September 14 is the 50th anniversary of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s canonization in 1975. She went through many hardships and tragedies in her life:

• Her mother, Catherine, died in 1777 when she was three years old.
• Her family, once wealthy, faced hard times during the volatile economic climate preceding the War of 1812.
• She had to take in her husband’s six younger siblings in addition to their own five children.
• Her husband died of tuberculosis after suffering from it for most of their married life.
• She was shunned by some of her Protestant friends and family after news of her conversion to Catholicism started to spread. She was hurt economically as well, after parents withdrew their daughters from her tutelage.
• She had to adjust to moving from New York City to the harsher rural environment of Emmitsburg, Maryland.
• She lived through the deaths of two of her daughters, other loved ones, and young sisters in her religious community.

She learned to trust in God to lead her through the dark valleys of life. As you watch this video, pray for the same spirit of hope for ourselves and those we serve.

The text in this video is based on the article “Harvesting Wisdom: Theological Abundance in St. Elizabeth Seton’s Story” by Sr. Regina Bechtle, SC.