History Focus
September 14

(1774 - 1821)

On September 14,1975, Pope Paul the Sixth declared Mother Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton the first US-born saint in the Roman Catholic Church.

She was the founder of the church's first American religious order, the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph.

Elizabeth Bayley was born August 28, 1774, into a distinguished New York family. Her mother died when she was only three, but had already begun to raise Elizabeth as a faithful Episcopalian. Her religious education was later continued by her stepmother. Her father was not a religious man, but he was a humanitarian and taught Elizabeth service to others, as well as seeing to it that Elizabeth received an education.

At the age of 20, Elizabeth married William Magee Seton, a wealthy businessman. Together they had five children. During this time Elizabeth was active in support of the poor, and in 1797 she founded the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children the first such organization in New York City.

When her husband's business, and then his health, began to fail the Setons traveled to Italy in 1803 hoping that his health would recover. It was in Italy, living with Catholic friends, that Elizabeth received first-hand experience of Catholicism. Her husband died the same year and she returned to the United States. She joined the Roman Catholic church in 1805 and, still wishing to help those who lived in poverty, opened an elementary school in Baltimore, Md., in 1809. This was the real beginning of the parochial school system in the United States, though not the first parish school.

By 1810 Seton and other women working with her had taken religious vows, and in 1812 they moved to Emmitsburg, Md., where the Sisters of Charity was founded the following year. They also established St. Joseph's College in Emmitsburg. Known as Mother Seton, she was named the order's first superior and was allowed to keep custody of her own children.

The Sisters of Charity established orphanages and hospitals, but were most involved in helping to establish the parochial school system in the United States. Despite the responsibilities of running the community, Mother Seton found time to take part in the work of the community, and also to compose music, write hymns, and prepare spiritual discourses. She died in Emmitsburg on January 4, 1821. By this time the order had 20 communities in the United States. Seton Hall University, was named in her honor in 1856.

Sources: | Comptons