Visit to the General Curia and Eucharistic celebration with pilgrims from Colorado

They then stopped in Florence before continuing on to Assisi.

On April 14, they arrived in Rome and had the privilege of concelebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. Br. John Lager, O.F.M., Cap., and Br. Bob Fisher joyfully told us about this extraordinary experience.

On the morning of April 15, we welcomed them to the General Curia in Rome. They were greeted by the General Superior, Sr. Maria Eliane, and the two General Assistants present in Rome, Sr. Gilda and Sr. Patricia.

The six pilgrims who arrived to visit the Generalate were: JoAnn Seaman, executive director of the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Colorado; Christopher La Bianco, executive director of the Cabrini Mission Foundation; a friar and a priest who oversee the liturgical aspects and spirituality of the Shrine—namely, Fr. John Lager, O.F.M., Cap., and Fr. Bob Fisher, and two pilgrims responsible for filming and taking photos during this trip, Kyle Dyer and Julie Andrews.

As the first stop of their visit, they viewed the wall at the entrance to the Curia featuring portraits of all the General Superiors, beginning with and including Mother Cabrini.

Afterward, following a visit to the Communications Office, we dedicated a moment of prayer before the relic of Mother Cabrini in the Curia’s small chapel located on the ground floor. This moment of reflection was led by Fr. John Lager.

Going up to the first floor, they saw the statue of Mother Cabrini called “Cecchina’s Dream,” which is located in the garden in front of the Curia’s meeting room.

During this convivial gathering, we were able to chat and get to know better those who work at and live out the spiritual, liturgical, and missionary dimensions of the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Colorado.

The director told us how she met Fr. John when she was 12 years old. JoAnn later became a teacher, but a second encounter with Fr. John led her to begin caring for the Shrine and eventually to manage it as its director. Currently, many people work and volunteer there. Fr. Bob celebrates Mass every Sunday and often on Thursday evenings as well. Fr. John also cares deeply for the people who come to the Shrine, as if they were all one big family!

Kyle Dyer has been making videos for the Shrine for 10 years and told us about the big celebrations held at the Shrine in Colorado on Mother Cabrini’s feast day (which was the same as Christopher Columbus’s), namely the second Monday in October. Julie also helps out at the Shrine by taking photos and videos for the mission there. They all share a great passion and dedication for Mother Cabrini.

Christopher, on the other hand, who lives in New York and works for the Cabrini Mission Foundation, often accompanies pilgrimage groups like this one and really enjoys having this experience from time to time.

For the pilgrims, it is a wonderful opportunity that will take place again in 2028. Director JoAnn also told us that among the participants there are families, people who are ill or adults who have recently received the sacrament of baptism.

After breakfast, we went to Casa Cabrini on Via Sicilia, where Mass was celebrated at 12:30 p.m. at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer and St. Frances Cabrini. Presiding over the Eucharistic Celebration were Fr. John Lager, O.F.M., Cap., and Fr. Bob Fisher. 
At the conclusion of the celebration, red ash was placed on the pilgrims’ foreheads—a sign representing each stage of their journey over these past eight days. The pilgrims also prayed before the relic of Mother Cabrini, which is preserved in a display case inside the church. 

Afterward, we shared lunch together at Casa Cabrini, and the pilgrims also shared what had stayed with them from this extraordinary experience traveling around Italy in the footsteps of Mother Cabrini.
 

What a blessing!