, but unlike the great St. Francis Xavier, she went “not to the east, but to the west”, and America can be grateful that she did.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is undoubtedly one of the best models for the modern American woman in the world of business. From what we have seen of her life it can be agreed that she was a sagacious business woman who drove a hard bargain, but an honest one, in all her dealings with contractors and workmen. She could not tolerate the dishonesty and the chicanery that have become so much a part of what today is called “Big Business”, and she was an alert administrator who demanded an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.
There is no doubt that she must have tried the patience of a few bishops and a number of businessmen in her whirlwind of activity. Perhaps some even regarded her as a busy body, but if So, she was a religious busybody in the good sense of the word, planning and working for the extension of Christ’s Mystical Body on earth. She knew the value of a dollar but she also knew the value of a human soul.
What We Can Learn from St. Francis Xavier Cabrini?
The Catholic woman of today, who finds herself buried in Excel sheets and caught on unbearably long phone calls, must have her sense of values, if she wishes to imitate Christ and save her immortal soul as Saint Frances Cabrini did. She must practice in a heroic degree the virtues of Prudence and Justice so gloriously exercised by this Italo-American saint of the twentieth century. American women today, especially since the War, are in every field of business and industry, personnel management; department store supervision and buying; real estate, hotel work, office management, and every type of office work. Many have others working under them in hospitals, institutions, and factories, and they have taken their place in all the white collar jobs that were once reserved solely for men.
In February of 1960 the U.S. Department of Labor predicted that by 1970, one out of every three American workers would be a woman. It was further indicated that by 1970, excluding those in their teens and over the age of sixty-five years, at least two out of every five women would be in the labor force, or a total of 30 million, six million more than at the present time. In all of this it becomes important for the Catholic woman who holds any position of authority in any phase of business or industry to have a Catholic awareness and a great degree of prudence if she wishes to be truly successful. Tanquerey the noted spiritual writer defines Prudence as a “super- natural, moral virtue which inclines our intellect to choose in every instance the best means for attaining our aims, by subordinating them to our ultimate end.”
This practice of prudence on the part of the Catholic business woman must be a Christian prudence and not merely a human prudence employed by those who seek gain, fame or advancement in their chosen field of endeavor, unconcerned about their eternal salvation. This type of behavior seeks to gain the whole world and overlooks the loss of one’s immortal soul. Leo Tolstoy the nineteenth century Russian author phrased this quite succinctly when he wrote: “That man whose purpose is his own happiness is bad: he whose purpose is the opinion of others is weak; he whose purpose is the happiness of others is virtuous; he whose purpose is God is great“. This message could well be inscribed on a plaque and placed in a prominent spot in many of our business offices today.
A woman in any supervisory capacity must exercise a mature deliberation which requires personal reflection and overlooks and avoids impetuous or passionate action. She must seek wise consultation with others, knowing without vanity how to take counsel with experienced men who have a good sense of moral values, remembering always that two heads are better than one and that enlightenment is often the result of honest discussion. After a decision is reached any plan should be put into action with foresight, discretion and a full realization of how it will affect the lives and the income of the employee and the consumer.
She must likewise employ the virtue of justice which means simply to render every man his due. In her business ventures or cooperation with the officers of her firm, she must staunchly avoid any par anticipation in thefts committed by manufacturers and dealers, who continually defraud their clients in the quality and quantity of their merchandise, excusing their action by saying that their competitors do the same thing. She must also refuse to tolerate the action of those financiers who sell their goods at too high a price, or purchase at an extremely low one, taking advantage of the inadvertence or the lack of business acumen of those with whom they deal. She must finally avoid wild speculations or questionable transactions when one’s fortunes are endangered along with the assets of others, with the hope of making huge profits.
One of woman’s great opportunities in the world of business today is not her chance to accumulate a huge bank account. This in large measure she has already done, for we are told on good authority that most of the wealth, at least in this country, is in the hands of women, acquired by inheritance from men whom they generally out live, according to Insurance statistics, and often through large alimony payments. The hope of her success is in a far more important sphere of influence, and that is to be the guardian and spiritual exemplar of our future business leaders. Whether she finds herself in private enterprise or on the government payroll, the contemporary woman in management, or even ordinary employment, can no longer abide materialism and immorality in our struggle for prosperity. She must work daily to emphasize the spiritual with wholesome attitudes and integrity of purpose in the minds of those with whom she works.
Pope John XXIII, on May 15, 1961, issued a very important Encyclical letter, entitled “Mater et Magistra” (Mother and Teacher) which presents in great detail, specific directives for the business and economic world of today. This letter should be read carefully by every working man and woman of our age, and it will be quoted occasionally hereafter in this book. One important statement of that letter reads: “Catholics in their economic-social activities often find themselves in close contact with others who do not share their view of life. In these circumstances, Our Sons should be very careful that they are consistent, and never make compromises on religion and morals.”
This strong advice of the Holy Father should be heeded by the Catholic business woman of today in a money-mad, materialistic world where she must rub elbows each day with men of every creed and those who have no creed. She must remember that she cannot convey the proper attitude of Christian Justice and Charity to others unless she has acquired these gifts of spiritual aspiration herself. She can only acquire these gifts if she lives a full life in the Church, receives the Sacraments frequently, makes an occasional religious retreat, and strives to be a better than average Catholic. This advice applies not only to the modern business woman, but to women, married or single in every walk of life.
