Cabrini Immigrant Services NYC is on the move!
After months of deliberation, we have decided to relocate our office to another part of the city to continue the mission of bringing God’s love to vulnerable communities. On May 2nd, our office will officially open at the St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in Washington Heights (701 Fort Washington Ave, New York, NY 10040). Our Food Pantry will also be located nearby at the Church of the Good Shepherd (608 Isham Street, New York, NY 10034). We will be forever grateful to the Lower East Side/Chinatown community for welcoming us and allowing us to be of service. We will not forget the gestures, both big and small, that made us feel welcomed and at home in this neighborhood.
We are looking forward to continuing our work, strengthening existing relationships, and building new relationships in our new neighborhood. All of our programs will continue to operate and serve clients from all over New York City, as they have for many years. This new, larger space will provide more opportunities for growth for our organization, and the possibility of exciting new projects as we continue to expand.
Thank you for supporting us through many transitions, moments of growth, and challenges over the past two decades. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us more than ever the importance of community, and we are grateful to have you as part of ours.
Should you have any questions about our move or need additional support, please feel free to reach out to us! Thank you again for your support through this transition.
Cabrini Sisters Gather in NYC for Perpetual Vows
Cabrini Sisters Gather in NYC for Perpetual Vows
More than 50 Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus from around the world gathered at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in New York City to witness the perpetual vows of three Sisters from Ethiopia.
Sr. Asnakech Asefa, MSC, Sr. Aynalem Paulos, MSC, and Sr. Berhane Ashebo, MSC made lifelong vows of chastity, poverty and obedience in the presence of Sr. Barbara Staley, MSC, General Superior. Each asked the Holy Spirit to transform their consecration “into a commitment of love, an offering of praise, adoration and reparation in the Cabrinian spirit, so that I may bring the love of the Heart of Jesus to
the World.”
“Religious life and the missionary calling are alive and growing,” said Sr. Barbara following the Mass, “It is a blessing to welcome these Sisters into a vibrant, perpetual relationship with Christ. The world needs them, because it needs Jesus.”
The Missionary Sisters follow in the footsteps of St. Frances Cabrini, the Patron Saint of Immigrants. They seek to respond to the unmet needs of those excluded from basic human rights. Active in 17 countries, their missions include schools, hospitals and clinics, spirituality centers, low income housing for the elderly; and community-based immigrant and social services.
Sr. Evarlyn Ndeti, who entered the novitiate earlier this month, found the ceremony deeply moving. “I am so inspired to see these women committing their lives completely to Jesus,” she said.
The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Thomas Faiola, OFM. Cap, with Rev. Ambiorix Rodriguez assisting. Missionary Sisters from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Italy, Nicaragua, Russia, Uganda, and the United States joyfully welcomed their new Sisters with the pax tecum, an embrace of welcome.
Grillin’ and Chillin’ at the St. F.X. Cabrini Shrine in NYC
Last Sunday was St. Frances Cabrini Shrine’s first Volunteer Appreciation BBQ. Nearly three dozen volunteers turned out to meet each other, chat, and enjoy the rare city experience of food cooked outdoors on the grill.
In Praise of Mary – St. F.X. Cabrini Shrine, New York
invite you to join us at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7 at 7 pm for In Praise of Mary, a concert of harp, flute and voice by the extraordinary Ruth Cunningham.
Ruth is a founding member of the noted early music group Anonymous 4. She specializes in early and Renaissance music, as well as improvisational sacred music from varied spiritual traditions in both liturgical and concert settings. In addition to performing in concerts and festivals throughout the United States, Europe and the Far East, Ruth has made thirteen recordings. This performance will be streamed live on the Shrine’s Facebook page
On a Pilgrim Journey
Last week, the St Frances X. Cabrini Shrine in Upper Manhattan hosted over 1,500 youth on pilgrimage. The energy and faith of the teens was electrifying! It was an honor to introduce them to Mother Cabrini, to answer their questions, and to pray with and for them. All were headed toward a Redemptorist Mater conference. The first Redemptorist Mater seminary is outside Newark, on the grounds of an orphanage founded by Mother Cabrini.
A Lively Birthday Celebration
Mother Cabrini’s 171st birthday was celebrated with great joy last Saturday at St. Frances X. Cabrini Shrine in Upper Manhattan. Joining us were a dozen Missionary Sisters, several lay collaborators from Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC and Dobbs Ferry, and hundreds of faithful families and friends. We had Mass with Bishop Gerald Walsh (English) and Bishop Josu Iriondo (Spanish), cake, mariachi, activities for kids, and a very, very good time.
Enjoying Music and Dance on the St. F.X. Cabrini Shrine Lawn
I
The Pied Piper Children’s Theatre performed A Very Grimm Festival of fairy tales for a large audience of parents and friends. The thespians included 26 children ages 5-11.
We also had a special visit from musicians of New York City Ballet Orchestra, who performed several classical pieces for strings, before being joined by six dancers from New York City Ballet for the public premiere of a ballet about getting through the pandemic titled Nite of Spring.
Music at the Shrine Builds Community
As COVID restrictions have lifted in New York City, our neighbors near St. Frances Cabrini Shrine have hungered for a greater sense of community. The Shrine responded by developing a 5-part jazz series on our lawn for the month of June. Each Wednesday night we explore the immigrant influence of a different culture on jazz. The series has been enthusiastically received, with between 150 and 200 attendees each week.
‘Tis the Month of Our Mother
A few weeks ago a regular attendee at the 11am Mass at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in New York City floated the possibility of doing a May crowning this year. The idea was met with enthusiasm. Our regular Sunday priest, Fr. Mike Eguino, suggested we use the statue of Our Lady of Grace, but… well, it’s a long way up to her! We couldn’t hoist a youngster up, and no one volunteered to climb a long ladder themselves. Instead, we borrowed a 32” statue from the Shrine gift shop. One of our gift shop workers who is good with crafts made a beautiful little crown of silk roses.
Our congregation at 11 am is mainly single people and couples, but we managed to corral 8 kids into participating. The children were very, very excited. That made the procession beautiful and chaotic, in that it-will-be-what-it-will-be way that’s part of working with kids.
After the crowning Fr. Mike asked — impromptu — anyone whose native language wasn’t English to come forward and say the first part of the Hail Mary in their language, and the congregation responded in English. It was great. We had Tagalog, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Russian, Twi, Amharic , German, and one other. Not a bad haul for an average Sunday morning!