The Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in Manhattan will host a four-day celebration from Wednesday, November 12 through Sunday, November 16 in honor of the feast of Saint Frances Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants and the first U.S. citizen to be canonized. The program will feature Masses, music, and talks celebrating the faith and mission of a woman whose courage and compassion continue to inspire Catholics around the world.
Wednesday, November 12
The celebration begins at 1:00 p.m. with the rededication of Mother Cabrini’s prayer bench, a quiet spot for reflection overlooking the Hudson River. The bench, long a place of solace for visitors, will once again be blessed as a sign of renewal and gratitude for Cabrini’s intercession.
Thursday, November 13 – Feast Day
On her feast day, the shrine will celebrate a Mass at 12:00 p.m. with local Catholic school students. Education was one of Mother Cabrini’s central missions throughout her life and remains a core part of her legacy today. That evening at 7:00 p.m., the shrine will host a Gregorian Chant concert titled Mother Cabrini’s Canonization Mass. The Majesta Chanters will perform sacred music originally sung at Cabrini’s 1946 canonization liturgy, allowing guests to experience the beauty of that historic celebration. Tickets for the concert are $25.
Saturday, November 15
Pilgrims will have a special opportunity at 10:00 a.m. for a talk on Saint Frances Cabrini by the shrine’s Executive Director, Julia Attaway. The morning program will offer insights into Cabrini’s deep spirituality and her tireless service to immigrants and the poor. The talk will be followed by a Mass in Italian at 11:30 a.m., a fitting tribute to the Italian-born saint, and a Filipino Mass at 2:00 p.m., reflecting the universal devotion to Cabrini among immigrant communities.
Sunday, November 16
The four-day celebration concludes on Sunday with two special liturgies. At 10:30 a.m., Monsignor Roger Landry, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies of the United States, will celebrate Mass in English, reflecting on Cabrini’s missionary zeal and example of holiness in everyday life. Later that afternoon, Bishop Edmund Whalen will celebrate a Spanish Mass at 3:00 p.m., gathering the local Latino community in thanksgiving for the saint’s enduring legacy of faith and service.
All events will be held at the Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine, 701 Fort Washington Avenue, New York City. All are invited to attend and take part in honoring the life and legacy of a cherished New York saint.
To learn more about Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, watch The Good Newsroom’s “Saints of New York” video series.