“Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor, honor them, my children, as you would honor Christ Himself.”
St. Louise de Marillac
Celebrating Sainthood: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
“Few things inspire us like the life of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. In her years on earth, she experienced the very human emotions of joy, pain, grief, empathy, compassion, and devotion to God. She lived her life in celebration of Him and focused her energy on just causes. She demonstrated the ability to organize, persevere, and overcome hardships while creating a community of religious women, who endure and still carry out her legacy of service to the poor. Hers was a life to be emulated and honored even before being named the first U.S. saint in 1975. As we mark the 50th anniversary of her canonization in 2025, we prayerfully reflect on her remarkable accomplishments, while also concluding that in many ways she was one of us. We ponder how we, too, can better serve those in need, accept God’s plan for our own lives, and embark on a more saintly way of living.” — From the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Throughout this anniversary week, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati have remembered and reflected on the life and legacy of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who in 1809 founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s in Emmitsburg, Maryland—the first community for apostolic women religious established in the United States. Her legacy now lives on in religious congregations across the United States and Canada, whose members continue to embody her spirit of mission and service.
Elizabeth’s life resonates deeply because she was many things to many people: a wife, mother, convert to Catholicism, widow, friend, founder, and educator. She was, in so many ways, “one of us.”
Today, 50 years after her canonization, those who hold Elizabeth close to their hearts gather in Emmitsburg, Cincinnati, and across the nation in gratitude for her example of unwavering faith, selfless charity, perseverance through trial and despair, and profound love for others. To learn more about Elizabeth’s 93-year journey to sainthood, we invite you to view this video from the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, featuring Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Grace Ann Gratsch, who was present in Rome in 1975. Watch here: https://youtu.be/fazEO3BZUL0.
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