Archbishop William E. Lori helped the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton open a new exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of its patron saint’s canonization with a Mass on Jan. 4, her feast day.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton became the first American-born woman to be canonized a saint in the Catholic Church on September 14, 1975. To contribute to a year-long celebration leading up to the anniversary, the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton unveiled a new exhibition at the sanctuary.
Archbishop Lori celebrated Mass at the Emmitsburg Shrine before the official dedication ceremony for the new exhibit.
In his homily, Archbishop Lori noted that Pope Francis dedicated the Jubilee Year 2025 to hope and said the life of Saint Elizabeth Ann was the embodiment of hope.
“Few people fit this description better than Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton – a wife and mother, a widow seeking meaning and direction in her life, a convert to Catholicism, an educator and, last but not least, the founder of the Sisters of Charity. of Saint-Joseph,” said Bishop Lori. “She was a pilgrim of hope; she illustrated the hope that impels us to seek the will of God and to follow the path of holiness, wherever it leads us.
Archbishop Lori recounted the remarkable journey of Saint Elizabeth Ann, from motherhood to founding an order of teaching sisters.
“This year will mark the 50th anniversary of Mother Seton’s canonization,” said Bishop Lori. “Let us prepare for this great event by reflecting on his life and, in God’s grace, absorb the lessons of his life, so that we too may be considered pilgrims of hope on the path to holiness. »
The new exhibit, titled “One of Us – The Making of an American Saint,” fills two full rooms and tells the story of his canonization, one of the monumental days of the American Catholic Church during the 20th century. The exhibit transports visitors to 1975, allowing them to understand the breadth of Mother Seton’s influence then and her relevance today as a saint with whom people can deeply identify. Visitors will see artifacts including the decree of canonization of Pope Paul VI, now St. Paul VI, and view personal albums of those who attended the proceedings in Rome or watched them in Emmitsburg.
An original mural by Frederick artist Ellen Byrne depicts Mother Seton’s long road to sainthood, with a separate wall dedicated to information about other Americans at various stages of the canonization process. A replica of a 1975 living room completes the exhibition.
“Mother Seton’s life can be seen as a pilgrimage first to the Catholic faith, then to Emmitsburg and finally to heaven as a saint of the Church,” said Rob Judge, executive director of the Seton Shrine. “This places the shrine in a unique position to highlight the universal call to holiness and the unique role of pilgrimage for Catholics on their journey. During this anniversary year, we hope to encourage the faithful to go on pilgrimage themselves and deepen their relationship with our Lord, knowing that Mother Seton will show us the way and accompany us all.
To that end, the sanctuary is hosting a series of events in 2025 to bring people closer to Mother Seton so they can better understand her life and legacy. These include:
- An outreach program to more than 200 parishes and schools in the United States that are under its patronage. The sanctuary will provide a variety of resources reintroducing Mother Seton to worshipers free of charge, while also encouraging church and school groups to visit the sanctuary.
- A series of pilgrimage initiatives, including a partnership with the Camino of Maryland, a 14-day, 218-mile journey in June that will culminate at the shrine.
- A “50 for 50” digital content campaign showing the personal impact that Saint Elizabeth Ann and her shrine have had and continue to have on the faithful.
- Continued expansion of the sanctuary’s “Seeds of Hope” program, which provides retreats for people living in poverty.
- A “Day of Joy” anniversary celebration on September 14 to commemorate the day of his canonization. The day will begin with a special Mass broadcast on EWTN, followed by an afternoon of food, music and prayer on the sprawling, bucolic grounds of the sanctuary.
The title sponsor of this year-long celebration is Ascension Health System. The museum exhibition is a collaborative project of the sanctuary and the Archives of the Daughters of Charity.
The shrine is located on the site where Saint Elizabeth Ann founded the first Catholic school for girls and the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph, the first congregation of nuns founded in the United States, in 1809. Mother Seton’s work spans continues today through the Sisters and Daughters of Charity in the United States and Canada. Both orders of nuns used Mother Seton as their spiritual guide, as they set out to found schools, hospitals, and other service organizations to benefit the communities where they lived.
“This anniversary is a tremendous opportunity to show the world how an ordinary person like Mother Seton, who conforms her life to the grace of God, can be transformed and become a saint,” Judge said. “She is truly one of us and she shows us the way. This is something that those under her patronage understand deeply, and that is why 2025 is a year of opportunity for people to know Mother Seton better and seek her as an intercessor and model of personal holiness.
In addition to special events, the sanctuary will host its regular programs, tours and other activities throughout the year. The sanctuary attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year who can literally walk in the footsteps of a saint.
For more information about the sanctuary, please visit setonshrine.org.
For more information on the 50th anniversary celebration, visit setonshrine.org/fifty.
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