The legacy of Casa Iskali is deeply connected to the life and mission of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, a pioneering Catholic sister known for her extraordinary service to immigrants and those in need. As the founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mother Cabrini dedicated her life to building schools, hospitals and facilities that welcomed and cared for people on the margins.

The retreat center now known as Casa Iskali was originally founded under this same spirit of compassion and welcome. Over the decades, it provided hundreds of thousands of guests — from local communities to visiting retreat groups — with a place to encounter God and one another in rest and prayer.

When the Missionary Sisters entrusted the property to Iskali, it was a passing of the torch — a continuation of Mother Cabrini’s mission in a new time and context. Casa Iskali carries forward this legacy by offering a home for prayer, formation and community that reflects the same love, service and commitment to human dignity that defined Mother Cabrini’s life and work.