Elizabeth Seton Guide

    Mount St. Joseph University’s close connection to St. Elizabeth Seton is highlighted by the exhaustive collection the library makes accessible to its patrons. Elizabeth Seton is the first canonized American saint in the Roman Catholic Church (1975), as well as being the founder of the Sisters of Charity, the first congregation of Women Religious founded in the United States (1809).

   Elizabeth Seton’s life and spirituality have inspired many through the years – from those who knew her personally to those who come to know her through her faith and writings. As a wife, mother, grieving widow, convert to Catholicism, and someone who attracted other women to follow her in forming the Sisters of Charity, she has been a comfort, a model, and an inspiration to many.

   Elizabeth’s strong devotion to reading and praying with Holy Scripture led her to develop a deep spiritual life with an emphasis on imitating Christ as she lived out the teachings of the Gospel. This is exemplified by her anticipation at beginning her life as a Sister of Charity when she wrote to a friend, “To speak the joy of my soul at the prospect of being able to assist the Poor, visit the sick, comfort the sorrowful, clothe little innocents, and teach them to love God.”

--Sister Judith Metz, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

This subject guide provides access to Elizabeth Seton resources available either through the MSJ Library’s collections or from open access web resources. Seton topics covered include: biography, writings by Elizabeth Seton, Seton prayer and meditations, children’s books, videos, articles, podcasts, and websites.

Test your knowledge: How well do you know the Sisters of Charity? Take this fun quiz to find out.