St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, S.C. (1774-1821)
Feast Day - January 4th
Elizabeth was born to prominent New York Episcopalians and married a wealthy importer at age 19. The young wife was deeply committed to service of family, friends, and community. But misfortune soon found her receiving the care of others; by age 29 she was widowed and bankrupt, supporting not only for her own five children but also young siblings-in-law. Elizabeth's resignation to the Divine Will bore her through these struggles and into the Catholic Church, "for if faith is so important for our salvation I will seek it where true faith first began, seek it among those who received it from GOD HIMSELF." Prevented by prejudice from opening a school in New York, Elizabeth was invited to Maryland and founded there both the nation's first Catholic girls' school and its first female religious congregation (the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph). She was also the United States' first native-born citizen to be canonized. Patroness of loss of parents and of children
DonorCatholic Schools of the Diocese of Raleigh In honor of |
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