From Birthday Cake to Holy Cards: Mother Cabrini Still Opens Hearts

On Saturday during the midday Miami summer sun (it was hot), I stopped by my local grocery store to pick up a large sheet cake in honor of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini’s 175th birthday. Yes, we were celebrating her birthday at my parish!

The cake was beautiful, lined with roses made of colorful icing. The woman baker asked me in Spanish: “Who is this saint that you would order such a big cake for her?” As I started to tell her about Mother Cabrini’s ministry with Italian immigrants and orphans in New York City in the 1890s, she interrupted me: “Wait, wait, I want my co-workers to hear this.” Calling out to two co-workers, I then told the three bakers about Mother Cabrini, and they were delighted to hear that there is a U.S. saint who dedicated her life to caring about immigrants and creating pathways for them to have a better life. Moved by their interest, I dashed back to my car to retrieve holy cards, and gave each baker a holy card with Brother Mickey McGrath’s image of St. Frances. One woman exclaimed: “We will start praying to her – we need her intercession!” 

The cake was delicious. It was enjoyed by the 100 people who participated in a screening of the film Cabrini at my parish Our Lady of Divine Providence Church. Born on July 15, 1850 in Italy, Frances received permission from Pope Leo XIII to journey to New York City to bring hope to poor Italian immigrants, especially abandoned children. The film depicts the numerous obstacles she faces to build an orphanage and a hospital. She travels back to Rome and marshals additional backing. Her courage, resilience, faith, and perseverance are reminders that women with a call to ministry often confront many ecclesial and secular challenges to have their vision believed and supported. 

“It takes a lot of courage to become who you were meant to be,” says Mother Cabrini. She perseveres in her resolve to manifest the truth that God loves those made poor: “We have to show America we are all people of dignity.”

As I discovered this week, showing the movie Cabrini and marking Mother Cabrini’s 175 years of witness is a great way to open up conversations about being Good Samaritans to immigrants. As the patron saint of immigrants, her story inspires hope, courage, and resilience for these times. There are no licensing fees to show the movie – the Cabrini Film Project wants the film to be seen by millions of people! Here’s a resource page to help you plan your local movie screening at your parish, school or organization. 

During this Jubilee Year of Hope, I will be representing Discerning Deacons at the Jubilee of Migrants taking place October 4 and 5 when I travel to Rome with the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry and Instituto Fe y Vida. We will gather with the faithful from around the world to defend Jesus’ dream for us – that all may have abundant life. Pope Leo XIV will address pilgrims. 

We welcome your donations to bring our prayers and petitions to Rome much like Mother Cabrini. Donate here, and let us know your prayer or petition in the comment line.