По дорозі на летовище до Вінніпегу на щорічний черговий Синод єпископів УГКЦ владика Іриней Білик 8 вересня ц.р. в околицях Денверу відвідав святилище Святої Кабріні Франциски Ксаверії в супроводі Голови мирянського товариства «Queen of the Apostles Mission Association» (Цариця Апостолів місійної діяльності) п.Матея Вернера, як також з членкинями правління цього Товариства п.Аретою Колодій та Сильвією Гровгер.

По дорозі на вершину гори встановлена мозаїчна Хресна Дорога і таїнства Святої Вервиці.

Численні відвідувачі з різних країн прислухалися до молитов і піснеспівів українською мовою та просили благословення Владики Іринея і дозволу зробити пам’ятну фотографію.

СВЯТА КАБРІНІ ФРАНЦИСКА КСАВЕРІЯ

Кабріні Франциска Ксаверія (Frances Cabrini італ Xaveria), - засновниця чернечої конгрегації «Сестри місіонерки Найсвятішого Серця Ісуса". Покровителька емігрантів.

Народилася 15 липня 1850 року в м.Лодіджіано (Lodogiano), Італія, в багатодітній сім'ї, в якій було 13 дітей. З раннього дитинства вона мріяла стати місіонеркою.

У 1863 році почала навчатися в коледжі "Дочки Святого Серця Ісуса» в Мілані. У 1868 році здає іспит у педагогічне училище, але через слабке здоров'я залишає навчання. Вона намагається вступити в монастир, але, отримавши відмову, повертається додому, де разом із сестрою Розою присвячує себе бідним і хворим.

За порадою свого духовного наставника в 1869 році відправляється в м.Кодон (Ломбардія), в чернечий дім, сестри якого керували сирітським притулком. Тут Франциска Ксаверія Кабріні веде викладацьку діяльність. Незабаром вона стає настоятелькою цього чернечого будинку.

14 липня 1880 засновує новий чернечий дім, який став основою нової конгрегації, яка згодом стала називатися "Сестри місіонерки Найсвятішого Серця Ісуса". З 1882 року року конгрегація, заснована Франціскою Ксаверій починає поширюватися в Італії. 12 березня 1888 Святим Престолом був затверджений статут даної конгрегації.

31 березня 1889 Франциска Ксаверія разом з іншими сестрами прибуває в Нью-Йорк, США, де починає працювати з італійськими емігрантами. Вона відкриває перший чернечий дім для роботи з дітьми-сиротами.

У 1891 році засновує коледж в Гранаді, 1892 в році - притулок і школу в Новому Орлеані і Брукліні, в Нью-Йорку - лікарню " Клініка Колумбус". У 1893 році вона відкриває коледжі в Римі та Генуї. Починаючи з 1895 року, подорожує по світі і відкриває численні освітні та медичні установи в Буенос-Айресі, Парижі, Чикаго, Мадриді, Мілані, Лондоні, Нью-Джерсі, Сіетлі, Лос-Анджелесі.

22 грудня 1917 Франциска Ксаверія вмирає, залишивши після себе 67 чернечих будинків і  3000 сестер, які вступили в її конгрегацію.

MOTHER CABRINI SHRINE GOLDEN, COLORADO

Mother Cabrini loved the mountains of Colorado. The foothills west of Denver held a special attraction for her. During her journeys in 1902 to visit the Italian workers and their families in the Clear Creek, Argentine, and South Park mining districts, Frances X. Cabrini discovered a property on the east slope of Lookout Mountain owned by the town of Golden. No reliable source of water was known to exist on the property at that time, although there were two fine barns and a springhouse built in the 1890s. In 1909 -1910, she negotiated the purchase of this property as a summer camp for her charges at the Queen of Heaven Orphanage in Denver, CO. A farming operation, with poultry, other livestock and dairy cows, was established and maintained by three of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart who set up living quarters in the loft of the larger barn. During the summer months, groups of about twenty girls, according to age, would spend several weeks at the summer camp. They enjoyed the freedom of the outdoors and recreational activities in addition to tending the animals and performing farm chores.

THE SPRING

The only water was in a small pond next to the spring house. All of the water needed for drinking and cooking had to be brought up to the summer camp from the stream at the bottom of Mt. Vernon Canyon. In September 1912, the sisters complained to Mother Cabrini that they were dying of thirst and there was no water to be had. She answered, “Lift that rock over there and start to dig. You will find water fresh enough to drink and clean enough to wash.” The spring, which is housed in an 8,000 gallon tank, has never stopped running. Many pilgrims, through their faith, believe the water has brought healing and peace to their lives.

