Frances Xavier Cabrini

They don't change their tactics.

They always refer to Mother Cabrini, who back in the 19th and la- you know, the last turn of the century, took care of legal immigrants who were brought in here by law from Europe, not who flooded in under the radar, picked up by other- all the cartels a- and, and all the, all the children stolen and, um, and abused.

No, it was a different situation.

But jee- for, for, um, the bishops and for Leo, because this is also Leo's worldwide Migration Week, starting, kicking off on, I think Thursday, at the end of this week, um, uh, everyone is Jesus.

In 1889, Frances Xavier Cabrini, a humble nun from a small village in Italy, received a calling that would change her life forever.

Pope Leo XIII instructed her to go, not to the East, as she had hoped, but to the West, to America, to serve the growing wave of Italian immigrants who had left their homeland in search of a better life.

with unwavering faith she prepared to leave everything familiar behind with a small group of sisters by her side mother cabrini boarded a transatlantic ship bound for new york the journey across the atlantic was long and uncertain but her resolve never wavered She carried with her not just her belongings, but a mission to serve the poor, the sick, and the forgotten among the immigrants of the new world.

When Mother Cabrini arrived in New York, she found a city teeming with immigrants in desperate need.

Undeterred by initial setbacks, she met with the leaders of the church and the city, seeking their support to establish schools, orphanages, and hospitals.

Her tireless work would touch countless lives, and she would go on to become the first American citizen to be canonized as a saint.

By her example, teach us concern for strangers, the sick, and the frustrated.

By her prayers, help us to see Christ in everyone we meet.

All right.

My High is at PBS 12 is premiering a special on Mother Cabrini, Colorado Saint, on Tuesday the 29th.

I traveled to Italy with about three dozen Coloradans to learn more about her early life over in Italy, and now we get to share that story with everyone here on PBS 12 and online.

The special offers inspiration from an incredible woman, but also some insight into why the first Monday in October is Cabrini Day, a paid state holiday in Colorado.

And so they'll do the beatification locally.

I remember watching on TV the beatification of Carlo Cudis, which took place at the St. Francis Basilica in Assisi.

So it was during COVID time, too.

I remember everybody was masked.

think it is.

You know...

Pope Francis did a number of those kinds of things.

Rather than bringing the archbishops to Rome to receive their Paglia, he would send them and they would receive it in their community.

Understandable.

Well, is it my understanding that if he were to become a saint, he would be the first saint who was actually born in America? I mean, we have other saints that, you know, traveled to america and became saints like saint francis um xavier cabrini but would he be the first that was actually born in america to become a saint

you know i i know he's the first it would be the first american-born bishop

oh bishop okay got it bishop got it yeah

Father Damon, who one day may become the first, uh, uh ...

Well, outside of Mother Cabrini, who's a Chicago saint, but she wasn't always in Chicago, but of, of a Chicago resident, I would say Father Damon may well become the first Chicago saint because of his mystical experiences.

But the most famous of which, uh, is the one you just mentioned.

The fact that in the 1880s he was visited by two boys who came to him very mysteriously one night during a rainstorm, uh, dressed as altar boys.

The, we're, we have a shortage of female American saints.

Mm-hmm.

We have Mother Cabrini who has a Chicago connection, uh, but who died elsewhere.

Died in, uh, Denver, I believe.

Um, Saint Conrad of Piacenza.

Another really interesting saint that we'd wanna dive into is Saint Frances Cabrini-

Mm-hmm

... uh, who I'm sure you recognize.

This is the confidence of the saints.

This was the motto of Mother Cabrini.

And it can also be our motto to do great things for God.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, she was the daughter of God, the daughter of the Father.