On Tuesday, February 27, Angel Studios held their “media junket” for the upcoming movie CABRINI at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in NYC. They filmed interviews with Alejandro Monteverdi (the movie’s director), Rod Barr (scriptwriter), Leo Severino (producer), David Morse (Archbishop Corrigan) and Cristina Dell’Anna (Mother Cabrini). The film will debut in theatres on Friday, March 8, International Women’s Day.
Multi-Day, Multi-Lingual Feast Day at NYC Shrine
Last weekend was busy, joyous, and celebratory as St. Frances Cabrini Shrine held five Masses over two days for Mother Cabrini’s Feast. Thank goodness for collaboration! Shrine staff extend special thanks to the MSC novices, Sr. Bernadette Anello, MSC and Sr. Ayantu Abera, MSC for their epic effort and endurance.
The marathon weekend began with the Mass in Italian. In addition to two van loads of people from Cabrini University we welcomed the knights of the Sacred Order of Constantinian and St. George and busloads of people from two of the original Cabrini churches: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Newark, NJ and Our Lady of Pompeii in Manhattan. A group from the Church of St. Frances Cabrini in Brooklyn also attended.
Next up was the Filipino Mass, featuring a Filipino choir from Staten Island and a Franciscan priest from Queens.
The final Mass on Saturday was the high-energy French Mass, led by a French African choir that had everyone dancing and singing, even if we didn’t know what we were saying.
Sunday’s English Mass had a full house (the chapel’s capacity is 375). The girls from the Ursuline School sang, and Fr. Brain McWeenie, the Director of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, celebrated. Finally, the Spanish Mass was celebrated by Bishop Josu Iriondo was attended by roughly 300 people.
The Eucharistic Congress
“Oh, if only we knew how to always appreciate the benefit of Holy Communion! How much more fervent and recollected we would be, and how many more merits we would gather.”
~ Mother Cabrini
More than 7,000 pilgrims from different parts of New York State gathered to commemorate the Holy Eucharist at Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, NY. It was fascinating to see how people were moved to join in seeking the best ways of spreading Eucharistic knowledge and God’s love.
The Eucharistic celebration being the center of everything, we had two wonderful Masses
on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Among the celebrants of the Masses were some bishops, many priests, deacons, and seminarians. Men and women religious were also present together with the faithful. During their homilies both Bishops Terry LaValley and Edward Scharfenberger preached about the significance of the Eucharistic Lord upon all the believers. They illustrated how God’s love and His mercy is revealed through His presence in the eucharist.
“God wants everyone to be part of communion and everyone to get a chance to go to heaven. Each and everyone of us,” said Bishop Edward Scharfenberger. They also shared some saints’ stories of how they devoted themselves to the Eucharistic Lord. There was exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the hearing of confessions throughout the weekend.
We enjoyed listening to some of the keynote speakers, especially to Lisa Lickona who highlighted the lives of three powerful American women saints and their devotion to the eucharist. Mother Cabrini, being one of these wonderful women, our hearts were moved mostly with the way she described her. She spoke of Mother Cabrini’s eucharistic devotion and how it developed from the early years of her childhood through her sister, Rosa, and how it continue to grow and bear fruits throughout her religious life. “Rosa (Cabrini’s sister) went to adoration everyday and took her sister along, so Frances grew up from the Blessed Sacrament which is a great gift.
May the Holy Spirit Light Their Way!
Twice a year St. Frances X. Cabrini Shrine is blessed to be the site of Archdiocesan Adult Confirmations. On Wednesday, June 7 we welcomed Bishop Edmund Whalen, a lifelong visitor to the Shrine, to confirm 28 adults. Please pray for these inspiring young people!
Strengthening Our Cabrinian Connections
Cabrini Immigrant Services (CIS), Dobbs Ferry, NY, had a very special trip for some of our adult students on March 29th. We visited the St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in NYC. We received such a beautiful and warm welcome from Julia Attaway, the Director of the Shrine. One of the staff members at the Shrine spoke to us about Mother Cabrini and the beautiful mosaics that tell the story of Mother Cabrini’s travels and great works. We were also able to view the many exhibits and enjoy the beautiful grounds.
