Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini is one of many saints whose lives show that God often makes miracles using the weakest of instruments. Born in Lombardy, Italy, in 1850, little Francesca was such a fragile and tiny baby that she was immediately taken to the church to be baptized in case she didn’t survive the night.

She was small and physically frail her entire life, and that often made people doubt her ability to thrive. She always proved them wrong, however. They could never have imagined that this delicate woman would not only outlive nine of her 12 siblings, but would go on to found a religious order and establish nearly 70 orphanages, schools, and hospitals in eight countries.