Cabrini Mission Foundation

News

Catholic Sisters Week and International Women’s Day – What Can We Learn from Religious Women?

With the start of Catholic Sisters Week and International Women’s Day on March 8th, this is a time of commemorating extraordinary religious women and the many ways they have enriched our lives. Whether it’s Sisters, Saints or our fellow practicing Catholics, women of faith never fail to leave us feeling inspired.

At Cabrini Mission Foundation, we have learned life lessons from the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that teach us to put others before ourselves and hold to our hearts the stories of their missionary work which inspire us to never give up. By doing so, we are nurturing our own souls in the process and aligning with the plan Jesus had for us. Our foundress, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, taught us the importance of dignity, development, and the empowerment of all people that starts within our own communities.

We hope, with our ministry, we embody the resilience of these incredible women, and make meaningful changes that emulate Mother Cabrini’s spirit and commitment to helping the most vulnerable.

Cabrini Mission Foundation Responds to Relief Efforts from Turkey and Syria Earthquake

In the midst of the devastation that has plagued Turkey and Syria following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, Cabrini Mission Foundation is responding to the relief efforts by donating much needed funds to support the Capuchin Friars Minor of Emilia Romagna. The friars are working diligently to deliver food, water, shelter, and other essential items to the disaster victims across two of their convents in Mersin and Antioch.

The earthquake, taken place on February 6th, has claimed the lives of over 40,000 people, while millions of others are displaced and left with uncertainty. During these times, we pray that the victims be reunited with their loved ones and find safety.

Cabrini Mission Foundation Lenten Appeal 2023

Dear Friends,

This Lenten Season kicks off the Cabrini Mission Foundation’s annual fundraising campaign.

It is the Foundation’s Mission to provide life-changing services to uplift our communities and beyond, and to help those who are on the margins of society. This Lenten season, with your help we will continue to provide the necessary Healing, Teaching and Caring support our programs provide.

Your generosity makes it possible for the Missionary Sisters and the Foundation to carry on the work of Mother Cabrini

The meaning of Lent isn’t only giving something up or, fasting, throughout the season. It’s about remembering the resurrection – the victory of God’s love over sin and death, that all may have life and life in abundance. Lent gives us the opportunity to reflect inward, and to become closer with God by enacting acts of generosity and service as he did for us. .

Healing: For the Sisters as well as the Foundation, providing care for those in need happens daily, in our sponsored hospitals, clinics, and healing centers.  We offer complete care for a patient’s physical, mental and spiritual health needs.  The Sisters are currently providing healing care in institutions in the United States, Australia, Guatemala and Ethiopia.

Teaching: The Missionary Sisters as well as the Foundation continue to support Catholic Education around the globe. Cabrini educational institutions are more than places of academic learning.  Educating students of diverse populations and teaching values, faith, and service are characteristic of the Cabrini “Education of the Heart” approach.  The Sisters’ work in the classroom continues in the United States, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Guatemala.

Caring: Continuing the legacy of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the Sisters and the Foundation respond to the Gospel call for justice and love and honor the Catholic Social Teachings of the dignity of all persons. The Sisters have committed themselves to welcome, support, and work in solidarity with immigrants and the homeless. There is so much work for us to do.

This Lenten Fundraising appeal will last the next 46 days and or 6 Sundays and conclude on Easter.  All funds donated will be used to support the Foundation’s Mission.

Blessings and Prayers,

Sr. Pietrina Raccuglia, MSC

President

Please Donate Here: https://cabrinifoundation.org/donate/lenten-appeal-2023/

The Feast Day of Mother Cabrini – How Can We Incorporate Mother Cabrini’s Charism into Our Own Lives?

As Mother Cabrini’s feast day, celebrated on November 13th of each year, quickly approaches, it poses the question: How can we celebrate Mother Cabrini, and actualize her teachings in our everyday lives? As the patron saint of immigrants, Mother Cabrini inspires us to open our hearts to everyone, especially those who are on the margins of society. Taking these teaching and applying them to our own lives doesn’t always mean being on the front lines helping immigrants as they arrive to the United States, but it is finding other ways to help that are just as, if not more, significant.

