If you’re looking for faith, come to Cabrini College.
Cabrini College, founded in 1957 by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is held together by faith, love and passion for the common good. If there is one person on campus who represents what the college stands for, it’s the college’s priest, Rev. Carl F. Janicki.
Father Carl, a priest of 20 years and the director of Campus Ministry, has a passion for education and the Lord. Before celebrating his recent sixth year anniversary at Cabrini, he served in high school ministry for 12 years: seven years as the minister of Cardinal Dougherty High School and then transitioning to their president for five years. When this lover of God, family, education and golf had the chance presented to him to come join the Cabrini family, he jumped on the opportunity.
“For me, every day is a positive experience of discovering who I’m going to meet next and what we are going to do next,” Janicki said. “There’s a huge exciting energy here at Cabrini.”
Father Carl was given the opportunity to represent Cabrini during the Pope’s pilgrimage to the United States last month. As the event began to grow, the organization started putting out the sense that they would need about 10,000 volunteers. Cabrini was the first college that offered to contribute volunteers.
“Cabrini means a place where each day, we are invited to be more than we were yesterday,” Janicki said. “It’s a learning environment, but the students aren’t the only ones who are learning.”
A barrel of books sits in Father Carl’s office covering every aspect of the Pope. Janicki worked through dozens of books to prepare for the visit, typing up binders of notes that were even color-coded. He took those notes for the day and put nine months of preparation onto 15 index cards that were his primary notes for the visit.
While on the way to the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in PA, the Pope boarded the plane and the first thing he did was shake the hands of the pilots. It is the little things that matter and according to Janicki, Pope Francis carries that sense that everyone involved matters. The Pope and Father Carl both share the ability to make others feel special.
“Father Carl is very friendly and easy to talk to,” Molly Seaman, a campus minister, said. “He has a very big heart and truly cares about the well-being of every student on campus.”
Father Carl is not just a celebrity on Cabrini’s campus—he was on live television for the Papal visit on multiple television stations, including PHL17.
“Father Carl really worked hard for about a year just researching everything he could on the Pope,” Mia Scocozzo, another campus minister, said. “I know it was an exciting weekend for him to finally participate in the events.”
Father Carl’s selfless energy is vibrant throughout the college.
“If you didn’t know Father Carl, you should know how funny and easygoing he is,” Scocozzo said. “He’s always willing to listen and help anyone without even knowing their name [since he’s terrible at remembering names]. Father Carl is someone who always values a person’s special gifts.”
To close one of his live Papal television speeches, he stated, “If you can’t figure out where you fit in [in your faith], track me down at Cabrini and I’ll help you.”
Father Carl’s welcoming spirit and overwhelming passion is what keeps Cabrini’s mission alive; the college and mass would not be the same without him.