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Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

© Kathryn Morse

How a young widow with five children became the first canonized saint born in the United States

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first saint who was born in the United States of America. She was beatified in 1963 and declared a saint in 1975. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton's feast day is January 4. She is a patron saint of children near death and persons rejected for their Catholic faith.

Early Life

Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born on August 28, 1774, in New York City to Richard Bayley, the anatomy professor at Columbia, and his wife, Catherine Charlton, daughter of an Anglican minister. The mother died three years later. Mr. Bayley not only taught at the university, but took charge of his daughter's education. Elizabeth was well-read, but her favorite book was always the Bible.

Married Life

In 1794, Elizabeth married William Seton and the two enjoyed much prosperity and happiness in their marriage's early years. Their years of trial started in 1798, when William's father passed away, leaving the young Setons not only the family's thriving import business, but also William's seven half-brothers and sisters to care for. William's business and health both failed. Leaving four of their five children in the States with William's sister, Rebecca, the Seton couple went to Italy where the family had business associates. Hoping for reversals in business and health, the couple were disappointed to obtain neither. Mr. Seton passed away of tuberculosis in 1803. Elizabeth and her daughter delayed in returning to the United States until the following summer because of their own health problems.

Catholic Life

While in Italy, Elizabeth was grateful for the hospitality and care that her Catholic friends and neighbors offered and she began to learn about the Catholic faith. Because of the loss of her own mother, Elizabeth found particular comfort in the teachings about the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Elizabeth and her youngest daughter rejoined their family in the United States in the summer of 1804, and Elizabeth joined the Catholic Church in 1805 in St. Peters Church, Barclay St., New York. She did this despite her need for financial support from her family as she was a young widow with five children of her own and other relatives to care for. She knew that support from her family would be less than forthcoming upon her conversion.

Elizabeth tried to start a Catholic school in New York City with friends, but the effort was not a success. They

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