Donating to charities who work closely with immigrants, including the Cabrini Mission Foundation, is a great way to ensure you are providing much-needed assistance to the individuals working directly with immigrants, but monetary contributions aren’t the only way to give back. You can make a difference by:

  • Sharing a friendly face
  • Engaging in meaningful conversation
  • Inviting our new neighbors into our communities

These are all significant ways to help families who may be experiencing a hard time adjusting to their new home.

We, as laity of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, hope to continue in this spirit, and act on the principles Mother Cabrini instilled in our Sisters and our identities.

Cabrini Mission Foundation and Community of Sant’Egidio Partner to Distribute 1,600 Meals to New York City’s Homeless

Cabrini Mission Foundation, in collaboration with Cabrini Immigrant Services – NYC, have partnered with Community of Sant’Egidio, a global Christian movement of volunteer communities focused on service to the poor, have helped to distribute 400 meals weekly to the homeless population in New York City. Volunteers and supporters work in tandem to provide individuals in need with a hot meal, a friendly smile, and an opportunity for a long-term relationship.

To establish a meaningful connection with those who come for help, Sant’Egidio’s members exceed expectations, and accompany these individuals on apartment viewings and social security meetings, while following up on various social services. In addition to food resources, Sant’Egidio has partnered with Power in a Shower to provide mobile shower services to those who are in search of access to basic hygienic needs.

Cabrini Mission Foundation and Sant’Egidio, through this partnership, hope to inspire others to help their neighbors, and continue to spread teachings of healing to those in need, growing closer together in the process.

The program is an ongoing funded grant.

2022 Cabrini Mission Foundation Gala

It was a night full of smiles, laughter, and a few tears, as attendees came together to celebrate Cabrini Mission Foundation’s annual 2022 Gala, hosted on Oct. 13th at the Metropolitan Club. The theme at this year’s event, “Education of the Heart,” embodied Mother Cabrini’s education principle – teachers or advocates for Cabrini, need to “Educate the Hearts” of those they teach, which links intellectual competence with moral development and instills a special concern for those persons who are in need.

The heart of every guest was full as each honoree reflected on their commitment to education and their contribution to continuing the mission. Four honorees were awarded the Cabrini Angel Award which recognizes individuals who have helped several generations to flourish and prosper. No person, place, or global pandemic, could stop these driven educators from assisting students in finding their purpose, guiding them through important life events, and fostering the dreams of the world’s incoming leaders.

Catherine Costa Bullock attended the Cabrini school in Brooklyn until the 3rd grade, then transferred to “Sacred Heart Villa” the Cabrini School in Dobbs Ferry, New York, later becoming a beloved teacher and educator. Yvonne Hrapmann, a dedicated principal at Cabrini High School in New Orleans, always works diligently to guarantee her students a comprehensive, faith-filled education, especially during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina where she was able to continue classes even after losing her home to the disaster. Helena and Francis Ottaviano educated the hearts of their children to live lives of service and love. Francis was a doctor at Cabrini Medical Center, and saved countless lives during his career, while Helena touched many with her loving, generous heart. Joel Zazyczny is a graduate of Cabrini University, and went on to become a scientist, innovator and business leader with over 30 years of experience in chemicals and industrial minerals.

Receiving the Son of Cabrini Award, Eustace Wolfington is a devoted Catholic, family man, and proud father of 10 children. For the last several years Eustace has committed his time, energy, and financial resources to producing a movie which will make Mother Cabrini more known to the world, and believes her legacy represents a story worth telling and will resonate with the young women of today, tomorrow and into the future.

The Sisters, and staff, would like to send a sincere thank you to everyone who attended the gathering, and for the continued support of the mission.

New York City Immigrant Border Bus Initiative

Hundreds of immigrant families have been bused to New York City from the southern border in recent weeks. They have been placed in all-purpose City shelters, and the influx has strained City resources.

