Our Patron Saint

Mother Cabrini: Child of God

“I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13

Born 2 months premature to a large family in Sant’ Angelo Lodigiano, province of Lombardy, Italy on July 15, 1850, Francesca Cabrini was in delicate health most of her life. As a young girl, she nearly drowned, resulting in a lifelong fear of water. Yet, she crossed the ocean 27 times, often at great peril, to continue doing God’s work. Even though she had this great fear of water, her passion to bring God to people and people to God is what overcame her actual fear of water.

Francesca Cabrini was educated at home by her older sister, Rosa. Although frail from her premature birth, she worked fervently at her studies, and years later, after her parents died, she became a teacher. But from an early age Francesca Cabrini  was fascinated by missionaries who spoke of their experiences of spreading the Word of God in the Orient. Hearing these stories, she wanted to become a missionary but had been rejected by existing religious communities because of her poor health. However, a local bishop recognized her zeal and boundless energy, and encouraged her to start her own religious community. 

Thus were born the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Led by her passionate love for God and his people, and her zeal to make this love real in the lives of those she served, Mother Cabrini lived her life inspired by the words of Saint Paul in his letter to the Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.”

©2024 The National Shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini