St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Mother Cabrini, as she was affectionately called, is the first American citizen to be canonized. Although she was born in Italy in 1850 and dreamed of going to China as a missionary, she was sent instead to the United States, where she became a naturalized citizen. She ministered to the immigrants in New York and Chicago by founding schools, hospitals and orphanages to serve them. By the time she died in 1909, she had founded 67 institutions dedicated to caring for Christ's poor in some way. She was a true servant of God. St. Frances, pray for us!