Elizabeth Ann Seton

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

One of the first questions everyone asked me when I told them about doing RCIA was "Who is your confirmation saint?" At the time I had absolutely no idea who I would pick, but every time I thought about it, only one saint came to mind: Elizabeth Ann Seton. I knew very little about her, but her name was the first one I thought of when someone said "saint".

So I started to do some digging into the life of Elizabeth Ann Seton. I knew she would be my confirmation saint when I discovered that she was also a convert. Elizabeth was raised Episcopalian and was a socialite who did charity work and raised her family. Her husband became very ill, so they went to Italy with the hopes that he would feel better. Unfortunately they were quarantined and her husband passed away before they were able to be admitted into Italy.

Elizabeth spent time with friends in Italy and she was able to witness their incredible faith. With the support of her Italian friends, she converted to Catholicism, but her decision was not well-received by her friends and family back home. She was a teacher, but struggled to support herself and her family because parents would not allow their children to be taught by a Catholic.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine

A few years after she converted, Elizabeth was given a commission by the Catholic Church to start the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph's, the first religious community for women in the United States. In addition to founding the Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg, MD, Elizabeth Ann Seton also started a Catholic school for girls. The Sisters of Charity and their ministries, as well as the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine are located just a mile away from my college and I was able to visit the shrine for one of my classes. Additionally, Elizabeth Ann Seton is the first native-born American saint, canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975.

After discovering more about her life and having been brought to Catholicism in the area where she did her incredible works, I knew that she would be, as J calls her, "my homegirl" and confirmation saint. What religious figure have you identified with in your life?

"Put your heart at His feet. It is the gift He loves most." ~St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Pax,
Kay