Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Bringing Christ's love to the world

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Highlighting the Need for Support of Ethiopian Missions

Each year, the National Shrine of St. Frances Cabrini asks for your support in our outreach events during Advent and Lent. This year for Lent, we are choosing one of the Cabrini Ministries in Ethiopia.

Cabrini Ministries Ethiopia provides health, education, housing, food, and social services to hundreds of people in the Dubbo area which is approximately 6 hours south of Addis Ababa, the capitol of Ethiopia. This is a very rural area where families have limited access to food, running water and education.

Cabrini Ministries provides food to the many impoverished families and is also funding their needs for medical treatment. The need for education is great and currently Cabrini Ministries is educating over 300 children. Unfortunately, many children are being turned away so our ministry is helping these children by paying for them to be educated at other schools.

The Mission also runs St. Mary’s Hospital that delivers over 1000 babies a year and provides health services to the community. Recent funds allowed them to build a new kitchen so they can cook for patients as well as pay for medical care of sick patients that are poor.

Beginning next week, we will have a second collection for our missions in Ethiopia. We will have this collection every weekend during Lent. Family is not always about relatives but the people in your life who want you in theirs so as part of our family, help us to support Cabrini Ministries in Ethiopia.

If you are in the Chicago area, please check our announcement board in the narthex for details and pictures of our mission in Ethiopia. Thank you for your generosity!!!

Announcing a Cabrini Pilgrimage in Chicago

Embarking on a Cabrini Pilgrimage

From the Province Formation Office:

We wanted to let you know that we are planning our last in a series of Cabrini Pilgrimages to take place in Chicago.  The gathering will begin on Saturday afternoon, April 21, 2018 and end on Wednesday afternoon, April 25, 2017.

We will be staying at the Cenacle Retreat Center, 513 W. Fullerton Parkway, Chicago, IL 6061, and we will visit/tour the National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini as well as the Cabrini Retreat Center, in Des Plaines, IL.

The gathering will focus on the principles of Sacred Heart spirituality and practical applications of learnings from Mother Cabrini’s charism and ministry. The content and process of the pilgrimage will be presented by Mark Davis (), Nancy Golen (Director, Cabrini Retreat Center) and MSCs.

The Pilgrimage is both a personal and communal process, with the goals of:

  • Engaging and inspiring the lived experience of the participants in their connection with Cabrini
  • Furthering the understanding of Cabrinian heritage

In order to achieve these goals, the experience will offer a balance of content input, immersion experiences and reflective processes.

The cost of the Pilgrimage is $500 which covers all meals/lodging & the program.  For those who live locally – a $180.00 Day Guest rate is available, which includes meals, program (no overnight guest room). A $150 deposit is required to reserve your place.  Please make checks payable to the Missionary Sisters.

Space is limited.  To access the registration form:

Download (PDF, 572KB)

Meet The Facilitator

Mark Davis

Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer

UK/Australia – Supporting and Developing Churches, Religious orders, Faith-based Organizations and Communities

Personal Details

Born in 1956, Mark is a Roman Catholic lay person, married to Anne and proud father of three grown children: Rebecca, Daniel and Jonathan and grandfather to Harriett.

Professional Profile

Mark is an experienced international consultant, facilitator and trainer working very successfully in a wide variety of ecclesial contexts for over twenty years. Acclaimed as a highly skilled facilitator in groups small and large – including the Provincial Chapters of several major RC Religious Orders – he has also acted as a development consultant to various dioceses, religious orders and faith-based organisations with the UK, Ireland and Australia. An established author, he continues to offer professional training in the facilitation of groups.

Central to his work is the creation of interpersonal environments where graceful conversation may take place and his particular interest is in the nature of religious charisms and how they may be shared more widely than their original founding vision. At the moment his work includes helping faith-based organisations explore the legacy of their foundation, often by religious orders and societies, who are now longer able to actively participate and support their on-going futures.

 

The Jubilee Year of Mercy Embraced by Religious Communities

 

holy-doors-of-mercy-3Since Pope Francis declared the Jubilee Year of Mercy which opened on December 8, 2015, around the world religious communities have been making this year truly extraordinary. Here are just a few of the ways men and women in consecrated life have been expressing the merciful dimension of God during this year:

  • Religious communities have been using their websites and social media to communicate and convey the Christian concept of mercy. Facebook pages of religious congregations have carried inspirational messages and have suggested concrete actions to express and offer mercy.
  • Religious congregations are hosting retreats, special days of prayer and reflections, and book discussions on the theme of mercy.
  • Educational institutions sponsored by religious communities are discussing mercy, praying about it in classrooms and in chapels, and spearheading special works of mercy service projects.
  • Many religious order priests have become “missionaries of mercy,” priests specially appointed by Pope Francis to be responsible for preaching, teaching and practicing mercy.
  • Religious communities have ritually opened “holy doors of mercy” in their own chapels, shrines and holy places.

