St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774 – 1821)

 

Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born on 28 August, 1774, to couple Dr. Richard Bayley and Catherine Charlton of New York as their second child. On 14 September, 1975. At he age of 19, she married William Magee Seton, aged 26, a wealthy businessman in the import trade on 25 January 1794. She had 5 children, Anna Maria (Annina), William the Second, Richard, Catherine and Rebecca Mary.Although busy with raising a large family and managing their home, Seton continued to show the concern for the poor of the city. She helped to organize a group of prominent ladies ("Ladies of Charity") who would visit the sick poor in their homes to render whatever aid they could, inspired by the works of St. Vincent de Paul.

 

Her husband died on 27 December 1803. She converted to the Catholic Church on 14 March 1805 and a year later, she received the sacrament of Confirmation. In 1810,  she established the Saint Joseph's Academy and Free School, a school dedicated to the education of Catholic girls. Elizabeth later established a religious community to the care of the children of the poor, the first congregation of religious sisters to be founded in the United States. The order was initially called the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph, and she became known as "Mother Seton". Mother Seton was described as a charming and cultured lady. As a woman of prayer and service who embraced the apostolic spirituality, her dedication in following the will of God, Elizabeth Ann had a deep devotion to the Eucharist, Sacred Scripture and the Virgin Mary. Her favorite prayer in her life was Psalm 23. She was called back to the Lord's kingdom on 4 January 1821, aged of 46 after suffering from tuberculosis.

 

Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton, was the first born citizen of the United States to be beatified by Pope John XXIII on the 17 March 1963 and canonized by Pope Paul VI of the Roman Catholic Church. Her feast day is celebrated as a memorial in the dioceses of the United States on the 4th January annually.

 

 

 

The Anima Christi, composed by Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
on the Feast of Corpus Christi, 1816

 

Soul of Jesus,
Sanctify me.

Blood of Jesus,
Wash me,

Passion of Jesus,
Comfort me.

Wounds of Jesus,
Hide me.

Heart of Jesus,
Receive me.

Spirit of Jesus,
Enliven me.

Goodness of Jesus,
Pardon me.

Beauty of Jesus,
Draw me.

Humility of Jesus,
Humble me.

Peace of Jesus,
Pacify me.

Love of Jesus,
Inflame me.

Kingdom of Jesus,
Come to me.

Grace of Jesus,
Replenish me.

Mercy of Jesus,
Pity me.

Sanctity of Jesus,
Sanctify me.

Purity of Jesus,
Purify me.

Cross of Jesus,
Support me.

Nails of Jesus,
Hold me.

Mouth of Jesus,
Bless me in life, in death, in time and eternity.

Mouth of Jesus,
Defend me in the hour of death.

Mouth of Jesus,
Call me to come to Thee.

Mouth of Jesus,
Receive me with Thy saints in glory evermore.

Let Us Pray

Unite me to Thyself,
O adorable Victim.
Life-giving heavenly Bread,
feed me,
sanctify me,
reign in me,
transform me to Thyself,
live in me;
let me live in Thee;
let me adore Thee in Thy life-giving Sacrament as my God,
listen to Thee as to my Master,
obey Thee as my King,
imitate Thee as my Model,
follow Thee as my Shepherd,
love Thee as my Father,
seek Thee as my Physician
who wilt heal all the maladies of my soul.
Be indeed my Way,
Truth and Life;
sustain me,
O heavenly Manna,
through the desert of this world,
till I shall behold Thee unveiled in Thy glory.

AMEN