Rough Sailing for Mother Cabrini

By Frida Merino Avalos

Harsh weather on Mother Cabrini’s 1899 voyage from New York to Le Havre made for nights of unrest and uncertainty. On the second night intense fog set in, which Mother described as, “darkness so thick that it can almost be touched.” The fog descended while they were riding towards another ship, panicking all the passengers. Mother Cabrini steadied her heart by meditating on her beloved’s Divine Heart, trusting that in the end no harm would come to them.

The Weather Gets Worse

Unfortunately, the third night was worse than the second. “It seemed as though the ship would leap and fly out of the water and then seemed about to capsize,” Mother Cabrini wrote. At times the Sisters thought they would be thrown out of their beds. High waves and harsh winds rocked the ship so severely that everything was knocked around in the cabin. The Sisters awoke with intense bruising, fatigued from little sleep.

Resting in the Heart of Jesus

In the midst of these terrible nights, Mother Cabrini exhibited immense courage, pouring her energy into calming others. At the end of the journey she expressed the reason for her lack of fear, “This alone I know: that we have great faith in the Heart of Jesus, and supported by him, we fear nothing, knowing well that he takes singular care of us and not even a hair will be torn from us without his permission.” This does not mean it will always be easy. Mother Cabrini reminded the Missionary Sisters that “Sometimes, we may have to suffer along the way that leads to the holy mountain of perfection, but we will not be discouraged” for “that same loving Jesus who designed to call us, gathering us in his Divine Heart, continues to help us every day.”

Ms. Merino Avalos is a summer intern at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine. She attends Catholic University of America

Image: Wikimedia Commons Images: Antonio Jacobsen The City of Berlin Steamship on High Seas