St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Born in New York City, Aug 28, 1774 Elizabeth lost her mother early in life, and her education became the concern of her father.

At 19, Elizabeth married William Magee Seton of New York. They had 5 children in their happy marriage and after Williams’s death Elizabeth was welcomed into the home of life long friends in Italy

Elizabeth returned to New York in 1804 & entered the Catholic Church in March of 1805. She accepted the invitation of Archbishop Carroll to establish a girl’s school in Baltimore. Several women joined her in religious life and she became known as “Mother Seton”. Her community was know as the Sisters of Charity.

A school opened for the children of the parish and was the first parochial school in the United States. Elizabeth died on January 4th, 1821. In 1963 she became the first American born citizen to be beatified and on September 14, 1975 Pope Paul VI canonized her.