St. Frances Xavier Cabrini film inspires high school students to learn about social justice issues

As Respect Life Month draws to a close, high school students from around the diocese took advantage of an opportunity to view the film “Cabrini,” which depicted the life of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, and to learn about social justice issues.

St. Cabrini was an Italian immigrant who, despite health challenges, a crippling fear of water – yet she managed to cross the Atlantic two dozen times – and countless other obstacles, founded an order of missionary sisters and left a legacy of 67 hospitals, orphanages, schools and other charitable institutions before her death in 1917.

Students from 11 of the 21 high schools in the diocese watched the movie and were inspired by Mother Cabrini’s life and accomplishments.

Some of the schools – Saint Ignatius, Walsh Jesuit, St. Edward, Magnificat, Cleveland Central Catholic, Holy Name, Elyria Catholic, St. Martin de Porres, Saint Joseph Academy, Beaumont and Notre Dame Cathedral Latin – brought the entire sophomore class to see the film.

“Due to the help of an anonymous donor in the diocese who partnered with the Cabrini Film Foundation, we were able to show the Angel Studios film in six auditoriums to roughly 500 students and their adult chaperones,” said Tony Dipre, director of the diocesan Office for Human Life.

Members of the Catholic Students for Peace and Justice, a student-led and educator-supported organization in the diocese that is rooted in Catholic social teaching, led reflections before and after the film. Student delegations also received educational and liturgical resources from the Office for Human Life and the diocesan Social Action Office in the theater lobbies.

Chris Kerr and the Ignatian Solidarity Network also shared information about their upcoming Cabrini Week of Action for Migration Justice, set for Nov. 8-14.

“Fundamentally, the hope was that learning about the life of the first-ever United States citizen to become canonized a saint would be inspiriting for students throughout the diocese,” Dipre said. “Our goal was to be intentional about showing students that the Church’s concern and respect for life includes care for our immigrant brother and sisters, as St. Cabrini so powerfully demonstrated in her work with poor and  vulnerable Italian immigrants.”