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Memorial of Saint
Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Feastday:
January 4
d.1821
Elizabeth
Bayley Seton was the first native born American to be canonized by the Catholic
Church.
Born two years before the American Revolution, Elizabeth grew
up in the "cream" of New York society. She was a prolific reader, and
read everything from the Bible to
contemporary novels.
In spite of her high society
background, Elizabeth's early life was
quiet, simple, and often lonely. As she grew a little older, the Bible was to become her continual
instruction, support and comfort; she would continue to love the Scriptures for
the rest of her life.
In 1794, Elizabeth
married the wealthy young William Seton, with whom she was deeply in love. The
first years of their marriage were happy and prosperous. Elizabeth
wrote in her diary at first autumn, "My own home at twenty-the world-that
and heaven
too-quite impossible."
This time of
Elizabeth's life
was to be a brief moment of earthly happiness
before the many deaths and partings she was to suffer. Within four years,
Will's father died, leaving the young couple in charge of Will's seven half
brothers and sisters, as well as the family's importing business. Now events
began to move fast
- and with devastating effect. Both Will's business and his health failed. He
was finally forced to file a petition of bankruptcy. In a final attempt to save
Will's health, the Setons sailed for Italy, where Will had
business friends. Will died of
tuberculosis while in Italy. Elizabeth's one consolation was that Will had
recently awakened to the things of God.
The many enforced separations from dear ones by death and
distance, served to draw Elizabeth's heart to God and
eternity. The accepting and embracing of God's will -
"The Will," as she called it - would be a keynote in her spiritual
life.
Elizabeth's deep concern for the spiritual welfare of her family and
friends eventually led her into the Catholic Church.
In Italy, Elizabeth
captivated everyone by her own kindness, patience, good sense,
wit and courtesy. During this time Elizabeth
became interested in the Catholic
Faith, and over a period of months, her Italian friends guided her in Catholic
instructions.
Elizabeth's desire for the Bread of Life was to be
a strong force leading her to the Catholic
Church.
Having lost her mother at an early age, Elizabeth felt
great comfort in the idea that the
Blessed Virgin was truly her mother. She asked the Blessed Virgin to guide her
to the True Faith. Elizabeth
finally joined the Catholic
Church in 1805.
At the suggestion of the president of St. Mary's College in
Baltimore, Maryland, Elizabeth
started a school in that city. She and two other young women, who helped her in
her work, began plans for a Sisterhood. They established the first free Catholic
school in America. When the young community adopted their rule, they made
provisions for Elizabeth
to continue raising her children.
On March 25, 1809, Elizabeth
Seton pronounced her vows of
poverty, chastity, and obedience, binding for one year. From that time she was
called Mother Seton.
Although Mother Seton was now afflicted with tuberculosis, she
continued to guide her children. The Rule of the Sisterhood was formally
ratified in 1812. It was based upon the Rule St. Vincent de
Paul had written for his Daughters of Charity in France. By 1818, in
addition to their first school, the sisters had established two orphanages and
another school. Today six groups of sisters trace their origins to Mother
Seton's initial foundation.
For the last three years of her life, Elizabeth felt
that God
was getting ready to call her, and this gave her joy. Mother Seton died in 1821
at the age of 46, only sixteen years after becoming a Catholic. She was
canonized on September 14, 1975.
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