Frances Owens is looked up to by many in Colorado because of her compassion for others which was especially evident in her years as Colorado’s First Lady from 1999-2007. For Frances’ inspiration, she finds St. Frances Xavier Cabrini to be the most motivating because of her devotion to improving the lives of strangers, especially those less fortunate.
“I absolutely feel a connection to her,” Frances said. “I feel like it’s really important to be like her, to be honest, to be caring, to be selfless, and to help others whenever you can.”
Mother Cabrini has been a part of Frances’ life from the beginning. Her mother named her after Mother Cabrini who was canonized a saint in 1946, 8 years before she was born.
“When my older brother was born, he was a preemie,” Frances said. “And back in the 1950s, preemie babies were put in pure oxygen incubators and as a result, there were thousands of little children like my brother whose retinas detached. My mom prayed all the time to St. Frances Xavier Cabrini that my brother would get his eyesight back. He never did but when I came along, she named me after Mother Cabrini because of the wonderful things that she did throughout her life.
Frances’ adoration for Mother Cabrini is enduring through the younger generations of her family as well. We visited with Frances, her daughter Monica and Monica’s oldest daughter (whose middle name is Frances) during a recent visit to Mother Cabrini Shrine.
“This has just always kind of been a part of who I am, who we are,” Monica Owens Beauprez said. “We love Mother Cabrini Shrine and I carry Mother Cabrini in my heart every day.”
Monica became gravely ill when she was a young mother. Now, she is a healthy mother of two daughters who relates to Mother Cabrini who was ill for most of her life. “She showed us that we might not be successful in everything we do, we might have health problems that set us back, but we can still can accomplish so much.”
Monica first visited Mother Cabrini Shrine when she was four days old. She more easily remembers the many visits she took to the Shrine with her cousins and how they would run up the 373 steps to the top of the property and then, drink the holy water next to one of the prayer gardens.
“Coming to Mother Cabrini Shrine is a tradition,” Monica said. “I used to come with my grandma and now my mom and my girls. And, I hope when they have children, we continue to come here. It’s a place of solace in a busy world.”
Even at 7 years old, Monica’s daughter Sofia (who coincidentaly was born on the day of Mother Cabrini’s death) understands how the love Mother Cabrini extended to others was something special.
“What I love most about Mother Cabrini is that she was kind to children and that she started out with no money and instead of having money, she was being kind to other people,” Sofia said. “When I am thinking about something, I’m like, ‘what would Mother Cabrini do?’ And then I do kind things.”
“I would describe Mother Cabrini as probably one of the most selfless people ever,” Frances said. “To think about what she went through growing up, coming to America from Italy, to help so many people. And then to create all those orphanages and hospitals around the world. She is the most phenomenal inspiration that any of us could ever have. I feel so blessed to have her name, not that I would ever follow in her footsteps, but to feel like that I’m a part of that is very special.”
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