Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini and Her Lasting Legacy in Burbank, California

Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini,

When people think of Burbank's history, they often picture the aviation industry, movie studios, or the city's agricultural beginnings. Yet hidden among these well-known stories is the remarkable legacy of one of America's most beloved saints—Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, better known as St. Frances Xavier Cabrini the Patron Saint of Immigrants.

While her humanitarian work stretched across continents, Mother Cabrini left a lasting mark on Burbank that can still be visited today.

A Missionary with a Global Vision

Born Maria Francesca Cabrini in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy, on July 15, 1850, Mother Cabrini founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1880. Although she dreamed of serving as a missionary in China, Pope Leo XIII encouraged her to "go not to the East, but to the West," where thousands of Italian immigrants were struggling in the United States.

She arrived in New York in 1889 and spent the next three decades traveling tirelessly throughout America and beyond. By the time of her death in 1917, she had established 67 schools, hospitals, orphanages, and charitable institutions throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. In 1946, she became the first naturalized American citizen to be canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

Mother Cabrini Comes to Burbank

Few people realize that Mother Cabrini's work extended into what was then the rural outskirts of Los Angeles.

In 1906, the Missionary Sisters purchased approximately 120 acres in the Verdugo Mountains overlooking Burbank. At the time, the area consisted of vineyards, olive groves, and open countryside. The property served as a healthy retreat and summer home for children from the sisters' Los Angeles orphanages, offering fresh mountain air away from the growing city.

Today, much of that historic property is occupied by Woodbury University, but its origins trace directly back to Mother Cabrini's vision of caring for children and immigrant families.

Villa Cabrini Academy 1935

Villa Cabrini Academy

As the Missionary Sisters expanded their presence, they established Villa Cabrini Academy, a Catholic school for girls on the Burbank property. Opened in 1937, the academy educated generations of students from throughout the San Fernando Valley until its closure in 1970.

Following the academy's closure, the campus briefly became the first home of the California Institute of the Arts before eventually becoming the permanent campus of Woodbury University. Many visitors to the university today are unaware that the grounds were once part of Mother Cabrini's educational mission.

The Little Chapel on the Hill

One of the most treasured reminders of Mother Cabrini's time in Burbank is a small chapel she built in 1916.

Constructed on Mount Raphael above Villa Cabrini Academy, the chapel served as a quiet place for prayer and reflection. Local tradition held that Mother Cabrini prayed there daily while overseeing her work in the San Fernando Valley. Residents also believed the chapel offered spiritual protection for nearby farms and communities, particularly from destructive wildfires. During World War II, its elevated location even made it a recognizable landmark for pilots flying over the valley.

Saving a Piece of Burbank History

When the Villa Cabrini property was sold for development in the early 1970s, there was concern that the historic chapel would be demolished.

Instead, members of the Italian Catholic Federation organized an ambitious preservation effort. In 1973, the chapel was carefully relocated to the grounds of St. Francis Xavier Church, where volunteers restored the building and created what is now known as the Mother Cabrini Shrine.

The shrine includes the original chapel along with a library dedicated to preserving Mother Cabrini's history, photographs, and artifacts. It remains one of Burbank's lesser-known historic landmarks and continues to welcome visitors and pilgrims each year.

A Legacy That Lives On

Mother Cabrini's connection to Burbank represents an important chapter in the city's history—one that reflects compassion, education, immigration, and community service.

Her work transformed a quiet hillside into a place of learning, faith, and hope. Although the orchards and vineyards have long disappeared, her influence remains through the preserved chapel, the former Villa Cabrini campus, and the many lives touched by the Missionary Sisters over more than a century.

For local historians, the Mother Cabrini Shrine serves as a reminder that Burbank's story is not only one of aviation and entertainment, but also one of remarkable individuals whose vision helped shape the community in lasting ways.

If you've never visited the Mother Cabrini Shrine behind St. Francis Xavier Church, it is well worth discovering. It is one of Burbank's hidden historical treasures—a peaceful place where local history and the life of one of America's greatest humanitarian saints come together.

Timeline

• 1850 – Born Maria Francesca Cabrini in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy.

• 1880 – Founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

• 1889 – Arrived in New York to begin missionary work in America.

• 1906 – Acquired property in the Verdugo Mountains overlooking Burbank that would become Villa Cabrini and later the site of the chapel.

• 1909 – Became a naturalized U.S. citizen, making her the first American citizen to later be declared a saint.

• 1917 – Died in Chicago.

• 1946 – Canonized by Pope Pius XII as the first naturalized U.S. citizen to become a saint.

• 1950 – Declared the Patron Saint of Immigrants.

Come visit the Burbank Museum and see our Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, display