Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, who was born in New York City in the year 1774. She was an Episcopal by faith and was born into a well-do-to family. She married a businessman William Seton and they had five children. William lost all his wealth in business and contracted tuberculosis. Elizabeth traveled to Italy with her husband to seek a cure for him, however he died in 1803. While in Italy Elizabeth stayed with the family of her husband's friend who was a Roman Catholic. Her stay with this devout family influenced her and she desired to become a Catholic. When she returned to the United States after her husband's death she moved to Maryland where she entered the Catholic church even though at that time Catholics were being persecuted. Shortly after that she founded the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph, which is the first religious community for women in the United States. She also started the first parochial school in the country under the guidance of the first American Bishop John Carroll. In her struggle to start these schools, the living conditions were very harsh especially during the cold winter months and two of her daughters died from consumption. Her youngest daughter Catherine was the first American to join the Sisters of Mercy.
She founded several orphanages, schools and hospitals some of which are still functioning today. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is the patroness of Catholic education, especially for women's education.
Saint Elizabeth Seton pray for us!