During our break, Javier Ramirez Baron, the Director of CIS – NYC, spoke with our group. He spoke about the different services available in his office. He, too, welcomed everyone as a part of the Cabrini Family.
The day ended with a bi-lingual Mass. It was so beautiful to have one of our clients read the Responsorial Psalm at the Mass. She was so honored. Thank you to Fr. Rodriguez for not only celebrating a bi-lingual Mass but for also having a special blessing for the items that were purchased at the Gift Shop.
The day was perfect. It was so beautiful to be able to share together as a Cabrini Family. From the welcome to the good-byes, we truly felt like we all were family.
A Citizenship Collaboration
On March 18, 2023 over a hundred people eligible for U.S. citizenship arrived at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine where they were helped by pro bono attorneys and volunteers to complete the complicated application. They were also able to apply for fee waivers, sign up for citizenship classes, and enroll in English classes. Many thanks to the good people at Dominicanos USA and CUNY Citizenship Now for their collaboration on this event!
Collecting Winter Clothing for Bused-in Migrants
St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in New York has been collecting toiletries and other items for migrants bused-in from the southern U.S. border since August. Now with colder weather setting in, the Shrine reached out to neighbors for donations of gently-used coats, sweaters, boots, hats, scarves and gloves. What generosity!
All these items are heading downtown to a parish situated between two huge migrant shelters, where it will be distributed to people in need.
~ submitted by Julia Attaway, Executive Director, St. F.X. Cabrini Shrine
To view a brief video of the many donations please click here
Citizenship Event at St. Frances X. Cabrini Shrine
On Saturday, September 17 a citizenship drive was held at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in conjunction with the non-profit Dominicanos USA and the City University of NY. A team of 20 pro bono attorneys reviewed over 95 applications for U.S. citizenship. Seventeen applicants who lacked the ability to pay the application fee were granted fee waivers. Most applicants had lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years, with some here as long as 40.
Sharing Precious Cabrinian Artifacts
On June 7th, Julia Attaway, Executive Director of the St. Frances Cabrini Shrine, NYC receives a document case from Janet Bauman, Scanning Specialist Holy Spirit Library, Cabrini University. The document case contains materials from the St. Frances Cabrini Collection at Cabrini University.
The materials which include Mother Cabrini’s business card, checks and promissory notes signed by Mother Cabrini, and a facsimile of the Saint’s will are on loan to the shrine for the upcoming exhibit, “The Everyday Life of Mother Cabrini.” The exhibit is set to open in July.
An Afternoon of Hope
In every age, O God, you have been our refuge. In every age, O God, you have been our hope.” (Psalm 90 1-4; Janet Sullivan Whitaker).
Uvalde school massacre. Eleven year old Miah smeared herself with the blood of her best friend and played dead. Miah survived. Nineteen classmates and two teachers did not.
Tulsa massacre: Four fatalities. Dr. Phillips shot to death.
Buffalo massacre: Thirteen shot. Ten fatalities.
“In every age, O God, you have been our hope.”
Ukrainians continue to be executed by Russian soldiers.
Covid continues.
“Oh God, you have been our hope.”
On Saturday, June 4th, Cabrini Lay Missionaries of the Guadalupe Province, along with caring Cabrini partners, gathered at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in New York City for an afternoon of song, prayer, discussion and reflection on the meaning of hope. Our afternoon was facilitated by Lucille Larrivee Naughton, retreat leader, spiritual director and music minister.
Our afternoon began with a lovely buffet lunch followed by song and prayer. We were then ushered into the conference area where Lucille asked us to examine and reflect on the meaning of hope for ourselves, beginning with our personal hope and extending outward to include family, local community and finally the global community and Mother Earth.
We gathered in small groups at discussion tables, shared with one another and then reported to the entire group. All of this took place virtually as well, and included participants from all over the United States and Central America. Simultaneous translation was provided.
There was room for creativity as well. Participants were given the opportunity to express how hope lives in them by designing a patch that will become part of a quilt representing this hope.
We wish to thank Lucille Larrivee Naughton for sharing her passion, creativity and expertise with us.
“In every age, O God, you have been our refuge.
In every age, O God, you have been our hope.”
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