“God has done it all: I have only been a spectator of God’s work.”
In 1890, Mother Cabrini and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus had to beg for alms to support the growing number of orphans in their care. Their willingness to sacrifice everything to bring people to know, love, and serve Jesus continues to inspire us today.
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In this letter from 1899, Mother Cabrini writes about the role Our Lady of Grace played in the founding of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “Oh, happy is the one who loves Mary! What care and tenderness this good Mother has for us!… “She rejoices when…
The Ave Maris Stella is a Latin hymn that dates back to the 10th century and is usually sung at Vespers. This beautiful song was a favorite of Mother Cabrini’s. In the following letter to the Missionary Sisters we see Mother Cabrini’s deep love for Our Lady, and learn the…
Mother Cabrini prayed frequently, deeply, and with the certainty that prayer is “the channel through which the most precious waters of grace continually and copiously flow from the Heart of God.” Many of Mother Cabrini’s personal prayers are recorded in her retreat journals. In these we get a glimpse of…
In 1892, one of the Missionary Sisters wrote to Mother Cabrini, concerned about how dry her prayer life had become. She received what was probably a surprising reply. “I rejoice with you for the eminent degree of holiness to which God calls you with the gift of great aridity,” wrote…
Sister Gabriella Linati, age 24, was a novice when she was selected as one of the six Sisters to accompany Mother Cabrini to the U.S. in 1889. Her notes are our main source of what the first voyage across the Atlantic was like. March 26, 1889 After lunch a…
Can’t get to the Shrine to see our What is a Relic exhibit? A few pieces of good news! The exhibit is being extended through June 29. It will then transition to a different location at the Shrine to make space for a new exhibit (hint: July 7, 2021 is the…
“You are so good to me, St. Joseph. Imprint your image within me and always give me the grace of enjoying my beloved Infant Jesus! Beloved Joseph, your gifts are great and I do not have enough words to thank you… to you I entrust all, to you I entrust…
Mother Cabrini arrived in the U.S. in 1899, during the second great wave of immigration. A million Italians had arrived on American shores in the previous decade. Three million more would arrive before Mother Cabrini died in 1917. But it wasn’t just Italians who were were pouring in. In 1890,…
The snow began to fall today just as 9am Mass began. It looked lovely. All the same, a corner of my mind kept track of the accumulation. The Shrine’s maintenance man has Sundays off; I’d have to figure out the logistics of shoveling and sanitizing between the 9 and 11am…
Sometimes it’s hard to grasp how incredibly difficult life was for the Italian immigrants Mother Cabrini came to serve. In 1889 orphans slept in the streets. Decrepit tenements teemed with families and vermin. Parents worked 12-hour days in dangerous jobs. There were few workplace safety regulations, no social safety net,…
Among the interesting items on display at the Shrine’s What is a Relic? exhibit is a small silver reliquary. It contains first-class relics of the saints Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Barbara and Rosalie. You can stop by to venerate these whenever the Shrine is open. The authentification paper for this…
“Themes from the Life and Spirituality of Mother Cabrini” Wednesday, January 27, 2021 Time: 9:00 am MST/ 10:00 am CST/ 11:00 am EST Sponsored by the National Shrine of St. Frances X. Cabrini, Chicago, IL in collaboration with The Cabrini Retreat Center, Des Plaines, IL, with the gracious participation of…
One of the delightful items in the Shrine’s museum is a pair of Mother Cabrini’s well-worn shoes. They are identical; there is not a left shoe and a right, because cobblers charged more for that kind of customization. Eventually, with enough wearing, the shoe would conform to the proper foot….
