Sr. Bridget Zanin, MSC, Director of the National Shrine of St. Frances X. Cabrini in Chicago writes that they are pleased to announce that their Lenten Outreach to support the Cabrini Ministries in Ethiopia raised $5,086.00. In appreciation for the generosity of our community, Sr. Bridget received a heartfelt thank you from Thinky Mabaso on April 15:

Greetings Sister Bridget:

Your hard work and continuous support bear testimony of the love that Mother Cabrini had for suffering people and deep care for children. The support that you have given us gives hope and courage, and it echoes the words, “Now is the Favorable Time.” Your act of love and kindness, as well a selfless giving, gives strength to the work done here which at times shakes and challenges the core of our faith. It is such kindness where our hope is rekindled. Once again thank you from all of the little beautiful souls of the Children in Dubbo (Ethiopia). On behalf of Cabrini Ministries, we would like to thank you a million times.

Thinky Mabaso

In addition to their gratitude they sent us the attached pictures of the children laughing and a group photo of Cabrini Ministries Ethiopia.

We are delighted to see the laughter in these children faces and admire the Cabrini Ministries in Ethiopia for their selfless acts of charity and love and their strength in continuing their vocation.

Our Easter Sunday Mass was a glorious celebration with 400 in attendance and following the service, children relished in the joy of an Easter egg hunt with Father Ted Ploplis in the Narthex area of the Shrine.

We feel blessed with all that transpired at the Shrine during Lent and Easter Sunday and look forward to a very busy summer of tours, concerts and faith

formation events.

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!!!