From the ballrooms of New York high society to the quiet hills of rural Maryland, the life of Elizabeth Ann Seton is a story of love, loss, faith, and courage. Born into privilege just after the American Revolution, Elizabeth’s path took an unexpected turn — one that would make her the first native-born saint of United States of America.

This five-part podcast series traces her remarkable journey: from the heartbreak of widowhood in a foreign land to her conversion to Catholicism, and from founding the first free Catholic school for girls in the United States to establishing a religious community that would shape the future of American education.

Whether you’re discovering Saint Elizabeth for the first time or looking to understand her legacy more deeply, these episodes offer a compelling portrait of a woman who risked everything to follow the call of love — and in doing so, changed the course of history.

Episode 1:

New York City. 1802. In post-Revolutionary War Manhattan, the rich and powerful gather to dance and celebrate the birthday of President George Washington. Among them is a woman whose charmed life is about to change. This is the true story of Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Episode 2:

1803. One year after the collapse of William’s business, the Seton family has grown. But their financial worries and William’s illness are worse than ever. Advised to travel abroad for William’s health, the Setons spend their last pennies getting to Italy. Nothing prepares them for the trials lying ahead.

Episode 3:

March, 1804. Two months after William’s death, Elizabeth and Annina are still in Italy, waiting for the ship that will bring them home to New York. As she struggles with her recent widowhood, Elizabeth has an encounter that awakens a new faith in her, even as her family’s financial prospects worsen.

Episode 4:

Back in New York, Elizabeth and her family depend on the charity of their wealthy Protestant community. But she cannot forget her time in Italy, and her discovery of the Holy Eucharist at the Catholic Mass. Will Elizabeth risk everything by leaving her Protestant community for the Catholic Church?

Episode 5:

It’s 1808. With the success of the girls’ school in Baltimore, Archbishop Carroll has sent Elizabeth and her followers to rural Emmitsburg, to formally establish the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. But when illness strikes again, Elizabeth’s faith will be tested like never before.

Source: The Merry Beggars