Each class cherishes its special symbol drawn from Mother Cabrini’s life - violets, doves, hearts, angels, or stars. Upon graduation, Seniors pass their class symbol to the incoming class. As alumnae, Cabrini Crescents continue to cherish their “sister” violets, doves, doves, angels, and stars.
Mother Cabrini loved to visit her uncle who lived in a small village in Italy. Wild violets grew near the river that ran through the village. She would fill her paper boats with the violets and place them in the river and pretend they were missionaries going off to serve the poor. Violets are used today to remind of the missionary legacy she left to us. The violets remind us it is our responsibility and call to care for one another.
At the very moment that Maria Francesca Cabrini was born, a flock of white doves landed on the rooftop of the family cottage. Francesca Cabrini’s father, Agostino, tried unsuccessfully to chase the doves away with a switch, and one dove became entangled in the end of the switch. Her father gently released the bird, soothed it, and carried it into the house to show the children. To the Cabrini family, the doves appearing at the time of Francesca’s birth were a blessing for this very special child. No doves had ever been seen in the area, and none have been seen since.
Mother Cabrini was devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She chose to name the religious order she established, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart is at the center of the seal she designed for the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, which is the main component of our school seal. Mother Cabrini believed that a “whole” education included education of the mind and the heart.
The significance of the angels comes from a story during Francesca Cabrini’s childhood. She often played near a stream pretending to sail missionaries to China in her pretend boats. One day as a child, Mother Cabrini fell into the swift moving stream. She could not swim. She was found downstream high on the bank. Her family did not know how she got there. Francesca said her “Guardian Angels” pulled her from the stream.
Mother Cabrini in her many travels across the ocean was frightened by the vast waters. The bright stars in the sky gave her strength and protection. She prayed to Our Lady Star of the Sea. The following reading from the travels of Mother Cabrini, Friday, April 25, 1890 on her second voyage to New York tells us the significance of the star.
Every day we pray to Our Lady Star of the Sea with the song, Ave Maris Stella, in honor of our loving mother who truly protects us. Only yesterday we escaped a collision with those enormous masses of ice that were threatening our voyage. We owe this to our dear and powerful mother. Thus, the star represents the Blessed Mother who guides and protects us.
Class | Mascot | Grade |
---|---|---|
2025 | Dove | 12 |
2026 | Heart | 11 |
2027 | Angel | 10 |
2028 | Star | 9 |
2029 | Violet | 8 |
2030 | Dove | 7 |
2031 | Heart | 6 |
2032 | Angel | 5 |
2033 | Star | 4 |
2034 | Violet | 3 |
2035 | Dove | 2 |
2036 | Heart | 1 |
2037 | Angel | Kindergarten |
2038 | Star | PK-4 |
2039 | Violet | PK-3 |
2040 | Dove | 2 years old |
2041 | Violet | 1 year old |