The celebration, the birthday of the Holy Mother, Frances Xavier Cabrini in Sant’Angelo, her hometown, was a journey, a nine-day pilgrimage – in fact a Novena of celebrations! Welcome!
On July 7, the day commemorating the canonization of Saint Frances Cabrini, Sant’Angelo’s pastor, Fr. Ermanno Livraghi, inaugurated the celebrations of the Cabrinian July in Piazza XV Luglio. This first evening was a “Spiritual Elevation” of music, song and texts from the Gospel and the Holy Mother in an all-encompassing atmosphere of nature and spiritual beauty under the harmonious guidance of Antonella Dalu. The Santa Cabrini Choir and the Santa Cabrini Band gave their all to usher us into the Novena of going deeper into the life and message of “Cecchina”, the Saint from Sant’Angelo, saint of their heart and of their native city.
As a true pilgrimage, on Sunday morning, July 9, many emigrants came to the Cabrini family home where the saint was born, arriving on foot and by bicycle from Vidardo, Monteleone, Borghetto and other neighboring towns. They joined the people of Sant’Angelo for the Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of St. Frances Cabrini and St. Anthony Abbot. There Scalabrinian Father, Mario Toffari, encouraged us all to rise up and put on the wings of gratitude and solidarity, walking together in charity and solicitude for the Brothers and Sisters who surround us and arrive, as Frances and Scalabrini had – each in union and with her or his own Charism that God had granted. The city of Sant’Angelo has a population where 22% of the citizens are emigrants. Thank you, Sant’Angelo, for setting us this good example!
On Monday in the courtyard of Mother Cabrini’s birthplace a very inspired Mass was held for Migrants motivated in various languages, giving thanks to the Sacred Heart and to His emissary, St. Frances Cabrini, who was sent for the little ones of the earth – the migrants. The music during the Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Angelo Dragoni was the gift of Luigi and Irene of the Mother of God Parish Choir. Fr. Angelo’s missionary experience prompted him to call upon us to make room in our lives for others following the example and spirit of Francesca Cabrini.
On the evening of July 11, accompanied by Fr. Maurizio Anelli, various emigrants from Cameroon, Peru, Nigeria, Albania, Ukraine, Romania and Brazil attended. Together they recited the mysteries of the Rosary in the all different languages, meditating on peace with the words of the Gospel and St. Frances Cabrini. Among the songs and Hail Marys of the various languages, the people all praised the Lord praying for peace, solidarity and fraternity for our world.
Wednesday, July 12, the Prayer Group of Sant’Angelo recited the Rosary in the afternoon and in the evening we listened to the Cabrinian missionary testimony of Sr. Terese Hope Merandi MSC who arrived from Africa after 20 years in the Sub-Saharan region of Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan. Sr. Terese Hope shared with all her experience of the last few years lived in the midst of the never-ending civil war in South Sudan and the project of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart that is now materializing in Dzaipi, Uganda, among the South Sudanese refugee settlements. The Cabrinian spirit continues to drive us into mission, “Caritas Christi urget nos!”
With the threat of bad weather for July 13, the Mass for Migrants was moved from the courtyard of the house where the saint was born to the Chapel of the MSC Community House in Sant’Angelo. This school was the primitive house of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart, where Frances Cabrini had studied and prayed in that same Chapel. There before the Sacred Heart of Jesus she saw the love of St. Margaret Mary inspiring her and urging her to follow her vocational call to be a missionary, despite the first rejections of the religious congregations that received her. Fr. Alberto Curioni, vicar of Mary Mother of the Church and Maiano Parish, accompanied by the Scout Clan Choir, motivated us with considerations on today’s phenomenon of mobility and migration in the light of Mother Cabrini. “Emigrants are also a blessing for our Churches in Europe. If integrated, they can provide a breath of the air of diversity that regenerates unity; they can generate stories of holiness. Just like the holiness of Mother Frances Cabrini. May she, the champion of service and listening, help us in these bitter times when selfishness seems to prevail over solidarity, indifference over sharing and closed-mindedness over openness of hearts and minds.”
On the morning of Friday, July 14, the elders of the St. Frances Cabrini Residence in Sant’Angelo filled the courtyard of the Holy Mother’s house house where the saint was born, reciting the rosary and praying for health and peace for all, in honor of their patroness, St. Cabrini.
Vespers and the Blessing of Motor Vehicles in the Basilica, presided over by Fr. Ermanno Livraghi, parish priest of the Basilica has now become a tradition, much celebrated and enjoyed by the Sant’Angelini! Cars, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, municipal vehicles (from Sant’Angelo, neighboring towns and, even Milan), police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, tractors, agricultural machinery and transport vehicles – two and a half hours of procession, blessing with holy water (at times it seemed like holy rain) – a joyful popular celebration!
Mary Frances Cabrini’s birthday began with morning Mass in the courtyard of the house where she was born with Fr. Antonello Martinenghi of Codogno, a great friend of the Charism and the Holy Mother. In the Mass he gave thanks to the Sacred Heart for the little great Mother of emigrants, migrants and refugees, recalling the words of Isaiah urged us to take the steps towards freedom, solidarity, charity and closeness to God and to the brothers and sisters as did Mother Cabrini with the simplicity and speedy, ardent charity. The world of each one of us calls us to this transformation of reality, that is, love becoming flesh.
At noon there was the Flight of the Doves to celebrate the 173rd anniversary of the birth of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.
We Missionaries of the Sacred Heart from Codogno and Sant’Angelo, and also from Spain gathered to celebrate and give thanks together with everyone in Piazza XV Luglio. Sr. Maria Barbagallo MSC led us in the mid-day Angelus and opened the first cages of white doves setting them free to fly! After that, we all celebrated together with the laity visiting in Sant’Angelo. The concluding Mass, like the beginning of the “Spiritual Elevation” and the Flight of the Doves, was celebrated in Piazza XV Luglio by Monsignor. Bassiano Uggè, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Lodi accompanied by the priests of Sant’Angelo and Codogno, Fr. Ermanno, Fr. Maurizio, Fr. Nicola, Fr. Alberto and Fr. Antonello. Monsignor Bassiano emphasized the humility and meekness of the Heart of Jesus becoming flesh in the littleness and greatness of Cabrini who shouldered the yoke of the Sacred Heart and walked with Him and continues to walk, accompanying the migrants of this world. Let us come, walk and accompany our brothers and sisters following her example!
Please note: In Palma di Montechiaro, Sicily, the Doves took flight at the same time
together with the Flight of Doves in Sant’Angelo from Piazza XV Luglio
in celebration of the anniversary of the birth of St. Frances Cabrini.
Saint Cabrini, pray for all of us, Pilgrims on Earth!
Sr. Terese Hope Merandi MSC
Thanks to Simona Malatia, Cabrinian Volunteer and Collaborator, and Sr. Terese Hope Merandi for the photos
July 9, Emigrant Pilgrims from Vidardo, Monteleone, Borghetto and neighboring towns, arriving on foot and by bicycle, at the courtyard of the Saint’s birthplace.
Procession from the Basilica to Piazza XV Luglio for the concluding Mass of the Cabrinian July with Monsignor Bassiano Uggè