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A RESOLUTION recognizing the first Monday in October as Cabrini Day in honor 1
and loving memory of Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American Saint of the 2
Catholic Church. 3
WHEREAS, Maria Frances Cabrini was born on July 15, 1850, in the northern 4
Italian province of Lombardy. From her youth, she displayed a profound empathy for the 5
suffering and a deep spiritual yearning to serve God; and 6
WHEREAS, in 1874, a priest in the Italian town of Codogno invited Frances 7
Cabrini to take over a poorly run orphanage operated by the Sisters of Providence. There 8
she took religious vows into Sisters of Providence and became Mother Frances Xavier 9
Cabrini; and 10
WHEREAS, driven by a deep compassion and a desire to alleviate suffering, 11
Mother Cabrini founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1880, an 12
order committed to providing essential services to the poor, orphaned, and sick; and 13
WHEREAS, in 1887, Mother Cabrini went to Rome to meet Pope Leo XIII to 14
request permission to send missionaries to Asia; however, Pope Leo XIII was more 15
concerned about the large numbers of impoverished Italian immigrants emigrating to 16
New York and suggested a different destination to Mother Cabrini; and 17
WHEREAS, Mother Cabrini's decision to heed Pope Leo XIII's call to "go not to 18
the East, but to the West" led her and her sisters to New York City in 1889, where they 19
encountered the harsh realities faced by Italian immigrants, including poverty, 20
discrimination, and lack of access to healthcare and education; and 21
WHEREAS, upon her arrival in New York City in 1889, Mother Cabrini 22
immediately began establishing a network of institutions, including schools, orphanages, 23
and hospitals such as Columbus Hospital, and providing vital physical, emotional, and 24
spiritual support to the immigrant community; and 25
WHEREAS, Mother Cabrini's distinctive appearance, marked by her dark skin 26
reflecting her Italian heritage, became a symbol of her connection to the immigrant 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1996
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communities she served, and a quiet challenge to the prejudices of her time; and 1
WHEREAS, Mother Cabrini's work extended far beyond providing material aid; 2
she offered hope and a sense of belonging to Italian immigrants who faced 3
discrimination, poverty, and cultural displacement, fostering a sense of community and 4
empowerment; and 5
WHEREAS, Mother Cabrini’s dedication to service resulted in the establishment of 6
67 charitable missions across the United States, Europe, and South America, a testament 7
to her global reach and unwavering commitment to serving humanity; and 8
WHEREAS, in 1909, Mother Cabrini was naturalized as a United States citizen. In 9
1946, she was canonized as a saint by Pope Pius XII, a recognition that made her the first 10
naturalized United States citizen to achieve this honor, solidifying her place in history; 11
and 12
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, the Colorado Legislature passed House Bill 20-13
1031, establishing Frances Xavier Cabrini Day as a Colorado state holiday. The first paid 14
state holiday in the United States that recognizes a woman, Cabrini Day will be observed 15
in Colorado annually on the first Monday in October; and 16
WHEREAS, the life of Mother Cabrini serves as an enduring inspiration, 17
demonstrating the power of faith, compassion, and perseverance in overcoming obstacles 18
and making a profound impact on the world; 19
NOW, THEREFORE, 20
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 21
Commonwealth of Kentucky: 22
Section 1. The House of Representatives hereby recognizes the first Monday in 23
October as Cabrini Day in honor and loving memory of Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, 24
the first American Saint of the Catholic Church. 25
Section 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall forward a copy of 26
this Resolution to Representative Kimberly Poore Moser for delivery. 27