St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Feast date: Jan 04

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was the foundress and first superior of the Sisters of Charity in the United States.  She was born to Episcopalian parents into New York City high society on August 28, 1774.

Her father, Dr. Richard Bayley was the first professor of anatomy at Columbia College and praised for his work as the health officer of the Port of New York.  Her mother, Catherine Charlton, daughter of an Anglican minister of Staten Island, N.Y. died when Elizabeth was three years old, leaving her and two other young daughters.

Elizabeth was married on January 25, 1794 in St. Paul's Episcopalian Church to William Magee Seton. When his father died, they took over custody of William's seven half brothers and sisters, as well as the family's importing business. William fell into financial troubles, and later died of tuberculosis in Pisa, Italy in December 1803 while attempting to get help from his business friends. After getting to know the Catholic Church in Italy, Elizabeth fasted and prayed for light. Finally, on Ash Wednesday, March 14, 1805, she was received into the Church.

Her conversion unleashed a storm among her Protestant relatives and friends and made her financial strains even greater.  In January 1806, Cecilia Seton, Elizabeth's young sister-in-law, became very ill and begged to see the ostracized convert and told her of her desire to become a Catholic. When Cecilia's decision was known threats were made to have Mrs. Seton expelled from the state by the Legislature.  On her recovery Cecilia fled to Elizabeth for refuge and was received into the Church.

Elizabeth moved to Baltimore in 1808 and with the help of a Catholic convert, a farm was purchased two miles from Mt. St. Mary's College and Mrs. Seton took vows privately before Archbishop Carroll and her daughter Anna.

In 1810, Bishop Flaget was commissioned to obtain in France the rules of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. The rule, with some modifications, was approved by Archbishop Carroll in January 1812, and adopted.  Mrs. Seton was elected superior against her will and in spite of the fact that she had also to care for her children.  Many joined the community; including Mother Seton's daughter, Anna, who died during her novitiate (March 12, 1812), but had been permitted to pronounce her vows on her deathbed. Mother Seton and eighteen sisters made their vows on July 19, 1813.

The third time she was elected superior in 1819, she protested that it was the "election of the dead," but she lived for two years more, finally succuming to a pulmonary infection.  She died in Emmitsburg, Maryland on January 4, 1821.

In 1880 Cardinal Gibbons (then Archbishop) urged the steps be taken toward her canonization. Elizabeth Ann Seton was beatified in 1963 and she was canonized on September 14, 1975.

Pope Leo XIV said today that he is following developments in Venezuela “with a heart full of concern” (video, 12:39).

Reflecting on the Gospel reading of the Second Sunday after Christmas (John 1:1-18), Pope Leo XIV said that the Incarnation of the Son of God “rekindles our hope” and “entrusts us with a twofold commitment: one to God and the other to our fellow human beings.”

“While we really admire the baroque churches which are everywhere in our country, such architecture isn’t possible in today’s modern conditions,” the church’s designer, Michal Macuda, told OSV News.

Jirí Prinz, the Archdiocese of Prague’s press secretary, said that “it’s been common knowledge among laity and clergy that a church is needed here—so this project has had universal support from the beginning, and the whole parish is happy about it.”

“The artwork depicts Mata Hari, a historically documented figure and a convicted spy, in the moments preceding her execution by the French Army,” the exhibition’s curators stated. “Mata Hari was also an exotic dancer, and the use of nudity in the work is directly linked to this historical and narrative context. The Kochi Biennale Foundation does not believe that the artwork in question warrants removal.”

Father Michael Pulickal, an official of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council, said, “How can you draw comparison with a sacred event of a religion? We have sent representations to the minister for culture and the Biennale Foundation demanding to take down the artwork immediately.”

“We are responsible for the kind of leadership we elect, and that is why it is important that we only pick those who will fight for our interests,” said Bishop James Maria Wainaina Kungu of Muranga. “The Church has a role to play both to the leaders and the people, to give direction to both parties.”

The prelate made his remarks at the end of 2025, well before the 2027 general election.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, will be the Pope’s legate at the January 11 solemn Mass for the anniversary. The cathedral is the co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Mechelen–Brussels.

“We ourselves must become the house of God,” Pope Leo wrote in his letter to Cardinal Parolin. Citing a sermon of St. Augustine, he added, “We do not yet make the house of the Lord, except when we are joined together in charity.”

The Pontiff also prayed that the beauty of the cathedral may be reflected “spiritually in minds and souls.”

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher said that “the Jubilee is ending, but it is always a time for reconciliation.”

“A concrete sign to start 2026 could be the choice of verifiable, not symbolic gestures: reopening interrupted channels of dialogue, supporting common humanitarian initiatives even between countries in tension, respecting agreements already signed, promoting policies that reduce inequalities and exclusion,” Archbishop Gallagher told Servizio Informazione Religiosa (SIR), the Italian bishops’ new agency.

“The organizations’ licenses have been revoked as of Jan. 1 for failing to meet new and more strict security and transparency standards regarding their Palestinian and international employees,” OSV News reported.

Farid Jubran, spokesman for Caritas Jerusalem, said that “Caritas Jerusalem will continue its humanitarian and development operations in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, in accordance with its mandate.”

Jubran noted that “in Israel, Caritas Jerusalem is an Ecclesiastical Legal Person, whose status and mission have been recognized by the State of Israel through the 1993 Fundamental Agreement and the subsequent 1997 Legal Personality Agreement signed between the Holy See and the State of Israel.”

“For Christmas, she didn’t ask for gifts to unwrap,” Giornale La Voce reported. “Her gift was the opportunity to meet the Pope. She wanted to feel heard and supported in her hope, and Leo XIV allowed her to experience all of this.”

The newspaper reported that the girl and her mother now live in Castellamonte, Italy, and that the girl is suffering from an aggressive tumor.