Born in Lombardy, Italy, in 1850, St. Frances Xavier
Cabrini founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.
At the instigation and encouragement of Pope Leo XIII, she
came to the United States.
On March 31, 1889, St. Frances arrived in New York City
along with six other sisters ready to begin her new journey.
However, right from the beginning she encountered many
disappointments and hardships. The house originally intended
for her new orphanage was no longer available, but Frances
did not give up, even though the archbishop insisted she
return to Italy.
After she refused, Archbishop Michael Corrigan found
them housing with the convent of the Sisters of Charity.
Frances then received permission to found an orphanage in
what is now West Park, New York and now known as Saint
Cabrini Home.
Filled with a deep trust in God and endowed with a
wonderful administrative ability, St. Frances founded 67
institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals,
within 35 years dedicated to caring for the poor, uneducated,
sick, abandoned, and especially for the Italian immigrants.
Her institutions were spread out in places all over the United
States, including New York, Colorado, and Illinois.
St. Frances was known for being as resourceful as she was
prayerful. She was always able to find people to donate their
money, time, and support for her institutions.
St. Frances has two miracles attributed to her. She restored
sight to a child who was believed to have been blinded by
excess silver nitrate, and she healed a terminally ill member
of her congregation.
At the time of her death, her institute numbered houses in
England, France, Spain, the United States and South
America. She died in Chicago, December 22, 1917, and was
canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 7, 1946.
Catholic.org & Lives of the Saints