On the first Monday of October, Colorado celebrates Cabrini Day, a holiday that recognizes the life and legacy of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini who came to Colorado to help orphaned children in Denver and immigrants working in the mines nestled in the mountains. She is the first woman in the United States to be honored with a paid state holiday which was made possible by the passage of a bill in the state legislature in 2020 and signature of approval by Governor Jared Polis.
Cabrini Day 2024 was a beautiful, bluebird sky day during which people of all ages came to Mother Cabrini Shrine. I spent the day there with videographer Dave Klein and just captured moments and interviews that show the impact of this sacred and peaceful place which sits in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, just 17 miles from Downtown Denver. It is a place where everyone is welcome and where love and hospitality are at the heart of everything.
We produced this video story for the 2025 fundraising gala from Mother Cabrini Shrine. Contributions from that night allow the legacy of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini to thrive.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was born in Italy but travelled the world making a difference in the lives of those who were forgotten, including orphans and immigrants. She first arrived in the U.S. in 1889, landing first in New York City with six other sisters in her order (Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus).
Mother Cabrini made her way to Denver in 1904 and opened the Mount Carmel School in the heavily Italian Highlands neighborhood. Two years, later she along with the sisters in her order opened the doors to the Queen of Heaven orphanage. In 1910, Mother Cabrini purchased property in Golden and created a summer camp for the girls at the orphanage. On that rocky hillside, there was no water to be had so she and the sisters would have to haul up water to the camp from a stream in Mount Vernon Canyon. But then, in 1912, Mother Cabrini noticed an area at the camp, encouraged others to start digging there and water was found and continues to flow. The property was officially established as Mother Cabrini Shrine in 1946 which was the year she was canonized a saint. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini had become an American so with her canonization, she became the first American saint… and is often referred to as Colorado’s saint.
Recent Comments