“Work Cabrini, Work”

The mass readings in November stir my heart. We of course have the great feast of All Saints where we honor the “Hall of Fame Saints”, but then we celebrate All Souls Day where we look to the rest of the holy men and women …more like you and me. These are the souls also precious to the Lord.  But let’s take a look at one “Hall of Famer”. 

We just celebrated the feast day of Frances Xavier Cabrini. We got to know Mother Cabrini many years ago when we had retreats at “Cabrini On The Hudson” in New York. We learned about her life and saw where some of her miracles actually occurred. She was a spiritual powerhouse…. a very tough and holy cookie.

You can always recognize images of her because of the bow tie. Frances Xavier Cabrini was the 13th of 13 children. She was turned down twice by religious communities when she attempted to enter at a young age. Mother Cabrini and Pope Leo XIII became great spiritual allies. When she approached him seeking to be sent to China with her fledging order, he told her, “ not to the East, but to the West” ….. to New York rather than to China …. to help the thousands of Italian immigrants already in the United States.He once said, “Mother Cabrini is a woman of fine understanding and great holiness… she is a Saint”.

After a very difficult first trip across the Atlantic, “nothing of what had been promised her existed…..not the kindergarten, not the school, not even the house for the Sisters…. the words of Archbishop Corrigan, Archbishop of New York, was to return to Italy ……”here’s your hat, what’s your hurry”. But Mother was not a woman to back down after putting her hand to the plough. 

The  last time Mother Cabrini met with Pope Leo XIII before his death, he told her, “Work Cabrini, Work”. These two great saints had their gaze on the Lord, calling each other to give all for the kingdom of God. I’m sure they both would echo those words to each of us today…. ”work, men and women of God, work”.