St. Francis Xavier Cabrini is well-known in the United States for her work among poor immigrants, which was a difficult apostolate in the late 19th century.
She overcame many obstacles, never losing sight of her primary mission in life.
It was an apostolate that did not bring with it any worldly acclaim, and that is precisely the way she wanted it.
Humility
Pope Pius XII praised her virtuous life in a homily that is featured in the Church’s Office of Readings:
She was a humble woman who became outstanding not because she was famous, or rich or powerful, but because she lived a virtuous life. From the tender years of her youth, she kept her innocence as white as a lily and preserved it carefully with the thorns of penitence; as the years progressed, she was moved by a certain instinct and a supernatural zeal to dedicate her whole life to the service and greater glory of God.
He then lists the many heroic deeds that she was able to accomplish during her life:
She comforted the sick and the infirm in the hospitals and diligently cared for them. She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help. Because of their condition she saw that they were in danger of deserting the practice of Christian virtues and their Catholic faith.
Mother Cabrini was able to do all of this through her love of Jesus Christ:
Where did she acquire all that strength and the inexhaustible energy by which she was able to perform so many good works and to surmount so many difficulties involving material things, travel and men?
Undoubtedly she accomplished all this through the faith which was always so vibrant and alive in her heart; through the divine love which burned within her; and, finally, through constant prayer by which she was so closely united with God from whom she humbly asked and obtained whatever her human weakness could not obtain.
St. Francis Xavier Cabrini was a strong and valiant woman who did not seek any fame or fortune, but only to pursue God’s call for her and care for those most in need.
And today we celebrate...