On the Feast of the Transfiguration, August 6, at the Spirituality Center in Codogno, a series of beautiful and engaging initiatives took place to celebrate this important date.
At 5:00 p.m., the Bishop of Lodi, Monsignor Maurizio Malvestiti, and the Superior General, Sister Maria Eliane Azevedo Da Silva, enriched the presentation of the book Il Sacro Cuore e Madre Cabrini (The Sacred Heart and Mother Cabrini).
This was followed by an intense Eucharistic celebration in the Church of Tabor, presided over by His Excellency Monsignor Malvestiti, and a concert by the Archimia string quartet, which was attended by a large and joyful crowd who, together with the sisters, participated in this beautiful day of celebration, which ended with a moment of fraternal agape.
During the event, we also had the opportunity to gather some meaningful testimonies: an interview with Bishop Maurizio Malvestiti of Lodi and Sister Maria Barbagallo, who shared profound reflections on the meaning of the Transfiguration and the charism of Mother Cabrini.
We asked Bishop Malvestiti two questions to deepen his connection with Saint Frances Cabrini and his vision of her missionary spirit:
Is there something that personally connects you to Mother Cabrini?
Ah, there are many reasons. As Bishop of Lodi, it’s clear: she was born here, and I feel she is one of our own. I always try to participate in her celebrations, which are many and varied: in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, her native parish; here in Codogno, where she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart; and in the parish in the city that bears her name, in the neighborhood that proudly honors her. There is even another parish in Codogno dedicated to her. All of this shows how deeply she is loved and remembered in our Church.
But there is also a very personal connection. When I was ordained bishop in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Altar of the Chair, I noticed that from a high niche, Cabrini was “watching” me. She didn’t speak, of course, but surely she prayed. I feel her close because she witnessed the birth of my episcopal ministry. And today, I ask her to pray to the Lord that I may be as missionary as possible, as every bishop should be, indeed, as every baptized person should be. And perhaps even be, in some small way, a not entirely unworthy image of Jesus the Good Shepherd.
You were Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches until 2014. What do you think fascinated Mother Cabrini so much that she asked Pope Leo XIII to be sent on mission to the East?
Yes, it’s true: she asked the Pope to go to the East. But Pope Leo XIII, as historical sources say, replied simply, “Cabrini, not to the East, but to the West.”
And yet, it strikes me that she had such a strong desire. Perhaps not so much for the geographic East, but for the spiritual, liturgical East. I had the blessing of getting to know the Eastern Churches closely during my 21 years of service at the Dicastery. Eastern Christians are living witnesses to the Christian origins. And without this rootedness in the origins, there is no future, neither for the Church nor for the world.
We asked Sister Maria Barbagallo, MSC, to tell us about the origin of the collection on the Sacred Heart and Mother Cabrini, and how this spirituality can inspire missionary pastoral work today.
How did the idea for this collection on the Sacred Heart and Mother Cabrini come about?
For two years, we had been celebrating the Jubilee of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which began on December 27, 2023, marking 350 years since the first apparition of the Sacred Heart to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in Paray-Le-Monial, France.
As Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, in our Mater Gratiae Province, we chose to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a special way by organizing various events, especially in Codogno.
Since we already had several excellent articles highlighting Mother Cabrini’s deep connection with the Sacred Heart, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to renew our love and devotion to this mystery through the publication of a booklet featuring contributions from various sources.
The Jubilee ended on June 27, 2025, on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, but we decided to extend the celebration to include the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, with a solemn day featuring a Eucharistic celebration, a string quartet concert, and the presentation of the book by His Excellency Bishop Maurizio Malvestiti, Bishop of the Diocese of Lodi.
How can a pastoral approach centered on the Sacred Heart of Jesus be developed today, particularly in our missions?
We recorded around 15 interviews with our Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and some lay people who work directly in Cabrinian missions, asking how they live and transmit the spirituality of the Sacred Heart in their missionary activity.
From their beautiful responses, it became clear that in missionary life and in daily encounters with people, the theme of God's Love is always present—especially in the theological context of the Incarnation of the Son of God, who gave His life to show us His boundless love for humanity and to save us.
Among the key elements that emerged from the responses were:
The love and compassion of the Heart of Jesus for those who suffer in body and soul, as seen in the Gospels—in mission among the poor, the sick, the weak, and the marginalized. A compassion that consoles, gives strength and energy, and offers hope to face life’s challenges.
The meaning of “Reparation,” understood as solidarity, sharing, and acts of goodness to counter evil that is, sin.
Closeness, friendship, and sharing in suffering, but also in the fight for human rights and in defending the marginalized… the excluded, the voiceless… the discarded.
The evangelizing power of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, lived out in the daily lives of MSCs—through their feelings, gestures, and attitudes in line with the desires and preferences of Jesus.
Later, in the spirit of Pope Francis’ encyclical Dilexit nos, additional contributions were made.»
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