St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born in New York City on August 28, 1774, and baptized in the Episcopal church. The death of her mother when she was four and troubles with her stepmother made her childhood sometimes lonely. In 1794, Elizabeth married William Seton. After William fell seriously ill when his family’s import business went bankrupt, the couple traveled to Italy, seeking a cure in the warmer climate, but William’s conditioned worsened when they were quarantined in damp quarters. He died leaving Elizabeth to support their five children. Drawn to the faith of William’s Catholic Italian friends Elizabeth became a Catholic in 1805. She started a Catholic school for girls in Baltimore and her desire to spread the faith led her to agree to lead a new community of sisters. She took annual vows for the first time in 1809, becoming Mother Seton. The rule for her Daughters of Charity was approved in 1812. By the time of Elizabeth’s early death in 1821, the sisters had founded another school and two orphanages. Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized in 1975. Her feast is January 4.