First United States citizen to be canonized by our Church. Born in Italy, 1850, Mother Cabrini, as we is often called, came to the USA in 1889. Her missionary work in our country was to establish schools, hospitals and orphanages (67 institutions) in a number of cities like NYC, Philadelphia, and Chicago, where she died on December 22, 1917. On July 7, 1946 the Catholic Church declared her to be a saint.A true apostle, Cabrini spread the gospel. At times we wonder about our faith and our Church. It is the life of this immigrant woman and others like her who can be fitting examples for all of us, especially our young adults and school children to know. So often we look for models in the crazy world we live in. Mother Frances was a woman who believed with all her heart what she learned from her very personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Mother Cabrini must have believed the final words in the gospel reading of today's liturgy: And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied , "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea.' and it would obey you. (Luke 17:6)" Can you imagine establishing 67 institutions? What drive, what confidence in the Lord! And she did not have an annual bishop's appeal!!!