It might seem far-fetched to have selected Frances Cabrini as the guide for the modern business woman but such a selection is not at all artificially devised. Heading a large religious order today requires prudent administration and the handling of finances in large amounts of money, treating others fairly and justly, and maintaining one’s piety in the midst of many problems and headaches.
St. Frances Cabrini was no financial genius, but she was a prudent religious woman. She learned how to work with others who tried to outwit her but at the same time maintained her equilibrium, and she ended up by outwitting them with her honesty. This was shown in her early years when she had to deal with a fraudulent and callous woman who masqueraded as a religious, and later in America when she encountered crafty men who tried to use her. There is no doubt that some of her honesty, in view of her great accomplishments must have rubbed off on others.
One does not have to run a large religious community, as Mother Cabrini did, to manifest the virtues found in her life, for every Catholic woman can imitate her boundless spirit and energy in working for the Church of Christ, as indeed many thousands of women are now doing. This class of women, particularly endowed by God with organizational ability and leadership, generously give of their time and talent to works of charity on a parochial and diocesan level.
Some are elected to office in these organizations, by virtue of their skill in speaking, directing, planning, and raising money for the support of the Church, which today, with the high cost of living and the spread of the Faith, has literally and in a good sense become a “Big Business.” Such good women, however, have to constantly avoid the pitfall of thinking that the adulation given their work is for themselves rather than for the organization in which they all work together. They must remember that it is not for their personal prestige, by any means, but for the honor of Christ and His Church.
Every Catholic woman can imitate Frances Xavier Cabrini, following the spirit which still lives in her community, and found in the words which she not only addressed to her missionary sisters, but which she lived herself: “Love one another. Sacrifice yourselves for your sisters readily and always. Be kind to them, never sharp, never harsh. Don’t nurse resentment. Be meek and peace able.” This is a good rule to “keep telling them down at the office”.
It is a reminder to the members of “Desk Set” that they should never sacrifice principle to prestige or promotion, that they should never tread upon others in their frantic struggle to the top floor, and that they should never compromise their self-respect and honor, whether it be at the Christmas Office Party or through the furtive attentions of a married senior executive. If a Catholic woman in the field of business seeks advancement and recognition, it should be for her keen mind, organizational ability, and good Christian example, and never as a result of a seductive appearance or a partiality to fellow-workers.
America is a great Industrial country and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American citizen to be canonized a Saint, significantly was a woman, typifying the importance of the woman’s role in our nation’s religious, social and economic life. All three phases found their expression to a magnificent degree in her personality, her life, and her work. In every aspect she is a perfect model for the American woman, particularly those who find themselves in the often nerve-wracking arena of the modern business office or any other area of daily employment.
Every type of employment is labor, in the real sense of the word, whether it be mining coal, filing records, or adding figures, and each day is a new challenge with the punching of the time clock. The modern women in the world of business can attain the same holiness of Mother Cabrini if she remembers each morning the words of Pope John XXIII addressed to laborers in October of 1959. They summarize Mother Cabrini’s life, and they are a concise briefing for holiness addressed to the working woman of today. “Now that you are going back to your daily occupations, you must unceasingly labor in the cause of good, practicing justice, equity and charity in order to turn your works into abundant merits for eternity. We counsel you to practice the Christian virtues, without which every human effort is vain and fruitless. We especially advise the practice of the works of mercy, of self-sacrifice, and of good example.”
Prayers to St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Prayer to Live Like St. Frances Cabrini
O Lord Jesus Christ, you enkindled the fire of your sacred heart in the holy virgin Frances Xavier so that she might win souls for you in many lands, and establish a new religious congregation of women in your Church. Grant that we too may imitate the virtues of your sacred heart through her intercession, so that we may be worthy of the haven of eternal happiness; who lives and rules with God the Father.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Novea Prayer
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, thank you for the gift of life, thank you for this day, and thank you for Your servant, Saint Frances Cabrini. Fill us, O Lord, with the fire of Your love that our minds and hearts may be open to Your will for us today and every day. Root in us, her spirit, that we may represent the passion of Mother Cabrini to everyone we meet this day. Renew us that we may live as she lived, faithful to You and open to Your every prompting.
Intercession Prayer for St. Francis Xavier Cabrini
[Mention your request]
Almighty and Eternal Father, Giver of all Gifts, show us Your mercy, and grant, we beseech You, through the merits of Your faithful Servant, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, that all who invoke her intercession may obtain what they desire according to the good pleasure of Your Holy Will.O Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, mindful of Your bountiful goodness and love, design, we implore You, through the tender devotion of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini for Your Sacred Heart, to hear our prayers and grant our petitions.
O God, the Holy Spirit, Comforter of the afflicted, Fountain of Light and Truth, through the ardent zeal of Your humble handmaid, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, grant us Your all-powerful aid in our necessities, sanctify our souls and fill our minds with Divine Light that we may see the Holy Will of God in all things.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, beloved spouse of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, intercede for us that the favor we now ask may be granted.