
Mother Cabrini, also known as Mother Francesca Xavier Cabrini, was a missionary who dedicated her life to serving the poor, immigrants, orphans, women, and children. She founded numerous institutions, including hospitals, orphanages, and schools, during her lifetime. She first arrived in the United States in 1889 and established the Columbus Hospital in New York, which later became the Cabrini Medical Center. She then traveled to Chicago, where she established another Columbus Hospital and played a significant role in shaping America's social and healthcare system. In total, Mother Cabrini founded 67 institutions worldwide, including hospitals, orphanages, and schools, before her death in 1917.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hospitals founded | 67 |
| First hospital founded | Columbus Hospital, New York, 1891 |
| Other hospitals founded | St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, 1958; Santa Cabrini Hospital, Montreal, Canada, 1960; St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center and Cancer Institute, Santo Tomas City, Philippines; St. Cabrini Hospital, Chicago, 1910; Cabrini Hospital, Seattle, 1916 |
| Other notable achievements | Opened orphanages and schools for Italian immigrants; established the first Italian school in Chicago; helped shape America's social and healthcare system |
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What You'll Learn
- Mother Cabrini opened the first Columbus Hospital in New York
- She founded a second Columbus Hospital in Chicago
- She also established the Assumption School in Chicago
- Mother Cabrini founded 67 institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals
- She was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1946

Mother Cabrini opened the first Columbus Hospital in New York
Mother Frances Cabrini founded the first Columbus Hospital in New York in 1905. She was an Italian Catholic immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1889 with a mission to help Italian immigrants. She taught at several churches in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, and dedicated her life to serving the poor, immigrants, orphans, women, and children.
Mother Cabrini established 67 institutions worldwide, including schools, orphanages, and hospitals. She made 23 transatlantic crossings to further her charitable missions. In New York, she founded the Columbus Hospital, which was renamed the Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan. The hospital was first located at 41 East 12th Street, and later moved to 226-228 East 20th Street, expanding its capacity to approximately 100 beds.
The hospital was named after Christopher Columbus, a source of pride for the Italian community. However, Mother Cabrini faced criticism as only about a quarter of the hospital's patients were underserved Italian immigrants, with the majority being well-to-do local residents. Despite this, Mother Cabrini persevered in her mission to serve those in need.
In July 1973, Columbus Hospital merged with Italian Hospital, forming the Cabrini Health Care Center with 490 beds. By 1976, it was known as the Cabrini Medical Center. Unfortunately, the medical center closed permanently in 2008 due to financial difficulties, and it filed for bankruptcy in 2009. Today, Mother Cabrini is remembered as a saint and the patroness of immigrants, with her shrine located in Manhattan.
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She founded a second Columbus Hospital in Chicago
Mother Frances Cabrini founded a second Columbus Hospital in Chicago in 1905. This was the second hospital she established, the first being in New York, to serve the large population of poor Italians who had emigrated to the United States.
Mother Cabrini came to Chicago in 1899 and initially opened the Assumption School, the first Italian school in the city. The parochial school was part of the parish church where she worshipped, Assumption Church. The school served Chicago's Italian-speaking community and was always tuition-free for its nearly 700 students.
Bishop Quigley urged Mother Cabrini to build a hospital on Chicago's north side instead of an orphanage, which had been her original intention. She soon found a suitably-sized building in Lincoln Park, a former hotel with over 100 rooms. However, she could not afford to buy it outright. Nonetheless, she moved forward with her plans, ensuring that the hospital had the best doctors and facilities possible.
She named the new facility Columbus Hospital after Christopher Columbus, a source of great pride for the Italian community. The hospital offered full healthcare services to the mostly poor immigrant community. However, she soon came under criticism as about three-quarters of the hospital's patients were well-to-do local residents, while only about a quarter were underserved Italian immigrants.
The second Columbus Hospital in Chicago closed in 2001, along with the other hospitals known as the "Three C's": Cabrini and Cuneo. They became part of Catholic Health Partners.
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She also established the Assumption School in Chicago
Mother Frances Cabrini established the Assumption School in Chicago in 1899. It was the first Italian school in the city, serving the neighbourhood's Italian-speaking community until the 1940s. Assumption School was a Catholic elementary school located at 317 West Erie Street. It was part of the parish church where Mother Cabrini worshipped, Assumption Church. The school was staffed by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was tuition-free for its nearly 700 students. Mother Cabrini worked hard to keep it that way, often by begging for funds from the neighbourhood. She also had to struggle with Italian community leaders to keep the school bilingual, as she felt strongly that Italians in America needed to learn English to succeed. The school building was noted for its intricate brick and stonework and copper cornice, designed in the Beaux-Arts style by architect Frederick Foltz. The final class graduated in 1945, and on July 10, 2003, the Chicago City Council named the building a Chicago Landmark due to its historical and architectural significance.
