St Elizabeth Ann Seton

"Behold, the Lamb of God." Jn 1: 36

All of us need something to anchor us. Raised as an Episcopalian by a pious and devout mother and an agnostic but socially conscious father, Elizabeth was married by the time she was 19 years old, had five children, moved to Italy and was widowed at 30.  Her world shattered, she needed stability.

Impressed by the devotion of the Italians she met, she began inquiring about the Catholic church. Touched and anchored by the doctrine of the real presence in the Eucharist, she also found consolation in the compassion of the Blessed Mother.  Returning to New York from Italy, she made profession of faith as a Catholic, but her conversion effectively cut her off from her family and friend's and left her penniless. One might expect bitterness in a situation like this, but Elizabeth responded with understanding and forgiveness. In a meditation she wrote, “Carry those who give you pain in your heart before God, and think of their virtues instead of their faults.” (1) 

Even in the middle of chaos, Elizabeth was not one to sit still and wait for something good to happen. Needing a way to support her children, she moved to Baltimore and opened a school which led to the founding of the Sisters of Charity and though her life changed dramatically, it would not be the end of her suffering. Not long after its founding, her community ran into financial difficulties and one of her children died. Nevertheless, she remained steadfast in her faith. Credited today with founding the first American religious community for women and opening the first parish school, Elizabeth Seton remains an icon of strength and authentic women's spirituality.  Rooted in the experiences of  daily life, her spirituality accepted the good with the painful and celebrated God at the center of it all.

Today, ask to learn something from a woman about the love of God and the service of God's people.