Last Tuesday, I was excited to see the new movie Cabrini. The executive producer Eustace Wolfington said it would not be another fairytale movie on a saint. Unfortunately, we got something worse.
Cabrini does have some good moments. For instance, we hear a New York Times journalist narrate two great pieces he wrote for the paper promoting the mission of the saint.
The acting was good, the music was good, and the cinematography was good. However, the portrayal of the saint was terrible. The actress did a great job doing her part, but the depiction was not of a saint but rather of an irreverent, ambitious, and somewhat bitter woman who is easily offended.
The writers and directors haven’t a clue how a saint is and must be, especially St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. They captured her compassion, work ethic, and obedience, but missed how she was enormously prayerful, joyful, full of humility, and very reverent. She was also a miracle worker, all of which was not depicted in the movie.
In one of the lines in the film (from memory), Cabrini says to her sisters “we must trust only in ourselves.” This is not what a saint or any good Catholic says under adverse conditions. We don’t trust in ourselves but in Christ.
In another scene, John Lithgow’s character as mayor of NY says to Cabrini, “It’s a shame you’re a woman, you’d be a great man.” She replies after guzzling down a whiskey, “No, men could never do what we do.” This is close to blasphemy against the wonderful saint.
In other scenes, she talks about name-calling and tells some bigwigs how racial slurs which she names “cut to the heart.” Again, no saint is worried about what someone calls them.
We see a woman walk into church without a head-covering, which is something you would not see in the late 1800’s.
Pope Leo XIII is portrayed as one in the way of Cabrini until she makes a scene with cardinals and bishops around saying “is it because I’m a woman?”
She does not kiss his ring during her second audience, nor does she show the great reverence the real saint had for this great pope throughout.
I would like to post part of a beautiful letter (all her letters are beautiful) she wrote in 1898 to her sisters, which shows something of how she truly was towards the pope, the Church, and Christ. It alone demonstrates her love, humility, and devotion that are completely missing in the film about her:
“I was comforted by the blessing of the Holy Father, who at the end of July gave me an audience and encouraged me, with benignity, to go all over the world and carry the Most Holy Name of Jesus everywhere, thus to draw souls into the bosom of the Church, where alone there is salvation. With fatherly goodness he inquired about my programme, and noticing my poor health, he asked how I could undertake so much work. ‘I, who am so strong, could not do it,” he said. ‘It is true I am old, but I am much stronger than you.” The affability with which he deigned to speak to me, encouraged me to remark that, as I was his spiritual daughter, I possessed his moral strength which enabled me to go round the world, and I was sure I should not lose my strength by serving that dear Jesus Who chose me to be a Missionary of His Sacred Heart. Then, putting his two hands on my head, he showered blessings upon me, telling me to pray, for him, as his heart was overwhelmed with sorrow on account of the revolutions prevalent in many countries.”
“Then the Supreme Pastor, that Father of souls, not wishing to leave his little Missionary unconsoled, gave me a generous offering for my voyage, together with presents for those who helped the Missions most. He said many other nice things, but I must leave these to the Mother Superior of the House in Rome, who was with me on the occasion of that memorable audience. All I can say is, that with the blessing of the Holy Father I can go all over the world and no fear shall overcome me, no matter how difficult the way, and no matter how many the obstacles which may come before me, whether from spiritual or temporal enemies. The Pope has spoken, God has spoken through him. I shall go everywhere without fear. Oh! how powerful is the blessing of the Pope! He is the visible head of the Church on earth, he is God’s representative, the oracle of the Most Holy Trinity, the instrument of the Holy Ghost, the trumpet of the Redeemer, the mouthpiece and word of Our Lord Himself. The Pope is the shining lighthouse of Divine Wisdom, and so his words and his blessings are that true column of fire that guides me in every danger and every difficulty. Do pray, daughters, pray for the Holy Father, pray for the Ruler of Church’s destiny, pray for him in these difficult times. We must do so, as we are under obligations of filial gratitude to Leo XIIL, who loves and favours our beloved Institute as if it were his own beloved family. Speak, children, to everybody concerning the Pope. Make them unite themselves with him, for he who is united closely with the Pope, however far he may have strayed from the right path, returns to God’s ways in the end.”
“The Holy Father wishes our Institute to be prolific of Saints, as he said to the Sisters whom I presented to him after my audience. We are under an obligation to comply with the desires of this holy old man. I imagine I hear, however, someone asking how they can become Saints? Oh, daughters, do not fear difficulties; it will suffice if we follow our holy vocation faithfully. That sweet and most loving Jesus, Who has called us to follow Him, gathering us to His Divine Heart, helps us every day on our journey. It is He Himself, the good Jesus, Who has called us to follow closely in His footsteps, through the observance of the Evangelical Counsels, so that we may be holy and perfect, like unto Him.” [1]
It’s apparent that modernists and worldly people put this movie together. They should have hired the writers of the movie Nefarious, which is a far, far better movie. The one positive thing that may result from this film is hopefully people look up and find out about the real St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and become holy and faithful Catholics as she was.
Lastly, notice her true Catholic position towards the papacy. Now, imagine if she lived today.
Footnote
Speray's Catholicism in a Nutshell 