Don't miss our living history tour, Catherine Comes Home.
Step back in time to 1842 and discover the life of Elizabeth Ann Seton through the eyes of her daughter, Catherine, and other beloved friends. LEARN MORE
The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
What's Coming Up View Full Calendar →
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Civil War Sisters Tour
During the Civil War, as the Battle of Gettysburg raged just miles from the peaceful home of the Sisters, they could not ignore the call to help care for the wounded. After the Battle was over, the Sisters traveled 12 miles north to the battlegrounds to care for the wounded from the North and the…
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Civil War Sisters Stories – June 29
Sisters in Emmitsburg and in congregations throughout the country were called to serve during the Civil War. Their charitable efforts brought healing and solace to the wounded on both the battlefields and in hospitals. Discover how the Sisters provided hope in the midst of suffering and despair during our Civil War Sisters Stories. Sisters from…
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Catherine Comes Home – Living History Tour
Discover the life and legacy of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton through the eyes of her daughter, Catherine, and other beloved friends. After Elizabeth Ann Seton died in 1821, Catherine left home, heartbroken by her mother’s death. The Sisters in Emmitsburg carried on, serving others and continuing Mother Seton’s legacy that lives on today.…
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First Saturday Films
Featuring – Mary Poppins Returns. We welcome everyone to join us for our First Saturday Films, featuring a free showing of Mary Poppins Returns. Decades after her original visit, the magical nanny returns to help the Banks siblings and Michael’s children through a difficult time in their lives. Rated PG. The Catholic News Service classification…
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Civil War Sisters Tour
During the Civil War, as the Battle of Gettysburg raged just miles from the peaceful home of the Sisters, they could not ignore the call to help care for the wounded. After the Battle was over, the Sisters traveled 12 miles north to the battlegrounds to care for the wounded from the North and the…
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Civil War Sisters Stories – July 13
Sisters in Emmitsburg and in congregations throughout the country were called to serve during the Civil War. Their charitable efforts brought healing and solace to the wounded on both the battlefields and in hospitals. Discover how the Sisters provided hope in the midst of suffering and despair during our Civil War Sisters Stories. Sisters from…
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Frederick Symphony Orchestra Camerata Concert
The Frederick Symphony Orchestra Camerata returns to the Shrine for another amazing concert on July 13. The Camerata is a summer residency of the Frederick Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Associate Conductor Andrew Rosenfeld. The Camerata performs a diverse repertoire of music for chamber orchestra. We welcome everyone to join us and hear this…
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Catherine Comes Home – Living History Tour
Discover the life and legacy of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton through the eyes of her daughter, Catherine, and other beloved friends. After Elizabeth Ann Seton died in 1821, Catherine left home, heartbroken by her mother’s death. The Sisters in Emmitsburg carried on, serving others and continuing Mother Seton’s legacy that lives on today.…
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Civil War Sisters Stories – July 27
Sisters in Emmitsburg and in congregations throughout the country were called to serve during the Civil War. Their charitable efforts brought healing and solace to the wounded on both the battlefields and in hospitals. Discover how the Sisters provided hope in the midst of suffering and despair during our Civil War Sisters Stories. Sisters from…
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GreenSpring International Academy of Music Concert
We welcome everyone to join us for a concert by the GreenSpring International Academy of Music. The concert features the GreenSpring choir, orchestra and harp ensembles who will be performing on the Queen Mary 2’s transatlantic journey to England. The concert at the Shrine is an exclusive preview of the group’s Queen Mary 2 performances.
