'What If the World Had 100 More Mother Cabrinis?' Archbishop Golka Visits Mother Cabrini Shrine
The day before Cabrini Day, Archbishop James Golka made his first official visit to Mother Cabrini Shrine, celebrating a saint whose courage, compassion and missionary faith still challenge Catholics today.
By JoAnn Seaman
Executive Director
Mother Cabrini Shrine
There are certain days at Mother Cabrini Shrine when the past and present seem to come together in a particularly meaningful way. This Cabrini Day is one of them.
As Mother Cabrini Shrine celebrated Colorado’s Frances Xavier Cabrini Day, the Shrine also welcomed Archbishop James Golka for his first official visit — a fitting occasion for the new Archbishop of Denver to visit the holy ground dedicated to a woman whose faith, courage and missionary spirit left such a lasting mark on Colorado.
Honoring Mother Cabrini
For Mother Cabrini Shrine, Cabrini Day is much more than a date on the calendar. It is an opportunity to remember the remarkable woman who first came to Denver in 1902 and whose footsteps eventually led her into the foothills west of the city. It was here that Mother Cabrini walked, prayed and cared for the girls from the Queen of Heaven Orphanage. More than a century later, pilgrims continue to come to this same holy ground seeking prayer, peace, healing and a deeper encounter with God.
In 2020, Colorado established Frances Xavier Cabrini Day as a state holiday, observed on the first Monday in October. It became the first paid state holiday in the nation named in honor of a woman — a remarkable distinction and a recognition of the impact Mother Cabrini’s life and work had on Colorado.
But the significance of Cabrini Day extends beyond remembering what Mother Cabrini accomplished more than a century ago. Her life continues to offer an example for the Church and the world today.
Mother Cabrini was a woman of extraordinary faith, but she was also a woman of action. She saw a need and responded. She crossed oceans, overcame obstacles and went wherever she believed God was calling her. Again and again, she said yes — to God, to those who needed her and to the mission placed before her.
(Photo by Jonathan Phillips Photography, courtesy of Mother Cabrini Shrine)
Cabrini’s Example Today
That message was echoed by Archbishop Golka during his homily at the 11:00 a.m. Mass.
Reflecting on Mother Cabrini’s extraordinary life and witness, he said: “If the world had 100 more Mother Cabrinis, the faith and the Church would grow in ways that could hardly be imagined.”
He described Mother Cabrini as a woman who had the heart of a mother, caring deeply for those in need and offering an incredible example of faith lived through service. He also spoke about the importance of seeking the intercession of Mother Cabrini and all the saints, expressing his hope that pilgrims who come to the Shrine experience her intercession in their own lives and emphasizing that her witness remains as important today as it was during her lifetime.
That relevance was especially evident as the archbishop referenced “A Pilgrim People, A Shared Home,” an interfaith letter released in conjunction with Cabrini Day, affirming the dignity of every human life, with particular attention to migrant brothers and sisters. The message carries special significance on a day honoring Mother Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants, whose ministry was shaped by her determination to accompany immigrants and others who found themselves vulnerable or in need.
More than a century later, the circumstances may be different, but Mother Cabrini’s example continues to call people to recognize the dignity of those around them and to respond with compassion.
After Mass, Mother Cabrini Shrine hosted a Festival of Nations that featured traditional music, dance and food from around the world. (Photos by Jonathan Phillips Photography, courtesy of Mother Cabrini Shrine)
Universal and Catholic
Following Mass, Archbishop Golka greeted the faithful before joining the Shrine community for the Festival of Nations. The celebration was filled with joy and color, with foods representing cultures from around the world, people dressed in traditional clothing, and music and dance, including traditional Matachines dancing.
The celebration of nations is especially fitting on Cabrini Day. Mother Cabrini’s own life crossed borders, cultures and languages, and her mission was rooted in welcoming and caring for people far from home. More than a century later, the many cultures gathered together at the Shrine offered a beautiful reflection of both the universality of the Church and the mission she began.
Archbishop Golka’s first official visit was also a reminder that Mother Cabrini Shrine remains very much alive. Her mission continues through the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the clergy who serve the Shrine, its staff and volunteers, and the countless pilgrims who make their way to this holy ground each year. The life and ministry of a place like Mother Cabrini Shrine are sustained by many hands, many hearts and a shared commitment to carrying the mission forward.
Cabrini’s Call Today
Cabrini Day offers an opportunity not only to celebrate Mother Cabrini’s extraordinary life, but also to consider what her example asks of all of us today.
Mother Cabrini saw those who were struggling and moved toward them. She trusted deeply in the Heart of Jesus, relied on prayer and refused to let seemingly insurmountable obstacles keep her from the work God had placed before her.
As Archbishop Golka reminded those gathered at the Shrine, the Church still needs Mother Cabrini. And perhaps one of the greatest ways to honor her is to continue the mission she so courageously began.
For those who have never visited Mother Cabrini Shrine — or perhaps have not been in many years — Cabrini Day offers a wonderful invitation to come and discover the woman behind the name. Walk where she walked, pray where she prayed, learn her story and discover why, more than a century later, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and her mission still have so much to say to the world today.