Mother Cabrini founded 67 institutions, including schools, hospitals, and orphanages, before her death in 1917. She was devoted to taking care of the poor, immigrants, orphans, women, and children. In Chicago, she also founded Columbus Hospital in Lincoln Park, which served the large population of poor Italian immigrants in the city. She had initially travelled to Chicago with the intention of building an orphanage but was urged by Bishop Quigley to build a hospital instead. She later founded Columbus Extension Hospital in a low-income Italian neighbourhood on Chicago's west side, with surplus funds from the original Columbus Hospital. These hospitals, along with Cuneo Hospital, which was operated by the Missionary Sisters after Mother Cabrini's death, became known as the "Three C's" and were part of the Catholic Health Partners.
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Mother Cabrini founded 67 institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals
Mother Frances Cabrini founded 67 institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals. She arrived in New York in 1889, where she witnessed the poverty and chaos of the city, particularly the plight of Italian immigrants. She was devoted to taking care of the poor, immigrants, orphans, women, and children.
In New York, Mother Cabrini taught at various churches and parishes in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and The Bronx. She also established the first orphanage, the House of the Holy Angels, in 1889 with the help of Countess Cesnola. In addition, she founded the Columbus Hospital, later renamed the Cabrini Medical Center, which served the Italian immigrant community and those who could not pay.
Mother Cabrini made 23 (or 24, according to one source) transatlantic crossings during her lifetime, establishing institutions beyond New York. She travelled to Europe, Central and South America, and throughout the United States. She founded schools in Brazil, Argentina, Grenada, and New Orleans, often facing anti-Catholic sentiment and racial discrimination. In 1891, she also established a religious house in Nicaragua and visited a settlement of Miskito people.
Mother Cabrini came to Chicago in 1899, where she opened the Assumption School, the first Italian school in the city. She also founded the Columbus Hospital, later renamed the Cabrini Hospital, which became known for serving the underserved Italian immigrant community. In addition to these hospitals, Mother Cabrini founded the Columbus Sanitarium in Seattle in 1916, which later became the Cabrini Hospital.
Mother Cabrini's work extended beyond her lifetime. In 1942, the Missionary Sisters operated the Cuneo Hospital in Chicago. The Columbus, Cabrini, and Cuneo Hospitals became known as the "Three C's" and were part of the Catholic Health Partners. The St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, founded in 1958, is now part of the Cabrini Health network. The St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center and Cancer Institute in the Philippines and the Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital in Louisiana are also named after her.
Mother Cabrini's dedication to serving others and improving social and healthcare systems in America and beyond is reflected in the 67 institutions she founded during her lifetime.
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She was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1946
Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in Rome on July 7, 1946. She was the first American to be recognized by the Vatican as a saint. Pope Pius XII canonized her in recognition of her holiness and service to mankind, and she was named the Patroness of Immigrants in 1950.
Mother Cabrini founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC), a religious institute that today provides education, healthcare, and other services to the poor in 15 nations. She established 67 schools, orphanages, and hospitals worldwide, including in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. She made 23 trans-Atlantic crossings, travelling to Europe, Central and South America, and throughout the United States.
Mother Cabrini's work began in New York in 1889, where she organized catechism and education classes for Italian immigrants and orphans. She then travelled to Chicago in 1899, where she opened the Assumption School, the first Italian school in the city. Soon after, she founded Columbus Hospital, which served the large population of poor Italian immigrants in the city.
Mother Cabrini's dedication to serving the poor, immigrants, orphans, and children left a lasting impact on Chicago and America's social and healthcare system. Her influence extended beyond her lifetime, as the Missionary Sisters continued her work, operating hospitals such as Cuneo Hospital on Chicago's west side. The National Shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini was established in her honour, preserving the hospital room where she spent her final days.
Mother Cabrini's life and work continue to inspire and guide those who follow in her footsteps. She is remembered as a pragmatic leader who recognized the interconnectedness of the spiritual and material worlds. Her canonization as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1946 is a testament to her virtuous life and enduring legacy.
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Frequently asked questions
Mother Cabrini founded 67 institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals. However, the exact number of hospitals she founded is unclear.
Mother Cabrini founded Columbus Hospital in New York, which later became the Cabrini Medical Center. She also founded a second Columbus Hospital in Chicago, which later became the St. Cabrini Hospital.
Yes, several hospitals were founded by the Missionary Sisters after Mother Cabrini's death, including Cuneo Hospital and Columbus-Cabrini-Cuneo, also known as the "Three C's".
Yes, Mother Cabrini established the first Italian school in Chicago, known as the Assumption School. She also founded numerous orphanages and schools worldwide, including in Europe, Central and South America, and the United States.
Mother Cabrini is significant for her dedication to serving the poor, immigrants, orphans, and underserved communities. She played a crucial role in shaping America's social and healthcare system, particularly in Chicago. She was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1946, becoming the first naturalized U.S. citizen to receive this honor.












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