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Born in New York, Elizabeth Seton married and became a mother of five children. After her husband's death, she converted to Catholicism and founded the American Sisters of Charity, a community of teaching sisters which began Catholic schools throughout the United States, especially helping with the education of underprivileged children. Mother Seton laid the foundation of the American parochial school system and was the first native-born American to be canonized.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton - Day ElevenElizabeth Seton was born on August 28, 1774, of a wealthy and distinguished Episcopalian family. She was baptized in the Episcopal faith and was a faithful adherent of the Episcopal Church until her conversion to Catholicism.
She established her first Catholic school in Baltimore in 1808; in 1809, she established a religious community in Emmitsburg, Maryland. After seeing the expansion of her small community of teaching sisters to New York and as far as St. Loius, she died on January 4, 1821, and was declared a saint by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975. She is the first native born American to be canonized a saint.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
This wife, mother and foundress of a religious congregation was born Elizabeth Ann Bayley on August 28, 1774 in New York City, the daughter of an eminent physician and professor at what is now Columbia University. Brought up as an Episcopalian, she received an excellent education, and from her early years she manifested an unusual concern for the poor.
In 1794 Elizabeth married William Seton, with whom she had five children. The loss of their fortune so affected William's health that in 1803 Elizabeth and William went to stay with Catholic friends at Livorno, Italy. William died six weeks after their arrival, and when Elizabeth returned to New York City some six months later, she was already a convinced Catholic. She met with stern opposition from her Episcopalian friends but was received into full communion with the Catholic Church on March 4, 1805.
Abandoned by her friends and relatives, Elizabeth was invited by the superior of the Sulpicians in Baltimore to found a school for girls in that city. The school prospered, and eventually the Sulpician superior, with the approval of Bishop Carroll, gave Elizabeth and her assistants a rule of life. They were also permitted to make religious profession and to wear a religious habit.
In 1809 Elizabeth moved her young community to Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she adopted as a rule of life an adaptation of the rule observed by the Sisters of Charity, founded by St. Vincent de Paul. Although she did not neglect the ministry to the poor, and especially to Negroes, she actually laid the foundation for what became the American parochial school system. She trained teachers and prepared textbooks for use in the schools; she also opened orphanages in Philadelphia and New York City.
She died at Emmitsburg on January 4, 1821, was beatified by Pope John XXIII in 1963, and was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975.
Excerpted from Saints of the Roman Calendar by Enzo Lodi
Patron: Death of children; in-law problems; loss of parents; opposition of Church authorities; people ridiculed for their piety; Diocese of Shreveport, Louisiana; widows.
Things to Do:
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious (Memorial)
Behold. (John 1:36)
Just a word, a suggestion, a nudge. Thats what John the Baptist gave Andrew and his friend. But it was all they needed to take the step to look for Jesus. John didnt discuss Jesus teachings. He didnt examine messianic prophecy. He just said Behold! There he is. Go take a look; check it out. Then, when Andrew approached him, Jesus was similarly concise. He simply invited him to Come and see (John 1:39). It was another call to look, to see, to observe.
It might seem anticlimactic; Andrew and his friend were introduced to Jesus in a very simple way. There was no drama, no lightning bolts or lengthy theological debate. Just one person suggesting that another person take a look. But that was enough.
It just goes to show, that simply pointing to Jesus can be a great form of evangelization. We dont need profound words or convincing arguments. Sometimes they can even get in the way, because people need to see Jesus for themselves. Our words, as good as they might be, are most effective when they help people seek out Jesus for themselves.
Look what happened to Andrew! After spending just one day with Jesus, he was convinced he had found the Messiah. Then he evangelized his brother Peter. How? By saying, Weve found the Messiah. Youve got to come see him!
So how can we point people to Jesus? We probably wont be able to point him out as he walks alongside a river, as John did. But we have seen the way he has touched our own lives and shown us his love and mercy. Thats always a great place to start.
Youll likely have a chance to point someone to Jesus sometime this weekend. A friend might be going through a rough patch; you could try to encourage him by telling him how you see Jesus active in his life. Or you might have gone through something similar and could share how Jesus helped youeven if you saw him only after the fact. But thats just one example. Try to be open to all the opportunities that present themselves. And know that as you open a window on what Jesus means in your life, youre giving the people around you the chance to see him. Youre inviting them to come to see more.
Jesus, help me be a living sign pointing to you!
1 John 3:7-10
Psalm 98:1, 7-9