 It was named in honor of Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American citizen to be canonized as a Roman Catholic saint

In October 2004, in the wake of several cases of sexual abuse, the Archdiocese of Boston announced the closure of several parishes, including St. Frances X. Cabrini, citing a lack of available priests.Like parishioners from eight other now-closed churches, members of the congregation began a vigil, holding independent services on Sundays and taking turns living inside the church, so that it would never be empty.Over the years that followed, the other church vigils ended, by order of the Archdiocese of Boston, which owned the properties.