STORY: Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini is the first United States citizen to be canonized. Originally from Italy, she was born premature and had poor health growing up. Turned down by one order because of her health, she founded a religious order to care for the sick and orphans. At the urging of Pope Leo XIII, she moved to the States to care for Italian immigrants. From there on, she spent 35 years opening orphanages, schools and hospitals all across the U.S. She was known to been resourceful, prayerful, courageous and tireless.

PATRON OF: immigrants, hospital administrators

FEAST DAY: November 13

DATES: 1850 – 1917

SOURCE: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini at Catholic.org

READ MORE: Her Life and Work at the National Shrine of Frances Xavier Cabrini

Image attribution: Anonymous Russian icon painter (before 1917)Public domain image (according to PD-RusEmpire), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons