Saint Frances (Patron of Chicago)

Prayer of St Frances:

Inspired by the grace of god, we join the saints in honoring the holy virgin Frances Xavier Cabrini. 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 supernatural zeal to dedicate her whole life to the service and greater glory of God.

She welcomed delinquent youths into safe homes, and taught them to live upright and holy lives. She consoled those who were in prison, and recalled to them the hope of eternal life. She encouraged prisoners to reform themselves, and to live honest lives.

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.

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. Although her constitution was very frail, her spirit was endowed with such singular strength that, knowing the will of God in her regard, she permitted nothing to impede her from accomplishing what seemed beyond her strength.

Patron Saint: Immigrants

Also Known as: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Memorial: December 22nd

Born: 1850 in Lombardi, Italy

Died: December 1917 in Chicago Illinois

Beautified: November 13th 1938

Canonized: July 7th 1946 by Pope Pius XII

Additional Patronages: Hospital administrators, Emigrants and Orphans

Why she is venerated by the Holy Roman Catholic Church:

Unable to accept the veil because of poor health, she became a Catholic girls school teacher in the House of Providence Orphanage. She was so successful in educating her students, that she was accepted into the order, and took her religious vows after 6 years of work.

With her continued success at teaching, her remarkable charity and piousness, she was asked by the Bishop of Italy, to establish the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

With evermore continued successes as Mother Superior of the Missionary, Pope Leo XIII sent her to the United States to establish the Mission there.

In the United States, the mission was founded to work with immigrants, schools, hospitals, orphanages and sick children. The Cabrini Green city in Chicago was named after her.

First citizen of the United States to be Canonized

Miracles:

Beautification: Permanently blind child who was prayed for by intercession to St. Frances had his sight restored

Canonization: A terminally ill nun had prayed the intercession to St. Frances and was cured of her illness.

Saint Frances Charm Medal

Patrick
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