The Italian Colony of St. Lucy
Last week the Shrine was thrilled to welcome the Italian Colony of St. Lucy’s, who drove 124 miles to visit Mother Cabrini’s remains. Their devotion to the patroness of immigrants runs strong, through many generations. Hailing from Scranton, PA, some of the pilgrims had attended the school Mother Cabrini opened there in 1901 (it was later renamed St. Frances Xavier Cabrini School), and others had grandparents who met Mother Cabrini herself. All are — as Mother Cabrini would have wished — proud of their Italian heritage.
The group’s mission is to educate, preserve, and promote devotion to St. Lucy and Mother Cabrini through charitable works. It’s named after the first church in the Scranton area, which was called The Italian Colony.
Mother Cabrini first visited Scranton six times. The industrial town in northeastern Pennsylvania had attracted many Italians to work in the coal mines and slate quarries nearby. It was backbreaking labor for low wages. Cave-ins and black lung disease made for much suffering. The school, which Mother Cabrini named St. Lucy’s, provided a quality education, a stepping-stone out of poverty for Italian children.
The group brought with them the sad news that St. Lucy’s Church, with which the school was affiliated, will soon be closing. We ask your prayers for the people of St. Lucy’s, and for all Italians this month.
“If every child entrusted to us in our schools grows through our efforts in the holy fear of God and if in addition to instructing the mind we educate the heart, instilling in it the principles of religion and honesty, the child will grow to be an exemplary Christian and citizen.”
~ St. Frances Cabrini
“Miners’ wives and children picking coal from the dump, Scranton, Pa., U.S.A.” Stereoscope photo, The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1850 – 1930
Children at St. Lucy’s school, Scranton, 1905