To respond to the needs of our newest neighbors, five Cabrini institutions — The Cabrini Mission Foundation, St. Frances Cabrini Shrine, Cabrini of Westchester, Cabrini Immigrant Services New York and Cabrini Immigrant Services Dobbs Ferry – are collaborating in a manner in keeping with the spirit of Mother Cabrini.

Our immediate goal is to provide comprehensive support to 50 families in the coming weeks.

We have met with several newly-arrived families and identified the following urgent needs:
• Monthly NYC Metrocards (cost: $127 per parent) so refugees can access the services they need and look for work (a top priority for many of them);
• Basic personal hygiene items and PPE;
• Visa gift cards in units of $25 and $50. These allow families with zero income to purchase essential items that aren’t readily available from charitable centers;
• Case management services to support families in getting medical assistance, registering their kids for school, and finding jobs.
• Legal assistance to help families find out if they have a case for asylum, and education on their rights under U.S. law.

Mother Cabrini said, “Begin the mission and the means will come.” This collaborative project across Cabrini institutions has been seeded with a $10,000 grant. Its sustainability depends on your generosity. Matching gifts and donations will be accepted by each of the Cabrini-sponsored organizations. To the extent you are able, please contribute to continue Mother Cabrini’s mission to immigrants in need.

Cabrini Mission Foundation Provides Flood Relief Efforts to Mountain Families in Kentucky

In a continued effort to respond with urgency to the individuals affected by natural disasters, Cabrini Mission Foundation, in collaboration with the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Guadalupe Providence, has partnered with Water With Blessings, a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to providing clean drinking water, to assist those affected by the Appalachian floods in Perry County, Kentucky. The 100 filters donated will provide desperate mountain families and the elderly with access to safe, clean drinking water where the entire water system has been destroyed and offer financial relief from paying for bottled water, which may not be accessible.

 

Let’s Play Ball! Cabrini Mission Foundation Hosts First Charity Baseball Event at Staten Island FerryHawks Stadium

It was a day to remember as Sisters, supporters and friends braved a record-breaking heat wave for a day full of laughter at the Cabrini Mission Foundation’s first-ever charity baseball event. Held just over the Hudson at the Staten Island FerryHawks Stadium, the event raised money in order to further the Foundation’s mission and come together to share a light-hearted day full of excitement.

Attendees enjoyed the game in comfort from a private box suite and all the stadium staples including hot dogs, popcorn, and more importantly, ice cold beer to beat the heat. Sisters and baseball enthusiasts cheered at each inning – even a fly ball was caught and cherished as a keepsake.

In all, the event was a ‘Home Run’!

Cabrini Mission Foundation Donates to Catholic Medical Mission Board’s Earthquake Response Efforts

Every day we seek to continue Mother Cabrini’s legacy and lifelong commitment to the dignity, development and empowerment of all people, especially during natural disasters, and to do so, our Foundation responds with urgency to provide immediate assistance to those in need. The devastation that has swept through Haiti following this month’s magnitude 7.2 earthquake has left thousands of people without basic necessities, food, housing and access to life-saving medical attention.

In order to help with relief efforts, our foundation, in collaboration with the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Guadalupe Province, has donated $10,000 to the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), a century-old organization rooted in Catholic traditions and deeply committed to redressing health inequities for women and children worldwide, to assist in providing medical aid and more to the people of Haiti.

Within three hours of the quake, CMMB-Haiti allocated and shipped medicines to Les Cayes health facilities, sent two orthopedic surgeons and five anesthesiologists to the region to perform critical surgeries at Immaculate Conception Hospital in Les Cayes, distributed 20,000 water purification tablets to provide 100,000 gallons of potable water to people lacking safe drinking water, and provided food to families of those hospitalized, so they could care for their injured loved ones.

We are honored to help CMMB’s mission in helping the country, and we will continue to pray for the safety of all persons in Haiti as well as the CMMB staff.