Through her words, we invite you to discover Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton— the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized and a foundational figure in American Catholicism and the Vincentian Family.

Elizabeth Ann Seton’s writings— marked by deep faith, maternal tenderness, and a tireless trust in Divine Providence— offer us a window into her spiritual journey and the challenges she faced as a woman, mother, educator, and founder. Though written over two centuries ago, her reflections continue to resonate today, especially as we seek to respond with compassion and courage to the trials of our time.

Text of Elizabeth Ann Seton:

“Perseverance is a great grace. To go on gaining and advancing every day, we must be resolute, and bear and suffer as our blessed forerunners did. Which of them gained heaven without a struggle?”

– St. Elizabeth Seton, Collected Writings, Vol. 3a p. 261.

Commentary:

In this short but vigorous statement, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton identifies perseverance not merely as a virtue, but as a great grace— a gift of God without which the Christian journey falters. Perseverance is not the absence of difficulty; it is the steady movement forward despite difficulty.

Her words are deeply realistic: progress in the spiritual life requires resolution, endurance, and a willingness to suffer as those before us have suffered. She points us to the saints— our “blessed forerunners”— as living proof that no one reaches heaven without a struggle.

For the Vincentian, perseverance is essential not only for personal holiness, but for sustained service to the poor. The work of charity is not a sprint— it is a lifelong pilgrimage.

“Perseverance is a great grace.” — God’s Gift for the Long Road

Perseverance is not simply human stubbornness; it is the divine strengthening of the soul to remain faithful over time. This grace enables us to keep praying when prayer feels dry, to keep serving when the results seem invisible, to keep loving when love is not returned.

Scripture reminds us:

“The one who perseveres to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

And St. Paul exhorts:

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

“To go on gaining and advancing every day…” — Daily Progress

Seton’s vision of perseverance is not static endurance— it is growth. The Christian life is meant to be dynamic: each day another step, another act of love, another small victory over self. Some days this progress is visible; other days it is hidden in faith.

The important thing is not speed, but direction. Even the smallest forward movement, made in grace, is precious to God.

“…we must be resolute, and bear and suffer as our blessed forerunners did.” — Learning from the Saints

Our “blessed forerunners”— the saints— were not spared trials. Their holiness was forged in the fires of opposition, disappointment, and sometimes prolonged suffering. What they had in common was not ease, but steadfastness.

Like St. Vincent de Paul, who endured misunderstandings, setbacks, and illness, they lived with the conviction that God’s work is worth every cost.

“Which of them gained heaven without a struggle?” — The Honest Reality

Seton closes with a rhetorical question that humbles and motivates: heaven is not won without effort. Grace is free, but the journey to live in it demands cooperation, discipline, and sometimes spiritual combat.

This is not meant to discourage, but to normalize the struggle. When we face resistance— whether from external trials or internal weaknesses— we are walking the same path as the saints.

A Vincentian Perspective

For those in the Vincentian Family, perseverance means continuing to serve the poor with love that does not fade— even when resources are scarce, gratitude is absent, or progress seems slow. It means holding on to the conviction that every act of charity, no matter how small, has eternal value.