St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Elizabeth was born to Richard Bayley and Catherine Charlton, a family of wealth and renown in New York City. She was raised in the Episcopal Church. At 19, she married William Seton, a young wealthy import merchant, and they had five children. Will’s father died leaving the young couple the responsibility of the import business as well as the care of Will’s seven half brothers and sisters. Soon the family business began to fail as did Will’s health. After filing for bankruptcy, the family went to Italy where Will died of tuberculosis. Elizabeth’s concern for her family’s spiritual well being eventually led her to instruction in the Catholic faith. Desire for the Eucharist and guidance of the Blessed Virgin were driving forces for her conversion and she joined the Church in 1805 and was confirmed by Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore in 1806.
During her youth and young adulthood she had particular concerns for the poor and the sick and organized prominent women to aid the sick in their homes. As the sole support of her family, she started an academy for young ladies. However, as news of her conversion spread the girls withdrew and the school failed. In 1810 she established St. Joseph’s Academy and Free School dedicated to the education of Catholic girls in Emmitsburg, Maryland for the Sulpician Fathers at Mount St. Mary’s College. She founded the first congregation of religious sisters in the U.S. It was dedicated to the care of the children of the poor.
Its school was the first free Catholic school in the U.S. She was beatified on March 17, 1963 and canonized by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975, making her the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized. She is the patron saint of Catholic Schools.