Pope Leo XIV Elevates Cabrini’s Migrant Legacy in Powerful Message on Compassion and Faith
Italy-Pope Leo XIV on Saturday invoked the legacy of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American saint and patron of migrants, as a model for contemporary Christians, using a visit to her birthplace in northern Italy to renew the Catholic Church’s call to support migrants and vulnerable communities.
During a pastoral visit to Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, near Milan, Leo prayed at Cabrini’s tomb and led an evening prayer service, praising the missionary nun’s dedication to migrants who left their homelands in search of better lives. The visit formed part of the pope’s broader effort to engage with communities across Italy during his first year in office.
Cabrini, an Italian-born missionary who later became a naturalized American citizen, is best known for her work among Italian immigrants in the United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She established schools, hospitals and orphanages across several countries before her death in Chicago in 1917. She was canonized in 1946, becoming the first American saint.
Addressing the faithful, Leo said Cabrini’s example remained highly relevant in a world marked by migration, displacement and humanitarian challenges. He encouraged young people in particular to study her writings and life story as a source of inspiration for service and leadership.
The pope linked Cabrini’s mission to the priorities of his predecessor, , who consistently emphasized the protection of migrants and refugees throughout his papacy. Leo asked believers to reflect on how Cabrini and Francis would respond to the challenges facing migrants today.
The remarks reinforced a theme that has become central to Leo’s pontificate. In recent weeks, he has repeatedly highlighted the plight of migrants, including during a visit to the Canary Islands, a major arrival point for migrants traveling from West Africa to Europe.
The pope is scheduled to continue that focus on July 4 with a visit to , the Italian island that has become one of the principal entry points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean. The visit carries symbolic significance because it was the destination of Francis’ first trip outside Rome after his election in 2013.
Before arriving in Cabrini’s hometown, Leo stopped in the city of to pray at the tomb of , the fifth-century theologian whose teachings inspired the Augustinian order to which the pope belongs.
During his remarks there, Leo expressed concern over declining religious participation in Italy and urged Catholics to rediscover the spiritual depth of the Christian faith. He pointed to Augustine’s conversion, writings and reflections on interior life as enduring sources of guidance for modern believers.
The pope described himself as a “son of St. Augustine,” reaffirming the influence of the theologian’s teachings on his ministry and signaling that Augustine’s emphasis on spiritual renewal will continue to shape the direction of his papacy.