THE GROTTO

A replica of the grotto of Lourdes, France, was built over this spring in 1929 and was demolished and replaced in 1959 by the present one, built of sandstone. Here, in the quiet atmosphere of candlelight before the Mother Cabrini altar, many come to pray and ask her intercession with the Sacred Heart and His Holy Mother. The people present their many requests and, through faith, say their prayers are answered.

THE STONE HOUSE

It was during Mother Cabrini’s last visit to the foothills in 1912 that she and a builder, Thomas Eckrom, drew up the plans for the Stone House that would serve as a dormitory for the girls. The house was to be built of native rock. She called the sisters who were with her and said, “daughters, I dropped my cane… go back and find it. Where you find it make a sign with stones because that is where the house is to be built.” The cane was on a level spot overlooking the city of Denver. Each evening the girls would load a cart, drawn by a donkey, with stones from a nearby quarry for the next day’s building activity. The construction of the Stone House commenced in the fall of 1912 and was finally completed in 1914. The house was used as a summer camp for the girls from the Queen of Heaven orphanage. The ground floor of the Stone House has the chapel, sleeping quarters for the supervising Sisters, a living room, an entry area with main staircase, a back staircase, and several small utility areas which remain basically unchanged. The second and third floors were open dormitory areas. Upon the closing of the Queen of Heaven Orphanage in 1967, the summer camp became a year around retreat facility, and a place for small prayer gatherings. Today, the Stone House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Colorado Historical Society has granted over $138,000 to restore and renovate the Stone House. Extensive work has been done to the roof, windows, electrical system and wood work.

HEART OF STONES

On her last visit to Colorado in 1912, Mother Cabrini took several sisters and a few of the children from the orphanage by horse and buggy along a cow path to the foot of the highest hill. Leaving the buggy at the base, they climbed to the top where they gathered white stones and arranged them on the mountain in the shape of a Heart surmounted by a cross; with the smaller stones, she formed a crown of thorns on the highest promontory, overlooking the city of Denver. Frances X. Cabrini dedicated the hill to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, naming it the “Mount of the Sacred Heart”. Those stones are still present there beneath a glass case and preserved for all to see.

STAIRWAY OF PRAYER

In 1954 a twenty-two foot statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, carved by an Italian artist was mounted on an eleven foot base and erected above the Heart of Stones. Beginning September 11, 1954, 373 steps leading up to the top of the Mount of the Sacred Heart were placed and completed in just 67 days. The stairway follows the path Mother Cabrini, the sisters and the children took to the top of the mountain. This stairway following the Saint’s footsteps is also symbolic of the pathway Christ took on His sorrowful way to His crucifixion and death, through the Stations of the Cross. Each station is made of stone mosaics made in Italy and depicts the suffering of our divine Lord as He gave His life for our salvation. Mary, through the mysteries of the rosary, invites the faithful to continue the journey begun with the Stations of the Cross reminding us through recitation and meditation on important events in the life of her Son, each mystery brings us closer to the Heart of Christ. In 1955 the Knights of Columbus placed terra cotta benches along the stairway, thus allowing pilgrims to rest, pray and meditate. At the entrance to the stairway is a large crucifix.

THE CONVENT

The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart moved to the Stone House and resided there until the convent was completed in June of 1970. This three-story structure is built of Williamsburg brick. It contains a chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart, meeting rooms, a gift shop with an exhibit of artifacts and clothing used by Mother Cabrini, housing for the resident Sisters, and overnight accommodations for visitors.

STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS

The beautiful stained-glass windows just off the main chapel, depict Mother Cabrini’s life, her birth, her confirmation, her missionary vocation, the founding of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, her meeting with Pope Leo the XIII, her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the voyage to America, working with Italian immigrants, crossing the Andes, Mother Cabrini’s death, her miraculous cure of infant Peter Smith, and her canonization to sainthood. The windows originally came from Villa Cabrini in Burbank, California, which was a school formerly sponsored by the Missionary Sisters.

Today’s Shrine embodies the fulfillment of Cabrini’s foresight when she wrote, “I can envision many small chapels here where many pilgrims will come to pray.”