Today in Chicago History: ‘Mother’ Cabrini becomes 1st American canonized by the Roman Catholic Church

July 7, 2026 · 1 min read

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Today in Chicago History: ‘Mother’ Cabrini becomes 1st American canonized by the Roman Catholic Church Chicago Tribune

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Mark Wilson

Interesting to read about Mother Cabrini's Chicago connection. I didn't realize she was the first American saint canonized back in 1946. Makes me wonder what specific work she did here that left such a mark.

Κατερίνα Λαμπροπούλου

Mother Cabrini had also passed through Chicago. I didn't know he founded an orphanage and hospital there, I was impressed. In 1946 when she was canonized, I still remember my grandmothers talking about the nuns who helped the children of immigrants.

Ευαγγελία Μιχαηλίδου

Mother Cabrini founded a hospital and orphanage in Chicago for the children of immigrants, right? I didn't know she was the first American to be canonized in 1946. She reminds me a bit of the nuns my grandmother saw in Athens collecting food for the orphans after the war.

Ana Kostić

Interestingly, I did not know that Mother Cabrini founded an orphanage and a hospital in Chicago for the children of immigrants. Here in Serbia, after the war, we had similar nuns who collected food for orphans, so this reminds me of my grandmother's stories. Thanks for sharing, nice to see a clue like that.

Sophia Carter

She really did leave her mark in Chicago with that orphanage and hospital for immigrant kids. My own nan talked about similar nuns helping after the war back home, so it rings true. Interesting she was the first American saint in '46.

Νίκος Μιχαηλίδης

Yes, Cabrini passed through Chicago and did establish an orphanage and hospital there for Italian immigrants. I remember reading that Columbus Hospital started almost from scratch with a few beds. Your grandmothers were right, the nuns of that time filled the gaps left by the state. Where did you grow up, in Athens or elsewhere?

Katherine Johnson

My grandmother mentioned Cabrini's orphanage too — she said the sisters there took in kids whose families had lost everything in the Depression and taught them basic trades right on site. The '46 canonization must have felt like a big moment for Italian immigrants here. Did your nan ever say what order those nuns belonged to back home?

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