Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Bringing Christ's love to the world

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A Full House of Talent–Cabrini’s Spring Arts Festival Shines

The Cabrini Athenians presented The Addams Family Musical to packed houses during Cabrini’s Spring Arts Festival earlier this month. On e night was so popular that 75 extra seats had to be brought in to accommodate the crowd. The performances were outstanding, with vocals, harmonies, and choreography that rivaled local professional theater companies.

What sets Cabrini’s theater program apart from other Catholic high schools in the city is that it is entirely student-produced, both technically and artistically. From set design to lighting to choreography, it is the students who bring every aspect of the production to life. The long-standing Cabrini theater dream team—Argus sisters, Mary (’86), Caroline (’87), and Liz—guide the Athenians behind the scenes and direct them on stage to make the program one of the school’s largest recruiting tools.

A highlight of the festival every year is the gallery showcasing the work of Cabrini’s visual arts students, on display for audience members to enjoy before the show and during intermission. From bold acrylics on canvas and intricate pen-and-ink drawings to imaginative clay sculptures, the exhibit reflects the wide range of student talent.

Under the direction of veteran art teacher Cissie Gardner, the visual arts program continues to grow, offering students not just a creative outlet but a platform to explore their voice and vision. Each piece displayed during the festival added depth and vibrancy to the overall celebration of the arts at Cabrini High School.

Easter Egg Disponibilitá

The Friday before Palm Sunday, St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in New York City received a frantic call from a neighborhood mom. The neighborhood egg hunt was supposed to be the next day and the weather prediction was for 37 degrees and rain. Did we have inside space?

Our retreat room is booked nearly solid on Saturdays through October, but miraculously was available that day. And who doesn't like a little disponibilitá? So, the egg hunt moved indoors. The line to enter extended out into the street.

It was a bit nutty, but they sure had fun! The moms who organized the event estimated over 200 guests came through. They cleaned up thoroughly. And we had the satisfaction of being good neighbors.

For those who have Instagram, here's a short video of the event:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIeClfcyJNH/?igsh=MWkwdGJtMzc4cmxmcA==

A Thoughtful and Helpful Holy Thursday

Despite being on vacation from school, several of our high school students came to Cabrini Immigrant Services, Dobbs Ferry (CIS-DF) on Holy Thursday to help with a Giving Back Program. The students made 200 toiletry bags that were filled with items such as soap, shampoo, deodorant, a facecloth, a brush, socks, cookies, etc. Also included in each bag was a special bracelet that had a positive message on it to remind each person how valuable they are.

At a previous Giving Back program, the high schoolers asked if they could donate bags to Hope’s Door in Hawthorne, NY. The mission of Hope’s Door is ‘to end domestic violence and to empower victims to achieve safety, independence and healing.’ They offer counseling, advocacy and legal services for victims of domestic violence and trafficking.

Two staff members from Hope’s Door came to CIS-DF to speak with the students about their different services. Shannon Luke, a Youth Educator and a Domestic Violence Counselor/Advocate and Dednika Louisthelmy, a Youth Educator and Counselor, offered their availability to the students. The students were extremely interested in hearing about the various programs. Our hope is to educate and empower as many people as possible. Account continues on next page.

Shannon and Dednika were so thrilled to be able to fill their cars with the 200 toiletry bags. They told the students that the bags would be used for people who come to shelter to help them get through the initial time at their shelters. They explained that very often clients come with ‘the clothes on their backs.’

We are so proud of our high school students. They not only gave up their day-off but they helped so many people because of their caring about others. A special thank you to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for allowing us to have such an important program.

The World Mourns the Loss of Pope Francis, a Trailblazing Jesuit with a Heart for the Poor

~ by Gerard O’Connell, AMERICA

Pope Francis greets the crowd as he leads his Christmas message and blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 25, 2019. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) See POPE-URBI--ORBI Dec. 25, 2019.

When the cardinals voted to elect Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the 265th successor of St. Peter on the evening of March 13, 2013, few of them imagined what kind of pope he would be. They surprised the world by electing the first Latin American and first-ever Jesuit pope. But the 76-year-old archbishop of Buenos Aires surprised them in even bigger ways from the moment of his election by choosing a name no previous pope had dared to take—Francis. He continued to surprise them right up to the very end of his 13-year pontificate.

His death on April 21, 2025, concluded a momentous and at times turbulent papacy that both supporters and detractors of the pontiff would agree has changed the church in significant ways.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, said in an announcement Monday.

