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When I was a child in Baltimore, I remember hearing about Mother Seton. We were particularly proud of this new saint, who had a connection to our hometown. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was not only the first saint born in the United States, but she had spent much of her life in Maryland.
Sometimes, on a hot summer day, my parents would pack us in the family station wagon to go to Emmitsburg, Maryland, to see where Mother Seton had lived. These trips helped me realize that the saints were real people who lived in the world and did their best to serve God in ordinary and extraordinary ways.
On January 4th we celebrate the feast of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and mark the 50thth anniversary of his canonization this year. If you’re looking for a reason to get to know this saint better, here are a few reasons you could easily turn to for help.
- She knew sorrow. During her life, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton lost her mother when she was 3, her husband just 10 years after their marriage, and later two of her daughters. In addition to all the personal losses she endured, she faced obstacle after obstacle while trying to live out her mission on earth. She is a great person to turn to when you are experiencing loss or insurmountable problems. “Do what we can, and God will do the rest,” she said. “What seems so impossible to nature is quite easy to achieve. »
- Her life had so many twists and turns and she kept going. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton felt called to marriage as William’s wife and welcomed five children with him. After his death, she continued to seek ways to answer God’s calling, opening a school and ultimately founding an order that had a profound impact on the world. What an inspiring life and what a perfect person to ask for intercession when you are faced with an important life decision. Or maybe she’d like to hear from you when you’re feeling overwhelmed with parenting, work, and handling all of life’s responsibilities.
- She was a Baltimorean (for part of her life). In fact, Mother Seton founded the first parochial school in the United States in Baltimore. If you’re in or near Maryland, you can visit places that were important to her life, walk in the footsteps of a saint, and see how she left her mark.
- She was open to change and ready to make change happen. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton grew up in the Episcopal Church and converted to Catholicism after learning more about the faith in Italy. As a Catholic widow, she founded an order, the Sisters of Charity, which established and operated orphanages, schools and hospitals. She was an innovator and problem solver, someone who saw a need, moved forward with faith, and came up with a solution.
- She was a woman of courage and faith. As I have grown and become a wife and mother, I am even more impressed by all that Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton accomplished for God during her 46 years on earth. What an amazing person she was, facing so many challenges in her life, seeking opportunities to grow in faith and always living for God. “I entrust the present and the future to the One who is the author and conductor of both,” she said.
Several years ago, when my husband and I were hoping and waiting to become parents through adoption, my mother and I made a pilgrimage to the Seton Shrine. I remember praying and wondering what the future would hold, not knowing how soon – or if – we would become parents.
When we left in late December, I was grateful for the visit, but I didn’t realize how close my husband and I were to meeting our first child. A few days later, on January 4, the feast of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, my husband and I received the call connecting us with our son.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence. So if you become friends with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, know that she can be a powerful intercessor.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us!
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