St, Frances Xavier Cabrini (known as Mother Cabrini) was born in Italy in 1850. She came to the United States in 1887 and became a citizen of the US in 1909. In 1887 she went to Rome to meet with Pope Leo XIII to ask him to allow her to set up a convent in Rome and to send missionaries to China. Instead, he asked her to go to America to serve the large number of Italian immigrants who were coming to America. She did so.

During her life, she established schools, orphanages, and nursing home all over the country, even as she went up against opposition within the Church and within the local governments who were hostile to immigrants.
    
We honor St. Frances Xavier Cabrini this Thursday, Nov. 13.