All Saints and One Saint
One of my favorite saints is Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini. Born in 1850 in the Lombardy region of Italy she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which today provides education, health care and other services to the poor in 15 countries. During her lifetime, she established 67 schools, orphanages, hospitals and other social service agencies, all despite anti-Italian prejudice and chronic health issues. She became a naturalized American citizen in 1909 and is the first American citizen to be canonized a saint.
She was small in stature but large in vision and influence, gaining the respect of the highest clergy, including the Pope. Her fierce entrepreneurial grit built an enduring empire of hope. She passed away at Columbus Hospital here in Chicago on December 22, 1917 at the age of 67. Her canonization as a saint of the Catholic Church was celebrated at Soldier Field in 1946, and over 100,000 people attended.
Her life is the focus of the 2024 film simply entitled CABRINI, directed by Alejandro Monteverde, written by Rod Barr, and produced by Francesca Films of New York, Lupin Films and Lodigiano Films. It was released by Angel Studios.
I was very inspired by this movie and highly recommend it. Several quotes from the movie give insights into her character and vision. In a conversation with then Pope Leo XIII as she shared a worldwide vision for her ministry, she said, “The world is too small for what I intend.” This is an indication of how big she thought. When others saw a small nun with little financial resources, she saw a world that was too small for her dreams. Such vision is saintly. In another conversation with a bishop, she remarked, “We can serve our weakness or our purpose, not both.” If we focus on our weaknesses, we will continually limit ourselves. Let’s be inspired by Mother Cabrini to serve our purpose in this world.
Another comment she made to a fellow sister was, “It takes a lot of courage to become who we were meant to be…” and who we are meant to be is what God intends us to be. Saints often demonstrate great courage in becoming who they were meant to be, by God.
In another encounter with a colleague, she said: “We don’t get to choose how we come into this world, but God gives us the freedom to choose how we live in it.” The choices that Mother Cabrini made and the choices of so many saints demonstrate such inspiring ways of living in this great big beautiful and sometimes challenging world.
Because she suffered from chronic lung ailments, at one point after exerting great physical effort to care for orphans and sick poor people, she commented, “When I work, I feel like I am stealing one more day of life.” What an inspiring way to look at our work, whether we are chronically ill or not. Working today, this day, is stealing one more day of the life that God has given us. What a saintly way of looking at both work and life.
Cabrini had vision and was driven by a mission. Her tenacity inspired many donors and fellow sisters. At an early turning point, engaging both groups gathered together, she famously proclaimed, “We must begin with the mission, and the means will follow. Our mission begins in this room, right here, tonight, or it doesn’t begin at all.” That is a statement of urgency that often turns the tide of the attitude of those whom we wish to engage in any mission. So many saints did the same thing, especially those who founded religious orders.
That is also a bold statement and, at another time, she proclaimed, “We are bold or we die.”
Another famous quote that I really appreciate is her question, “What kind of world do we want? And what will we do to achieve it?” Saints of our church have achieved so much based on the type of world they have crafted in partnership with God. You and I can do the same.
Perhaps my favorite line from the movie is Mother Cabrini speaking with Pope Leo XIII. After hearing her vision and experiencing her conviction, the pope remarks, “You fascinate me, Cabrini. I can’t tell where your faith ends and your ambition begins.” May we give some thought during these days of remembering saints to where our ambition meets our faith.
I realize that a movie company and director can alter the actual details of any story, but I wanted to share with you how much the movie Cabrini inspired me and put me in touch with her life and then led me to investigate more of her ministry, compassion, strength and tenacity.
Our world needs such great thinkers and mission-driven saints, and one of them is Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini. Her national shrine is at Columbus Hospital in Lincoln Park and would be well worth the visit.