Mother Cabrini: a trailblazer, entrepreneur, and unofficial, yet ultimate, boss-woman.
The St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Shrine in Golden, Colorado exemplifies Mother Cabrini's unwavering faith and her mission to serve others, emphasizing that the essence of our actions lies in the love and dedication we infuse into them. Showcasing chaels, gardens, and most noteably the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue, Mother Cabrini's story is a message of hope for us, that we may overcome our fears, fix our eyes on Jesus, and truly love others not with our own heart, but in perfect love with His Sacred Heart.

The Life of Mother Cabrini
Mother Cabrini was born in Italy in 1850. From a young age, her faith was devout, even knowing her mission to be a missionary since the time of her First Communion.
She dreamed of being a missionary in China, as they had not heard the Gospel message and had not experienced the love of Jesus she knew so intimately. As she got older, she responded to the Bishop's call to help an orphanage. As her love for people and Jesus grew, her missionary work was far from done. She asked for an audience with the Pope to be a missionary in China, where she was redirected "not to the east but to the west". From there, she was on a mission to heal the broken hearts and empower the faith and she was sent to travel across the Atlantic to the Americas.
During her lifetime, Mother Cabrini established 67 institutions including schools, orphanages and hospitals across the globe. In fact, her institutions reach six out of the seven continents. Her life was spent continuously giving to others, and she even passed away while wrapping Christmas presents for children on December 22, 1917. Her love for others proves to us that it is not about WHAT we do, but HOW we do it. Her initiative was always focused on loving others with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and her greatest accomplishments were the lives she touched.

Mother Cabrini's Mission
Mother Cabrini always had one goal in mind: to make the Sacred Heart of Jesus known and loved wholeheartedly. She had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart and also Our Lady of Grace. Mother Cabrini, in her service to others, was able to accomplish so much within her lifetime because her heart had truly become the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When we rely on the love of Jesus, we can accomplish far beyond our human capabilities.
Those who pilgrimage to the Shrine are left impacted by Mother Cabrini’s life and mission. It reminds us all that holiness is not far from us, but within our reach. Mother Cabrini would’ve walked the grounds that pilgrims travel to. When turning to Mother Cabrini for intercession, one partakes in her eternal mission making the Sacred Heart of Jesus known and loved across all nations and generations.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Fittingly, Mother Cabrini dedicated this hill near her orphanage in Colorado to the Sacred Heart of J
esus. Today, pilgrims can brave the stairs to reach the top of the hill, where they will find the beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a rock formation, done by Mother Cabrini herself, of the Sacred Heart. On their pilgrimage to the top of the hill, the path is lined with the Stations of the Cross as well as a Rosary Meditation Walk.
The top of the hill is magnificent, surrounded by the mountain countryside of Colorado, it is a place to experience the love of Christ within our midst.

The Spring
In founding the orphanage, the Sisters who lived at this institution in Colorado struggled to supply water. They were not near a spring or water source, and this proved clearly difficult as they served the orphans.
After praying a nine day novena with the intention of finding a water source, Mother Cabrini and her sisters went on a hike. On this hike, Mother Cabrini turned a red rock over with her cane, and came across a spring: the water source they needed and had been praying for! Once again, when one turns their mission to following Jesus, their journey will defy human possibilities.
Today, pilgrims can visit the spring site and drink from it themselves. It is a natural spring source, and has been studied to discover how Mother Cabrini found this spring. At the time of its discovery, the countryside in that area had no trees or signs of life. In faith, Mother Cabrini turned it over to the Sacred Heart and Jesus took care of them. No one has been able to explain this miracle since, and it is accessible for all to see and benefit from!

An Eternal Mission
The Mother Cabrini Shrine left me touched by the faith of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini herself. The way she loved Jesus, overcame her fears, and united herself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus reminded me that all that we do must be given to the Lord first.
While she was a trailblazer and entrepreneur, the way that she loved people was the greatest mark of her mission. Today, people turn to Mother Cabrini as she is the patron of immigrants and can also be looked to from entrepreneurs and business people. She was loving, yet hard working. So much so that in her miracle for canonization, she healed a Sister who had cancer by appearing in a dream and telling her “get up, we have much work to do”.
She never tired of loving too much, and was able to do so because her heart truly had become the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Learn more about the Mother Cabrini Shrine via:
The Shrine Website: https://mothercabrinishrine.org
The Everyday Saint Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/66xAgGdl8lC5hUYE67Pjru?si=nGnChIzkRQWonLu68c8oIg
The Everyday Saint YouTube Tour: https://youtu.be/9b4v77z64uA
All photos taken by https://www.gabefuertephotography.com
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