Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
(1774–1821)

Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born into a prominent New York family, and grew up in comfortable circumstances. At nineteen, she married William Magee Seton, a wealthy 25-year-old importer. The young couple moved into a fashionable Wall Street residence, and they had five children. Elizabeth Ann also took responsibility for her William’s six younger siblings when his father died.

When the Seton family fortune declined prior to the War of 1812, William went into bankruptcy. He had also suffered from tuberculosis, and the couple moved to a warmer climate in Italy, but William Seton died soon after, leaving Elizabeth a widow. Although she and William had both been devout Episcopalians, Elizabeth found solace in Catholicism, to which William’s Italian business partners introduced her. She was received into the Catholic Church on her return to New York in 1805.

To support her children and her husband’s siblings, Elizabeth established The Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph’s, a religious community and school in Maryland to serve children of the poor, the first congregation of religious sisters founded in the United States, and the beginning of the parochial school system in America. From then on, Elizabeth Ann became known as “Mother Seton.”

Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first saint canonized by the Catholic Church in the United States, was chosen to be the patron of our new parish in Northampton because of her dedication to children and the poor. Her journey as a mother is a testament to her unwavering faith, resilience, and commitment to her family's well-being. Her legacy not only resonates with those within the Catholic faith but also serves as an inspirational model for mothers of all backgrounds, highlighting the importance of love, devotion, and spiritual guidance in nurturing the next generation.

If you would like to know more about Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, please see these additional resources:

Elizabeth Ann Seton: Seeker to Saint

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton | Franciscan Media

The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton | Biography, Facts, & Organizations Founded | Britannica

Elizabeth Ann Seton - Wikipedia