Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was born on 28 August 1774 in New York City, New York, USA as Elizabeth Ann Bayley.
She worked in New York City, New York, USA and died around 4 January 1821 in Emmitsburg, Maryland of natural causes.
Her feast Day is celebrated on January 4 every year.
| Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Biography | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | August 28, 1774 |
| Country of Birth | USA in North America |
| Profession | Founded the first American congregation of religious sisters, the Sisters of Charity. |
| Place of Work | New York City and Maryland, United States |
| Date of Death | January 4, 1821 (aged 46) |
| Place of Death | Emmitsburg, Maryland, United States |
| Feast Day | January 4 |
| Beatification | Beatified by Pope John XXIII on March 17, 1963 |
| Canonization | Canonized by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975 |
| Patron Saint of | 1. Catholic Schools; 2. Shreveport, Louisiana; 3. The State of Maryland |
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Life History
In late 1803 Elizabeth Ann Seton, with her husband, left the United States for Italy, as a confident, high born, wealthy, educated Yankee Protestant. She returned in June 1804 bankrupt, a widow, burning with love for the Holy Eucharist, tenderly devoted to Mary, and with the heart of a Roman Catholic. She was received into the Church the next year. Her upper class friends and family abandoned her out of anti Catholic spite.
Our saint was an unexpected convert. She was, well into adulthood, a serious U.S. Episcopalian. She loved the Lord. She loved the Bible. She loved to serve the poor and the sick. Her excellent Episcopalian upbringing provided sufficient preparation for not being Episcopalian any longer. She took that faith as far as it could go.
After her conversion, Elizabeth spent the rest of her short life dedicated to Catholic education. She started a Congregation of sisters in Maryland which taught girls, especially poor girls who could not afford an education. She was the first of tens of thousands of teaching sisters to operate Catholic schools in the United States. She is rightly considered the foundress of Catholic parochial education in the U.S.
Besides her husband, she also lost two of her five children during her life. She struggled, like all founders, to build up her Congregation. But her intelligence, charm, and drive paid off. Her Order thrived, and thrives still. The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul gather each year on this feast near her tomb inside an immense Basilica in northern Maryland to thank God for their foundress, for a life so well lived
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, aid us in overcoming the alienation of family due to our religious convictions. Help us to persevere through the hardships that come through illness and death, and give us the same zeal for souls that you showed towards your students, seeing in each of them the image of God.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Date of birth
St Elizabeth Ann Seton was born on 28 August 1774 in New York City, New York, USA as Elizabeth Ann Bayley.
Place of Birth
She was born on 28 August 1774 in New York City, New York, USA as Elizabeth Ann Bayley.
Family Background
Born into a wealthy and influential Episcopalian family, the daughter of a Dr Richard Bayley; Elizabeth was raised in the New York high society of the late 18th century.
Her mother died when Elizabeth was three years old, her baby sister a year later. In 1794 at age 19 she married the wealthy businessman William Magee Seton, and was the mother of five.
Profession
She probably never suspected her faith was lacking until she experienced the abundance of Catholicism.
After her husband died of tuberculosis in Italy, Elizabeth and her daughter were taken in by family friends from that country. In God’s providence, this Italian family lived their faith with relish. Elizabeth was not only consoled and cared for by them in her grief, but also saw how engrossing their faith was.
The longer she stayed in Italy the more its Catholic atmosphere enveloped her. She wept at Italians’ natural devotion to Mary.
St Elizabeth Ann Seton wondered at the beauty of a Corpus Christi procession through the streets of her town. She understood the Holy Father’s link to the early apostles with clarity.
And so she came to see the gaps in her native religion. She hadn’t noticed them before. Having seen the real thing, she knew that she held a replica.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Date of Death
She died on 4 January 1821 in Emmitsburg, Maryland of natural causes.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Place of Death
St Elizabeth Ann Seton died on 4 January 1821 in Emmitsburg, Maryland of natural causes.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Feast Day
She is among the famous Saints wqhose feast Day is celebrated on January 4 every year.
Canonization
She was canonized 14 September 1975 by Pope Paul VI.
Patron Saint of
St Elizabeth Ann Seton is being presented as Patron Saint Against in-law problems, against the death of children, against the death of parents, Apostleship of the Sea (two of her sons worked on the sea), opposition of Church authorities, people, ridiculed for their piety, Shreveport, Louisiana, diocese of widows.
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