Life Timelines Mother Cabrini

Timeline of Venerable Solanus Casey

Frances Xavier Cabrini is the first American citizen to be canonized a saint (1946). In 1850 she was born into a prosperous farm family in northern Italy. Despite poor health throughout her life, Frances was a gifted student. In 1868 she became a licensed school teacher, but her dream was to become a religious missionary sister to the Orient.

In 1880 part of her dream was fulfilled; she established a new religious community to serve the missions. However, instead of doing missionary work in the East, her bishop advised her to serve Italian famlilies in the U.S.—to help them build new lives in a new land.

Mother Cabrini and six Missionary Sisters arrived in New York City in 1898. This small band of seven women cared for orphans, was involved in religious education for adults and children, visited the sick and worked with the poor.

As a child Mother Cabrini was captivated by stories about missionaries in foreign lands. In many way her accomplishments reach far beyond her childhood dreams of being a missionary sister in the Orient. During her lifetime, she founded over 70 schools, hospitals, and orphanages in the U.S., Europe, and South America. Ironically, she never visited the Orient.

Suffering from malaria Mother Cabrini died on December 22, 1917 in a wicker chair in her room at Columbus Hospital in Chicago. She was canonized a saint on July 7, 1946 and is the patron of immigrants.

World Timeline

1850

U.S. Senate discusses Henry Clay’s compromise slavery resolutions. Population of U.S. is 23 million, including 3.2 million slaves. Inventor C.W. Bunsen produces gas burner.


1880

James Garfield elected 20th President of the U.S. Canned fruits and vegetables first appear in stores. England introduces Parcel Post. Norway introduces sport of skiing.


1898

H.G. Wells’ novel “The War of the Worlds” is published. Music conductor Arturo Toscanini performs in Milan, Italy. Artificial lighting used for first time to take photographs.


1917

Woodrow Wilson elected to second term as President of U.S. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, future President of U.S. is born. Movie star Charlie Chaplain’s salary reaches $1 million.


1946

John D. Rockefeller, Jr., donates $8.5 million for site of United Nations headquarters in NYC. President Truman creates Atomic Energy Commission. Comedian W. C. Fields dies.