The St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan will host a three-day birthday remembrance in honor of Mother Cabrini, patroness of immigrants, whose birthday falls on July 15. 

Mother Cabrini was born Maria Francesca Cabrini 175 years ago – July 15, 1850, in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano (Lombardy region), Italy. Her birthday will be celebrated at the shrine as follows:

Friday, July 11 at 9 p.m.: Screening of the 2024 movie “Cabrini” on the lawn of the shrine, with birthday cake beforehand (rain date July 12). 

Saturday, July 12: Mass in English at 11 a.m.; Misa en Español, 3 p.m. Birthday cake following each Mass; barbecue available for sale all day. 

Tuesday, July 15: Mass in English at noon.

“The upcoming Mother Cabrini events are a powerful opportunity to honor the legacy of the first American saint and to reflect on her tireless work in service of immigrants, the poor, and the most vulnerable,” Krismely Garcia, a lead volunteer at nearby St. Elizabeth’s Church, told The Good Newsroom. Mother Cabrini became a U.S. citizen in 1909. 

Garcia added that celebrating the saint’s 175th birthday is not just a historical milestone, it’s a call to live out “her values of compassion, courage, and deep faith in our world today. These events remind us of the impact one life, rooted in love and service, can have across generations and borders. I feel blessed that our parish of Saint Elizabeth is so close to the Cabrini Shrine.” The shrine and the parish of St. Elizabeth often collaborate. 

“Today, love must not be hidden… it must be living, active and true!” Mother Cabrini said, as quoted on the shrine’s website.

“Mother Cabrini is very much alive in the hearts of people today. Her fierce commitment to serving the Sacred Heart of Jesus, her remarkable resilience, and her endless compassion for those who struggle remain an inspiration,” Julia Attaway, the shrine’s executive director, told The Good Newsroom via email last week.