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalized.”

On the night of his election, the world quickly discovered that Francis was not only a spiritual, humble man, but he was also an inspiring leader with a fearlessness that had been forged during the years of military dictatorship in his homeland of Argentina.

His first public appearance on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica soon after his election revealed that he possessed a sense of humor and a gift for communicating by word and deed in ways that reached people’s hearts. No pope in recorded history had bowed down before the crowd in St. Peter’s Square and asked them to pray to God to bless him before he imparted his first blessing to them.

From the beginning to the end of his pontificate, Francis was ever a Jesuit, the first Jesuit pope. During his early life, he delved deep into the springs of Ignatian spirituality, and this greatly enriched and influenced his thinking and writing and his governance of the Roman Curia and the Catholic church worldwide. He had met Pedro Arrupe, S.J., in Santa Fe, Argentina, in late 1965, soon after Father Arrupe’s election as father general of the Society, and was greatly inspired by him. As pope, he prayed at Arrupe’s tomb in the church of the Gesú in Rome, and visited the rooms where St. Ignatius spent the last period of his life.

Pope Francis asked to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, close to the revered ancient icon of Our Lady, Protectress of the Roman People, an image to which the Jesuit order has been particularly devoted from its beginning. As a cardinal Pope Francis used to pray there on his visits to Rome before becoming pope, and where he went to pray more than 100 times during his pontificate, including before and after his foreign trips. It is perhaps fitting, therefore, that the first Jesuit pope will be laid to rest in this basilica, where St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, celebrated his first Mass as a priest on Christmas night, 1538, and where Francis so often prayed.

To read the entire remembrance, please click here
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Papal logo: USCCB

 

Linguistic Grace, Athletic Grit

Cabrini High School in New Orleans is proud to celebrate the achievements of several Cabrini students who are representing our school with talent, dedication, and heart.

¡Felicidades! Nine students were recently inducted into the Spanish Honor Society—an honor that recognizes the students’ commitment to Spanish language academia and culture. At their induction, these students also delivered their end-of-course oratories in the inspiring setting of Mother Cabrini’s Sacred Heart Chapel. Their poise and confidence, along with their impressive linguistic skills, made for a moving and memorable event.

We also congratulate sophomore Lorena Gonsoulin, recipient of a prestigious CODOFIL, all expense scholarship to study French this summer in Brussels, Belgium. Lorena will spend three weeks at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, thanks to her outstanding performance at the Foreign Language Festival, where she took first place in the French IV Extemporaneous Speaking competition and impressed judges in a follow-up interview.

On the athletic front, freshman Lainey Moran made Cabrini proud at the 2025 LHSAA Girls’ Gymnastics State Championship. Competing in Division II as a Level 4 gymnast, Lainey performed all four events—vault, beam, floor, and bars—earning an impressive overall score of 36.850. Her standout performances included a 9.500 on vault and 9.450 on both floor and bars.

Congratulations to these remarkable students for their dedication and accomplishments in academics, language, and athletics!

Earth Day is April 22nd

Earth Day is April 22nd

The theme for Earth Day 2025 is OUR POWER, OUR PLANET, inviting everyone around the globe to unite behind renewable energy, and to triple the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.

Our environmental legacy is a testament to the power of collective action, and it calls upon individuals, businesses, governments, and the private sector to join hands in safeguarding our planet. Now, more than ever, we must step up our efforts to combat climate change, protect biodiversity, and preserve our ecosystems.
To learn more visit the official Earth Day website

 

Cabrini Health – Brighton: Celebrating Cultural Diversity

What better way to celebrate our wonderfully diverse workforce than a chat over a fabulous spread of food from all corners of the globe!

On April 8, the Pastoral Services team at Cabrini Brighton organised a Harmony Day lunch, when staff members brought along a plate of food from their country of origin to share.

Attendees were treated to everything from Italian pizza and Indian samosas, to Filipino Puto – glutinous steamed rice cakes – and traditional Anglo Indian rainbow sandwiches, made up of a layer of green coriander, mint and green chilli paste, with a second layer of corned beef, and egg and mayonnaise making up the third tier.

Maria from Patient Services was the winner of some beautiful Italian soaps for top scoring in the cultural awareness quiz.