Late afternoon is beautiful at the Shrine. In winter, the sun shines through the south windows with an ethereal glow starting at about 4:15pm. There aren’t a lot of visitors close to closing time, usually just one or two neighbors, and sometimes a family scurrying in to pray just as…
From Mother Cabrini: Italian Immigrant of the Century by Mary Louise Sullivan, MSC Frances Cabrini approached the twilight of her life of loving service and dedication persistent in her missionary efforts. In 1915 she set out for Seattle, where she had to face many difficulties in her efforts to establish…
Sixty-one years ago today (the 19th fell on a Saturday in 1959, too) dozens of clergy, multitudes of Missionary Sisters, a judge, the captain of the 34th Precinct, and various others including “an author of Marian plays and filmstrips” gathered for the consecration of the main altar of the brand-new…
St. Frances Cabrini
“Love, today, must not be hidden; It must be active, vibrant and true.”
St. Frances Cabrini
“As I see it, the mission is this:Loving other human beings-wherever they are in the world, and letting them know that there is a God who loves them unconditionally, now, as they are.”
“Prayer is a great comfort. It is the life of the soul, though its effects are not always visible.”
“I felt something I could not explain. It seemed as though I were no longer of this world; my heart was filled with Glory. I know it was the Holy Spirit.”
“There is room here for
every talent and inclination.”
“Today, love must not be hidden… it must be living, active and true!”
— St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Visitor Information
A sacred space to pray, rest and be nourished.
Shrine Hours
Tuesday thru Sunday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, until 7pm on Wednesday
Closed Mondays and major holidays
Gift Shop Hours
Tuesday thru Sunday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Closed Mondays and major holidays
English Mass Schedule
Sunday: 9:30 am and 11:00 am with Adoration 1:00-2:30.
Tuesday-Friday: 12:00 pm followed by Adoration
Saturday: 9:30 am followed by Adoration
Spanish Mass Schedule
Sunday: 3:00 pm and last Saturday of every month, 2:00 pm
Wednesday Evening Music: 6-7pm (no music on April 28 or May 19)
NOTE: The Shrine follows all currently recommended COVID-19 protocols.
How you can get to the Shrine in Northern Manhattan.
Subway: The elevators at 190th Street are currently under repair. Take the A train to 181st Street and exit the station at the 184th St end, taking the elevator up to Fort Washington Avenue. Turn right and either take the M4 bus two stops to 190th Street or walk ten minutes. The Shrine is one-half block past 190th St on the opposite side, behind the stone wall.Open Tuesday thru Sunday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Bus: Take the M4 bus, get off at 190th Street.
By Car: From midtown Manhattan, take the Henry Hudson Parkway northbound and Riverside Drive to Fort Washington Avenue. Turn left onto Fort Washington Avenue. Visitors may use the free parking in the lot next to the Shrine.
New York, NY 10040
Tel: 212.923.3536
Saint Frances Cabrini Shrine is available for retreats, weddings, funerals, and baptisms.
- Our Retreat Room is a bright, sunny room with four large windows opening onto a wooded courtyard. The capacity is 50-75 people.
- The Music Room has a capacity of 40-60. A grand piano is available.
- The Cabrini Lawn adjacent to the Shrine is a secluded lawn that is perfect for an outdoor rosary, prayer group or picnic. Chairs and tables can be set up outside for your group.
Call 212.923.3536 for more information.
The Cabrini Shrine is adjacent to Fort Tryon Park and The Cloisters.
“The St. Frances Cabrini Shrine is located in a quiet neighborhood in upper Manhattan, adjacent to stunning Fort Tryon Park. The park features Heather and Alpine gardens as well as scenic views of the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades. The area was the site of the Battle of Fort Washington during the American Revolutionary War.
A 10-minute walk into the park brings you to the Cloisters Museum, which houses the Medieval art and architecture collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Cloisters are the home of the renowned Unicorn Tapestries, cloistered galleries and gardens, a large collection of statuary and stained glass, and Robert Campin’s spectacular Mérode Altarpiece (c. 1422). A seasonal café offers light meals within the museum.
There are also several casual restaurants in walking distance from the Shrine, and Arthur Avenue, the delicious “Little Italy of the Bronx” lies a 15-20 minute drive away.