Pope Francis has encouraged all Catholics – ordained, religious and lay – to make a pilgrimage to a designated church or shrine to visit a “holy door of mercy” to better experience God’s mercy through the symbolism of crossing a threshold. There is still time – the Jubilee Year of Mercy will conclude on November 20, 2016. Holy Doors of Mercy have been designated at St. Frances X. Cabrini Shrine in New York City, Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden, CO, and the National Shrine of St. Frances X. Cabrini in Chicago.                                    ~ excerpts from VISION Vocation Guide

National Shrine in Chicago Hosts Birthday Benefit

 

 

The 2016 Cabrini Birthday Benefit took place in Chicago on July 13th. Nearly 200 people gathered to celebrate St. Cabrini. They gave thanks to God for her time on earth and the miracles she continues to work. Though the benefit dinner, which was held at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, took place in the middle of a rainstorm, a beautiful rainbow appeared as the weather lightened. Many felt it was a sign from our dear Saint that she was present, ever vigilantly watching over her Shrine and ensuring the benefit’s success.

We are immensely grateful to our event’s Co-Chairs, Kevin and Mary Ellen Connellan, our benefit committee members, sponsors, staff and volunteers who helped to honor St. Cabrini. Their generous contributions and continued support help keep the Shrine a dynamic spiritual center in a city still so much in need of St. Cabrini’s mission and vision. We thank everyone in attendance for their presence and look forward to the 2017 celebration.

For more images, please visit facebook.com/CabriniShrineChicago

National Shrine of St. Frances Cabrini – On Tour – Open House Chicago

National Shrine of St. Frances X. Cabrini, Chicago, IL

Open House, Chicago

Open House Chicago 2015 cr1On Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18, the Shrine, once again, participated in Open House Chicago, a free annual event sponsored by the Chicago Architectural Foundation that invites visitors to experience the architecture of Chicago by participating in self-guided tours in over 150 buildings across Chicago. Over the course of the weekend, over 1200 guests were captivated by the Chapel’s colorful frescoes, Carrera marble, Florentine stained glass, gold mosaics and Romanesque splendor.

The Shrine was delighted to hear that the Chicago Architectural Foundation has chosen them to participate in a Chicago Church Tour featuring 5 north side churches in September of 2016. The tour will be available to the first 200 guests that sign up.

National Shrine of St. Cabrini Hosts Ensemble

National Shrine of St. Frances X. Cabrini, CHICAGO

The Caring Arts Ensemble performs on Sunday, September 27th at 1:30pm

National Shrine of St. Frances X. Cabrini, Chicago, IL

National Shrine of St. Frances X. Cabrini, Chicago, IL

Cellist Petar Kecenovici has toured worldwide with notable artists such as Andrea Bocelli. Guitarist Bill Syniar has written music for famous groups such as the Doobie Brothers. Members of the Chicago based band, Classical Blast, they also share their talents with the Caring Arts Foundation.

This fun and celebratory inner quest uses live music and visualization techniques to reconnect you with your creative center.

Click here for more information

Birthday Benefit for National Shrine in Chicago

The third annual Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini Birthday Benefit took place on Wednesday, July 15th celebrating her 165th birthday. The evening began with a festive 5 pm Mass in the Shrine and moved across the park to The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The weather was glorious as patrons enjoyed cocktails in the garden followed by dinner and an auction. Guests were free to explore the museum’s exhibits, including the lovely butterfly haven.

We were delighted to have Missionary Sisters Joan McGlinchey, Bridget Zanin, Joaquina Costa, Joan Marie Sariti, Benigna Morais, Alfonsina Gomes and Renee Kittelson on hand for the event.

The Shrine’s fundraising committee, chaired by Florence Sorensen, brought about a successful event with over 200 people in attendance. The auction items included a sun-filled week at the Westin Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico and Notre Dame vs. Navy football tickets with four fabulous 50-yard line seats.

It was a joyous birthday celebration in the honor of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini. She would have enjoyed it!

1260 Upper Gulph Road, Wayne, PA 19087
Phone: 484-581-7163   Fax: 484-581-7164
info@mothercabrini.org