Giuseppe Sarto began his papacy as Pius X on August 4, 1903. Like Francesca Cabrini, he was a native of Lombardy. We know he was acquainted with Mother Cabrini; in a letter from New York dated October 2, 1903 she wrote, “I will turn towards Europe to Rome where I wish to see Pius X, whom I already know.” We don’t know how or when they met.
Mother Cabrini had several audiences with Pope Pius X before World War I shut down transatlantic travel. Among the Shrine’s second-class relics are a biretta and a silver paten the pope gave to her as gifts. Mother Cabrini deeply respected the pope’s concern for the poor and undoubtedly rejoiced in his emphasis on frequent reception of the Eucharist. Pius X held Mother Cabrini in high regard, and once called her an “Apostle of the Gospel.” He kept a benevolent eye on her — or perhaps she ensured he was kept up to date on her projects — and on the opening day of Columbus Hospital in Chicago in 1905, Pius X sent his blessing.
Pope Pius X also played a role in preventing Mother Cabrini from retiring as Superior General. In 1910 she announced her intention to step down, setting off a firestorm of letters of protest from the Sisters around the world. Cardinal Respighi, along with other prelates, advised the Sisters to take the unusual step of asking His Holiness to name Mother Cabrini the Superior General for life. The pope agreed, and a decree from the Sacred Congregation of Religious declared “by a singular favor, which must not be taken as a precedent, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, the Foundress and actual Superior General, is hereby established and confirmed in perpetuity, as long as she lives, as Superior General of the Institute…”
Pius X fell ill on the Feast of the Assumption in 1914, and died five days later. When she learned of his death Mother Cabrini wrote to one of the Sisters in Rome, “I will begin to pray for the repose of so good and noble a person. You never even told me that he was ill… I would like to know all the details of a person so good to us.”
Pope St. Pius X, pray for us.
Note: Should you wish to venerate a first-class relic of Pope St. Pius X on his feast day, stop by. The Shrine has one among its collection of relics.
Biretta given to Mother Cabrini by Pope Pius X
First class relic of Pope St. Pius X
