Hundreds to Worship at Shrine to Blessed Mother Cabrini
Thousands of Northeastern Pennsylvania residents will flock to St. Lucy's Church next Sunday to pay homage to Blessed Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, onetime frequent visitor to Scranton, now the first American citizen to become a saint.
Local festivities in observance of the canonization will be held at the same time as rites conducted by Pope Pius XII in Rome. A solemn high mass will be celebrated at St. Lucy's by the Rev. Salvatore J. Florey, pastor, at 11 a.m., and a procession in honor of the saint will be held in the evening.
A special shrine to Blessed Mother Cabrini has been erected in the church, and novena services preparatory to the canonization opened Friday, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, and will continue every evening at 7:30 o'clock.
Established school
The services consist of the Rosary, Litany of the Sacred Heart, special prayers for Mother Cabrini's intercession, sermon and benediction of the blessed sacrament, The Rev. Alphonsus Grande, CP, is director of the novena, assisted by the pastor and his assistants.
Mass is celebrated at 7, 8 and 9 a.m. every day.
Blessed Mother Cabrini stayed a week at the home of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fortunato Tiscar in 1899, when she was here making arrangements for the establishment of St. Lucy's Parochial School, now called the Mother Cabrini School.
She visited this City several times since. Her last visit was in 1913, a few years before her death. She was responsible for the establishment of 67 schools, orphanages, and hospitals.
Flying to Rome
Representatives of the religious order she founded, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, will leave LaGuardia Field Wednesday to fly to Rome for the canonization rites.
Among them will be nuns from Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles and New Orleans, as well as two Scranton nuns, Sister Gersualda and Sister Limbania.
Mrs. Mary DePaolo, 916 Scranton St., left Friday for Rome to attend the canonization rites. She is active in the affairs of the Mother Cabrini Society, Scranton.
Mrs. Angelo W. Fiorani, also a member of the society, has been named honorary chairman of Social events in connection with .the local canonization celebration. Miss Catherine Agnone is chairman.
Following the procession and service Sunday night, a band concert and social will be held in the church gardens. Cetta's Band will play.
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