"The world is too small," Saint Frances Cabrini (1850–1917) once declared. "I would like to embrace it all, to reach every corner." This compelling, authoritative biography chronicles the astounding life of a petite Italian-born religious sister who, with the heart of a missionary, conquered all odds to become the first American citizen canonized a saint.

Theodore Maynard traces Cabrini's journey from her humble beginnings in northern Italy to her pioneering mission across the United States serving the poor and the sick on a massive scale. Between her work with immigrants (in New York, Denver, Chicago, Seattle, New Orleans, and beyond), her building of schools, orphanages, and hospitals, and her founding of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mother Cabrini's entrepreneurial work would change the course of American history, marking it with Christ's mercy.

Maynard draws his material directly from the official files for Cabrini's canonization, from her letters, and from interviews with Missionary Sisters who were close to her. What emerges from this complex portrait is a woman of boundless compassion, courage, and energy, whose legacy continues to inspire people around the world today.

"If anybody could effect the impossible," writes Theodore Maynard, "it was this Italian nun."

Restored cover photo of Mother Cabrini provided by Catholic Art and Jewelry in Lincoln, Nebraska

"The name Theodore Maynard is indeed enshrined in the Cooperstown of U.S. historians of the Catholic Church. One of his best works was his acclaimed 1945 biography Too Small a World, a life of Mother Frances Cabrini. Thanks to Ignatius Press, we've got this gem available again."
— Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York

"Most Catholics have heard that we're all called to be saints. Too Small a World shows what can be done when even one person, in this case a poor Italian immigrant nun, despite incredible difficulties, decides to take the call seriously and as a result changes not just America but other parts of the world."
— Teresa Tomeo, Host, Catholic Connection; Author, Extreme Makeover

"Saint Frances Cabrini was once so famous that popes and presidents knew her name, and even prisoners at Alcatraz mourned her passing. We need Theodore Maynard's biography today to remind us how a tiny but unstoppable religious sister overcame discrimination and her own poor health to become a missionary for Jesus Christ—and a saint."
— Dawn Beutner, Author, The Leaven of the Saints

"Maynard's riveting account of the life of a missionary whose energy and determination mirror the Church's greatest evangelizer, Saint Paul, gives us a glimpse into Mother Cabrini's interior union with God that drove her action. The exemplary witness of the saints whose lives defy human understanding prove that 'with God all things are possible.'"
— Sr. Nancy Usselmann, F.S.P., Author, A Sacred Look: Becoming Cultural Mystics

"Maynard captivates with the life of a woman whose small stature concealed immense spiritual and apostolic zeal, illustrating how God ignites fervor in his humblest followers. We connect deeply with a figure of towering courage and unwavering faith. Blending historical depth, spiritual insight, and heartfelt storytelling, it is a work to be cherished, portraying a beacon of hope and a lesson in true strength."
— Kris McGregor, Executive Director, Discerning Hearts

"This masterpiece will astonish you. Too Small a World is one of the greatest accounts in Church history of a bold saint who built humble kingdoms of resurrection for hundreds of thousands. Without the finger of God, the system of care created by Mother Cabrini could not have happened. This book on a saintly life will enthrall you and not leave you unchanged." 
— Kevin Wells, Author, Priest and Beggar: The Heroic Life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz