St. Francis Cabrini, Pray for us!

11-14-2021Letter from the PastorFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Peace and Joy in Our Lord Jesus!

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis Cabrini, an immigrant who came to America from Italy over 100 years ago. (Her image can be found in the sanctuary of our church!) Ironically, Mother Cabrini came here reluctantly as her dream was to be a missionary in China. As God’s providence would have it (and also Pope Leo VIII!), she crossed the Atlantic to America

When she arrived, Francis Cabrini founded an order of nuns, known for their work with the poor, the sick, the orphaned, and particularly immigrants. It was a time like our own when native-born citizens, political leaders and bishops were concerned with the number of immigrants who were arriving. The outlook was even more concerning as the numbers continued to grow.

Rather than convince others of her worthiness as a new American with her words, Francis Cabrini got to work with the sisters. By the time of her death, she had founded 67 institutions to serve others not only the poor in the United States but throughout the world. She did so through the benevolence of Americans who believed in and supported her mission.

Francis Cabrini remains a patron in a complex world teeming with immigrants and refugees. In her adopted homeland, debates, long-established laws, partisan politics and Catholic social teaching are clashing. And we don’t seem to make much progress at truly fixing what has been broken for decades under the leadership of both parties.

Pope John Paul II wrote about immigration, trying to balance two ideals protecting a sovereign nation’s right to control is borders while at the same time allowing people to migrate in search of work and a stable life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that:

The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.

Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.

For now, Christian decency is our priority at St. Bernadette as we serve many from across the globe who come to our parish and look to our St. Vincent de Paul Society for help And lest you think that immigration in our area is continued to Central and South America, we help people from Europe, the Middle East and throughout Africa and Asia.

The challenge seems daunting today But in her day, St. Francis Cabrini, believed that faith made resolutions possible. Let us pray for our leaders, many of them newly elected, that a spirit of goodwill can help us make progress.

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