Mystical Roses
St Frances Cabrini
1850—1917
Feast November 13
Patroness of Immigrants
Prayer to Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini
O God, through the work of Saint Frances Cabrini
You brought comfort and love to the immigrants and those in need.
Mary her example and work be continued in the lives of those dedicated to You.
Amen.
Readings
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.
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini
Inspired by the grace of god, we join the
saints in honouring 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. 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 Saint Frances Xavier
Cabrini
by Venerable Pope Pius XII