“We had a delicious, colourful lunch and sing-along at our Harmony Day celebration,” Pastoral and Spiritual Care Practitioner Cynthia White (and maker of the delicious rainbow sandwiches) said.

“It was a lovely way to recognise cultural diversity, respect and inclusion among our Cabrini staff.”

A number of Harmony Day events were held across our sites to mark the day and to say “no” to racism.

Cabrini University Alumni and Friends Launch New Social Justice Initiative


On the Zoom screen before us were 68 Cabrini College/University alumni, staff, and friends meeting for the inaugural session of the Cabrini Alumni, Volunteers, and Supporter (CAVS) Social Justice Ambassadors. The participants ranged from 1971 to 2024 graduates. Responding to just a single email invitation, more than 190 alumni signed up to be a part of this group.

The CAVS Social Justice Ambassadors group is an initiative of the university’s CAVS Mission and Service Committee. The goal is to create a community of Cabrini alumni and friends intent on educating themselves about global and US issues of justice, as well as discussing and advocating for those issues and then taking action.

This new Cabrini mission-oriented group will draw upon the charism of the Missionary Sisters, the spirit, energy, and commitment of the alumni themselves, as well as expertise of two social justice organizations with which Cabrini University had long relations – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.

The focus of the first meeting was the impact of the deep cuts or total elimination of US foreign aid. Two Cabrini graduates who work at CRS, Melissa Stevens ’07 and Clare Pressimone ’14, reported that CRS had to stop much of the work funded by US foreign aid. This meant that food and medication already shipped to warehouses around the world could not be distributed to those most in need, resulting in suffering and death. Programs long in existence that have helped millions of people had to be terminated. Account continues on following page.

Melissa gave examples of what is happening on the ground. In Sudan, for instance, with “catastrophic” hunger and no US aid, people are eating dirt to at least have something in their stomachs. A woman living in Tigray, Ethiopia, said: “We are not just hungry. We are being erased. Our children cry through the night with empty stomachs, and we have nothing to give them. If the world forgets us now, we will vanish, not by war, but by slow, silent starvation.”

Another woman in Tigray said, “Once I was a proud farmer, rich and respected, now I live in destitution, watching my children waste away. This hunger is not just suffering, it is a slow death. The world may not hear us, but we are already fading. With my last breath, I call for help, for food, for survival.”

This is the effect of the cuts by the US government upon millions of vulnerable people around the world.

Following the presentations by Clare and Melissa, the alumni discussed their reactions and what they planned to write to their members of Congress. The Zoom meeting concluded with the opportunity to send emails in real time to each participant’s two senators and one House member.

If you wish to watch a portion of the session, here is the link: https://youtu.be/g82DX8KeaJ4. If you are interested in getting more information about the CAVS Social Justice Ambassadors group and future sessions, please fill out this form: https://bit.ly/43UCFY9.

Or use the QR code:

 

 

CIS-NYC: Providing Necessary Information and Skills

Each week, the Justice for Immigrants program at CIS-NYC hosts workshops and information sessions in response to the ongoing attacks against our communities. These sessions are one way we ensure our members have the tools and knowledge they need to stay informed, protect themselves, and take action.

Last week, our workshop focused on how to speak with the press, at press conferences, and directly with elected officials. We practiced what it looks like to share personal stories in ways that can influence policy and shift public opinion. We also reviewed some of the campaigns we’re actively supporting, like Access to Representation and Coverage for All, as real-life examples of how advocacy rooted in lived experience can lead to concrete legislative wins. This kind of training is part of our ongoing commitment to building leadership and power within immigrant communities in NYC.

CABRINI Film & Book Continue to Inspire

On Friday, Mar. 28th, Cabrini Lay Missionaries, Lorraine Campanelli, and Adela Jarquin Soza, along with Sr. Bernadette Anello, MSC attended the showing of the Cabrini film sponsored by the Social Justice Action Committee of the Oratory Church of St. Boniface in downtown Brooklyn. The invitation was made by Pam Guigli, formerly of Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation (CCNR).

It was a simple and enjoyable event in which we connected with folks who admire the courage and persistency of our foundress who was audacious in speaking out for the needs of immigrants, especially children. A follow up event was held on Sunday, April 6th to discuss Too Small A World, by Theodore Maynard which Sr. Bernadette was able to attend. ~ submitted by Sr. Bernadette Anello, MSC

1260 Upper Gulph Road, Wayne, PA 19087
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info@mothercabrini.org