Mother Cabrini Shrine is a one-of-a-kind place in Colorado where people visit daily to experience peace and comfort. People from all over the state.. and the world.. come to hike, pray and reflect and in doing so, become a bit closer to God and experience his loving presence.
In the early 1900s, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini bought this property on the hills of Golden and created The Queen of Heaven Orphanage Summer Camp. Mother Cabrini would also go into mining communities in the mountains to talk and pray with immigrant miners. She died in 1917 and the land was turned over to her order, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The camp evolved into a retreat center.
The Lewis Family is one of those who are deeply impacted by the love they feel when visiting Mother Cabrini Shrine. Rick and Dionne started visiting the Shrine shortly after moving to Colorado in 1990. The sisters are so impressed by their devotion to the Shrine and the Sacred Heart of Jesus that sits at the top of the Shrine that they chose to recognize them with the 2019 Spirit of Cabrini award.
Every year, this award is given to those individuals who are committed to supporting the mission of Mother Cabrini Shrine and who emulate the spirit of St. Frances Cabrini.
“The Sprit of Cabrini is loyalty to the Sacred Heart,” Mother Cabrini Shrine Administrator Jeff Lewis said. “And you know them coming here, climbing the 373 steps up to the statue, lighting candles in the Grotto… they put a lot of faith in that. I think Mother Cabrini would be doing something pretty similar if she was still here today.”
Lewis is a popular Denver radio host and provides color commentary for Denver Broncos games. He is well known but he admits he craves the opportunity to drive his motorcycle up to Mother Cabrini Shrine to be still and to pray.
Rick and Dionne go up to the Shrine many times a month to pray for friends and family members who are going through tough times.
“He’s bringing those prayers from his family, from his friends to the Shrine and giving them to God,” Jeff Lewis said. “So, its just a great example of, ‘hey this is what we’re called to do.'”
Mother Cabrini was determined to get as many people as possible to tap into their faith and the possibilities, comfort and joy that come with a strong relationship with God. That is also the mission of Fellowship for Catholic University Students (FOCUS). So Mother Cabrini Shrine has acknowledged FOCUS with its Company for Cabrini award.
“I am convinced that Mother would be so wonderfully excited about FOCUS and to hear that the youth of our world, of our church are really doing exactly the same thing that did,” FOCUS’ National Chaplain Fr. John Lager said. “She’s the first American saint, the patron saint of immigrants who was sent to America in the late 1800s by the Pope to serve the Italian immigrants. Her whole purpose was to come in, meet with them, accompany them, give them Good News and give them hope because often times they were persecuted and prejudiced against. So she would be so excited by FOCUS.”
Discover Mother Cabrini Shrine for yourself. It is open 365 days a year.
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