Cabrini: The Fierce Courage Behind America’s First Saint

Last week, I watched the movie, Cabrini – a biopic about America’s first saint.

The ending piano sonata, Voci e Visioni – beautifully intertwined with a new song by Andrea Bocelli and his daughter, Virginia Bocelli – are worth the price of admission alone.

Francesca Cabrini (1850-1917) dedicated her life to improving the appalling living conditions of Italian migrants in New York. Here’s some of the put downs she endured along the way:

• “For one little woman, you make a lot of noise.”
• “You’ve wandered into rooms where you simply don’t belong.”
• “Your mission is over.”

“My mission has just begun”, is how she defiantly responds.

And when the Pope incredulously exclaimed: “So you intend to build a worldwide order!”, she doesn’t shrink back: “Your Holiness, the world is too small for what I intend to do.”

Later, when she’s gratuitously reminded by the Pope that she’s been rejected by three orders because of fainting episodes – she aptly responds: “We can serve our weakness or we can serve our purpose. Not both.”

Canbrini reminds us that saints are no shrinking violets – they are fierce, feisty and audacious.

“It takes a lot of courage to become who we’re meant to be. We are bold or else we die”, is how Cabrini puts it.

Every life is pregnant with potential. But it won’t come easy. It calls for courage. Do as Cabrini did. Answer that call.
Dream big. Be bold.