SPOTLIGHT ON A SAINT: Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Seton

SPOTLIGHT ON A SAINT

Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Feast/Saint Day January 4th)

I am spotlighting Mother Seton as she was known among her peers and the children under her care, to start off my Spotlight on a Saint series. What makes Mrs. Seton so special is that she is the first American-born (or native born American citizen) that was canonized by the Catholic Church (September 14th, 1975). It is also special because this is a woman. For all the haters that talk about how religion hates women and there is a war on women and what not, even though we do have to go back to the late 18th century and early 19th century for an example, here we are with a woman who did great work, who came to believe in Christ as an adult (she wasn't "indoctrinated" as a child), who was fervent in her moral proclivities and cared for the less fortunate not because she HAD to or was forced to, but because it was the right thing to do WITHOUT running to the government to make it happen. She didn't have a charmed beginning, but she didn't let that stop her from doing the right thing. She didn't grow up blaming people when things didn't work out, she made things happen by hard work and by the grace of God. She and others created and balanced the religious community through hard and shared work and charity. She is a great example to all woman of Faith, to all women generally and for all believers. If you would like to know more about this great lady and all the work that she did, her wikipedia page is really good: Elizabeth Ann Seton - Wikipedia Page and of course Catholic.org - Elizabeth Ann Seton.