A soul united with Jesus can do anything…
Mother Cabrini

We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (feast day is November 13th)

Inspired by the grace of God, we join the saints in honoring the holy virgin Frances Xavier Cabrini. She was a humble woman who became outstanding not because she was famous or rich or powerful, but because she lived a virtuous life. From the tender years of her youth, she kept her innocence as white as a lily and preserved it carefully with the thorns of penitence; as the years progressed, she was moved by a certain instinct and supernatural zeal to dedicate her whole life to the service and greater glory of God.  It must also be mentioned that Mother Cabrini was a Third Order Franciscan.

She welcomed delinquent youths into safe homes, and taught them to live upright and holy lives. She consoled those who were in prison, and recalled to them the hope of eternal life. She encouraged prisoners to reform themselves, and to live honest lives. She comforted the sick and the infirm in the hospitals, and diligently cared for them. She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants, and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help. Because of their condition, she saw that they were in danger of deserting the practice of Christian virtues and their Catholic faith. Undoubtedly she accomplished all this through the faith which was always so vibrant and alive in her heart; through the divine love which burned within her; and finally, through constant prayer by which she was so closely united with God from whom she humbly asked and obtained whatever her human weakness could not obtain. Although her constitution was very frail, her spirit was endowed with such singular strength that, knowing the will of God in her regard, she permitted nothing to impede her from accomplishing what seemed beyond her strength.

– from a homily at the Canonization of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini by Ven. Pope Pius XII

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin (Feast day November 13) St. Frances was born in Lombardi, Italy in 1850, one of thirteen children. At eighteen, she desired to become a Nun, but poor health stood in her way. She helped her parents until their death, and then worked on a farm with her brothers and sisters.

One day a priest asked her to teach in a girls’ school and she stayed for six years. At the request of her Bishop, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children in schools and hospitals. Then at the urging of Pope Leo XIII she came to the United States with six nuns in 1889 to work among the Italian immigrants.

Filled with a deep trust in God and endowed with a wonderful administrative ability, this remarkable woman soon founded schools, hospitals, and orphanages in this strange land and saw them flourish in the aid of Italian immigrants and children. At the time of her death, at Chicago, Illinois on December 22, 1917, her institute numbered houses in England, France, Spain, the United States, and South America, about 70 institutions altogether. In 1946, she became the first American citizen to be canonized when she was elevated to sainthood by Pope Pius XII. St. Frances is the patroness of immigrants.

(A longer version of her life story can be found at http://www.mothercabrini.com/legacy/life1.asp)

Almighty and Eternal Father,

Giver of all Gifts,

show us Thy mercy,

and grant, we beseech Thee,

through the merits of Thy faithful Servant,

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini,

that all who invoke her intercession

may obtain what they desire

according to the good pleasure of Thy Holy Will.

(here name your request)

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini,

beloved spouse of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,

intercede for us that the favor we now ask may be granted.

The post Mother Cabrini first appeared on AirMaria.com.

This small woman who is now the patroness of immigrants came to America from Italy.  She would become a citizen and also the first American citizen to be canonized.  She had dreams of being a missionary to China but was sent by the Holy Father to the Americas. She had a dread of sailing and traveling but it did not stop her from crossing the ocean many times and from much traveling for the love of God and of souls compelled her.  She founded an order, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.  When she came to America she did not speak English and had to overcome many difficulties but in spite of all of them she founded sixty-seven institutions around the world including schools, orphanages, hospitals, and social service outreach programs. Here is one of her sayings: We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone.

Mother Cabrini’s feast day is November 13th.

The post Saint Frances Cabrini, foundress and third order Franciscan first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141113n ( 05min) Play – Father Maximilian comments on the Gospel today, and compares it to the life of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, telling us to simply follow the Lord in faith, hope, and love.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Thursday in the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time
1st: phm 1:7-20
Resp: psa 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
Gsp: luk 17:20-25

Audio (MP3)

+++

The post Nov 13 – Homily – Fr Maximilian W: Simply Follow first appeared on AirMaria.com.

My dearest Jesus, I have told all my sins as well as I could. I tried hard to make a good confession. I feel sure that you have forgiven me.  I thank You. It is only because of all Your sufferings that I can go to confession and free myself from my sins. Your Heart is full of love and mercy for poor sinners. I love You because You are so good to me. My loving Savior, I shall try to keep from sin and to love You more each day.

My dear Mother Mary, pray for me and help me to keep my promises. Protect me and do not let me fall back into sin. Almighty God, kneeling before Your Divine Majesty, I adore You and because You command me, I dare approach Your divine Heart. But what shall I say if You do not enlighten me with a ray of Your divine light?

Speak to my soul, O Lord, and command me to listen to Your voice. Enlighten my will to put Your words into practice. Pour Your grace into my heart; lift up my soul weighed down by my sins; raise my mind to heavenly things, so that earthly desires may no longer appeal to me. Speak to my soul with Your divine omnipotence, for You are my salvation, my life, and my peace, in time and in eternity. Strengthen me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit and give Your peace to my soul that I may be free from all needless worry and care. Help me to desire always that which is pleasing and acceptable to You so that Your Will may be my will, Grant that I may rid myself of all unholy desires, and that for Your love I may remain unknown in this world, and be known only to You.

Do not permit me to attribute to myself the good that You perform in me and through me, but rather, referring all honor to Your majesty, may I glory only in my weakness, so that  renouncing sincerely all vain glory which comes from the world, I may aspire to the true and lasting glory which comes from you. Amen.

This prayer after confession was written by St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (pictured above), a nun who helped found the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. This was a religious institute dedicated to serving many community needs, most notably those of Italian immigrants to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Under her care, 67 religious houses, schools, and charitable institutions such as orphanages and hospitals were established throughout the United States, Italy, England and even in Central and South America from 1880 until her death in 1917.

Mother Cabrini made such an impact that she became the first American citizen to become a saint! (Although she was born in Italy, she was naturalized in 1909.)  Her feast day is November 13th.

The post A Prayer after Confession from St. Mother Cabrini first appeared on AirMaria.com.