Review of Cabrini: The inspiring journey of a pioneering nun

Cabrini (2024) directed by Alejandro Monteverde and starring Cristiana Dell’Anna, John Lithgow and David Morse tells the true story of Italian immigrant Frances Cabrini, a Catholic missionary who persuaded a hostile mayor to provide housing and healthcare for hundreds of orphaned children living in the slums of New York City in 1889. Sue Gray gives her review of the story of America’s first saint. 

Cabrini chronicles the true story of Frances Xavier Cabrini, a pioneering nun from Italy who dedicated her life to serving the marginalised and underserved communities of the United States. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Alejandro Gómez Monteverde, the film offers a poignant and inspiring portrayal of Cabrini’s ability to uplift the lives of immigrants and establish a legacy of compassion and service.

Her vision: to build an empire of hope and to pioneer missions in China, establishing orphanages in the forgotten East. After seeking approval and guidance from Pope Leo XIII, he urged her to go “not to the East, but to the West” to help Italian immigrants who were flooding the USA, mostly in great poverty.