ASSOCIATED PRESS
This May 3, 2007 photo released by the St. Frances Cabrini Shrine shows a stained glass window in the St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York. Although Mother Cabrini was not born in the United States, she is the first American to be canonized as a saint and is the patron saint of immigrants.
Select an option below to continue reading this premium story.
Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading.
A recent commentary asked, “Should Columbus Day be renamed?” (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 8).
Since November is Native American Heritage Month, totally abolishing Columbus Day wouldn’t be fair to Italian-Americans who have one day a year for recognition. Rather than kill the holiday, rename it for Mother Cabrini.
Why, you ask? She was a saintly Italian nun who dedicated her life to helping poor Italians and other immigrants assimilate. She became a naturalized American citizen and chose to become one of us. Columbus was never one of us.
I can think of no better person to serve as a hero to the Italian- American community than the noble soul who embraced poverty to lift up the impoverished, and who championed immigration and assimilation. In this era of immigrant bashing, there is no finer example for our nation than the patron saint of immigrants. Not just for Italian-Americans, but for all Americans.
Joseph Bonfiglio
Hawaii Kai
Click here to read more Letters to the Editor.