Patroness of Catholic Schools
Day: January 9
At the age of 29 her life took another drastic step when Elizabeth's husband became ill with Tuberculosis and had to file for bankruptcy due to his illness. For an attempt to save there business, they sailed to Italy to meet William's business friends, but William died there soon after. Elizabeth's only consolation at this time was the awakining of William's faith before dying. Though Elizabeth lost many dear ones to sickness or death, it only made her faith grow stronger. In accepting and embracing God's will- "the will" as she called it, would be a keynote in her spiritual life.
Elizabeth's deep concern for her children's spiritual welfare soon became her first priority and led her to the Catholic Church.
Elizabeth's kindness, patience, good sense, wit and courtesy was noticed by everyone. During her time in Italy, she became very interested in the Catholic Faith and over a period of months, her Italian friends guided her in Catholic instructions to be converted.
Elizabeth's desire for the Bread of Life was the strong force which led her to the Catholic Church.
Losing her mother at an early age, Elizabeth found comfort in the Blessed Virgin as her true mother and joined the Catholic Church in 1805.
From the suggestion of the president of St. Mary College in Baltimore, Maryland, Elizabeth started a Catholic school in New York. She and two younger women began plans for a Sisterhood. They established the first free Catholic School in America. When the young community adopted this plan, they allowed Elizabeth to continue raising her children.
On March 25, 1809, Elizabeth took her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, binding for one year. For that time she was known as Mother Seton.
Although Mother Seton was now afflicted with Tuberculosis, she continued to work with her children. The Rule of the Sisterhood was formally made known in 1812.
By 1812, in addition to their first school, the sisters established two orphanages and another school. Today six groups of sisters trace their origins to Mother Seton's initial foundation.
For the last three years of her life, Elizabeth felt that God was getting ready to call her, and this gave her great joy. Mother Seton died in 1821 at the age of 46, only sixteen years after becoming a Catholic. She was canonized on September 14, 1975.
