‘Cabrini’: A woman’s story of faith, courage and empowerment

 By Susan Palmes-Dennis

ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina—As I write this, there’s a full week and a few days before March ends.  Incidentally, aside from commemorating the annual International Women’s Month, the last week of March also coincides with the annual observance of Holy Week starting with Palm Sunday on March 24.

So it’s probably serendipitous that over the past weekend, seven women parishioners of St. James Catholic Church here trooped to the Carolinas cinema to watch the movie ‘Cabrini.’

‘Cabrini’ tells the story of Italian immigrant Francesca Cabrini, the founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  She and other sisters arrived in New York and was greeted by the sight of impoverished children, disease, prostitution and other crimes. 

Cabrini encountered disappointment, difficulties and resistance within the Catholic Church hierarchy.  Maybe the resistance came out of frustration in failing to establish the Catholic faith there and New York wasn’t exactly on Cabrini’s agenda as she wanted to start a mission in China.  

Armed with a crucifix and intent on helping to organize an orphanage, Cabrini set up catechism and education classes for Italian immigrants. But her arrival in New York didn’t come easy. 

‘A beautiful movie’

Before she arrived in New York, Cabrini had to plead with the powers that be in the Vatican to start a mission. She kept at it until she secured a meeting with the Pope where over coffee the Pope saw her faith and courage.

The Pope agreed on the condition that she goes to New York to help the Italian immigrants.  Eventually Cabrini founded 67 missionary institutions snd served the poor long before government agencies provided extensive social services in New York.

She was resourceful and hard working and in fact started working on the first day she arrived in New York, reasoning that ‘there is enough time to rest in heaven.’

Cabrine was canonized in 1946 by Pope Pius XII and shrines dedicated to her stand in Chicago, Golden Colorado and New York.  Mother Cabrini is called the patron saint for immigrants. 

At the end of the two hour and a half movie, five of the seven women parishioners—Connie Lindstrand, Terri Wyman, Debb McRoberts, Genny and Kim Brunner Stella—stayed on their seats looking as if they want to watch it again. 

Connie Lindstrand said ‘Cabrini’ was ‘a beautiful movie’ and it must have been that good for Rosy English not to complain about the air conditioning inside the cinema even if she didn’t wear a jacket at the time.

Women empowerment

On a personal note, I was asked by Marilou Hagonos Haynes if I wanted to watch with them. I don’t know why I said ‘yes’ considering that they planned to watch the film on a Saturday when I usually spend time with my husband Ronnie. 

But I was reminded earlier that week of a Facebook post by Lota Mascarenas when she mentioned that she and her group of Filipino-American Catholic friends watched ‘Cabrini’ in the Charlotte area. 

So when I did get to watch ‘Cabrini’ my mind was transported to that time in Golden, Denver Colorado three years and two months ago when I climbed the steps to reach Cabrini’s shrine there.  I did the climb a week after my second surgery to treat breast cancer.

Palm Sunday is fast approaching as I write this and I consider it providential having watched ‘Cabrini’ as it reminded me of my steep climb and the sight of Cabrini’s shrine which spoke of her courage and determination to uphold her Catholic faith. 

I love the line in the movie when the Mayor told Cabrini that she would have made a great man and her only response was ‘wow.’  Despite the critics saying the movie didn’t do justice to Cabrini’s prayerful life, still it’s a good movie and it did show how she led a holy life.

‘Cabrini’ was a story of faith, courage, hope, the perils and challenges of immigration, women empowerment and the power of an entrepreneurial mind.  And for us women parishioners at St. James Catholic Church, it spelled friendhip.