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First Saturday Films
Featuring – Creed II. We welcome everyone to join us for our First Saturday Films, featuring a free showing of Creed II. Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa, heavyweight contender Adonis Creed faces off against Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago. Rated PG-13. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III-adults, although also states that adolescents…
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Civil War Sisters Tour
During the Civil War, as the Battle of Gettysburg raged just miles from the peaceful home of the Sisters, they could not ignore the call to help care for the wounded. After the Battle was over, the Sisters traveled 12 miles north to the battlegrounds to care for the wounded from the North and the…
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Catherine Comes Home – Living History Tour
Discover the life and legacy of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton through the eyes of her daughter, Catherine, and other beloved friends. After Elizabeth Ann Seton died in 1821, Catherine left home, heartbroken by her mother’s death. The Sisters in Emmitsburg carried on, serving others and continuing Mother Seton’s legacy that lives on today.…
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Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Birthday Celebration
We welcome everyone to join us as we celebrate Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s birthday on August 25 at 1:30pm Mass, as well as afterward on our grounds with fun activities for kids of all ages! Mass will include a Backpack Blessing for all students in attendance. For the Blessing, students may bring a backpack or…
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First Saturday Films
Featuring – Spiderman Into The Spiderverse. We welcome everyone to join us for our First Saturday Films, featuring a free showing of Spiderman Into The Spiderverse. Teen Miles Morales becomes Spider-Man of his reality, crossing his path with five counterparts from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities. Rated PG. The Catholic News…
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Film – Monsieur Vincent
We welcome everyone to join us as we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul with a free viewing of the film, Monsieur Vincent. Vincent de Paul was a 17th century priest who cofounded the Daughters of Charity with St. Louise de Marillac in 1633. He became a saint in 1737. This 1947…
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Annual Pilgrimage for the Sea Services
We welcome everyone to join us for our annual Pilgrimage for the Sea Services, where we honor and pray for the men and women who serve our country at sea. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was deemed the Patroness of Sea Services in the 1970s. Since that time, we hold this annual event to honor all…
Latest News and Reflections View All →
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How Mother Seton Teaches Us About the Gift of God Himself
| St. Elizabeth Ann Seton believed in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist even before she was fully received into the Church. Let us remember her witness this Corpus Christi, as we approach the altar to receive the great gift of God himself.
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Into the Hands of God the Father with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
| Throughout her life, Mother Seton knew that we are never truly alone, even when life’s challenges are most daunting. Our Heavenly Father is always there for us—present, loving, merciful.
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On the Winds of Pentecost with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
| At Pentecost, we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church through imagery of divine wind and fire. For Mother Seton—and for Catholics today—it’s within the storms and wreckage of life that grace is encountered, and new paths are revealed.
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The Ascension: What Mother Seton Found in the Sky
| What does the Ascension of the Lord mean for the world and for our own lives? The answer can be found in the faith journey of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who kept her gaze firmly fixed on Jesus, through time and eternity.
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Letting Go and Trusting God With Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
| We say the words “Thy will be done” countless times, but do we really mean them? St. Elizabeth Ann Seton shows us how we can grow into our prayers – even the tough ones – by opening ourselves to God’s love, and learning to trust Him completely.
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Embracing the Certainty of Easter with Saint Damien and Mother Seton
| When my fears threaten to overtake me, I look for courage to the lives of the saints, who embraced the certainty of new life in the risen Christ, who lives among us still in the Eucharist, and in the Church.
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Trusting in Divine Mercy with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
| On Divine Mercy Sunday we each have the opportunity to summon within our hearts the same trust in God’s mercy that Mother Seton had: “We are truly his and he is truly ours.”
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Through the Darkness to Easter Light with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
| As we enter the darkness of the Holy Triduum, looking with hope to Easter, the example of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton shows us how to yield our lives to Christ, the Crucified One, that we might live.
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Entering the Mysteries of Holy Week With Mother Seton
| The rituals of Holy Week evolved over millennia to help us enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ. Through her own experiences of suffering and joy, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s life was a mirror of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection.
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The Power of Motherhood in the Mission of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
| Mother Seton’s extraordinary legacy of doing good in the world contradicts the story told by our secular culture, which says that children are an obstacle to women’s achievement.
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What It Means to Pray Without Ceasing According to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
| God doesn’t want a casual relationship. He wants us to turn to him in everything we do. As St. Elizabeth Ann Seton says: “He wants us to lift our hearts to him. Always.” And Lent is a perfect time to practice giving Him all of ourselves, the way He gave himself to us.
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Saying Yes to God in Hard Times With Mother Seton
| A few weeks after her conversion, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton celebrated the Annunciation by receiving Holy Communion for the first time. Thereafter, even in moments of poverty, loss and death, Elizabeth would follow Mary’s example with grace, courage, and a mission to serve others.
Home of the First American-Born Saint
Discover the inspirational life and legacy of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Seton Shrine Museum
Begin your visit with a brief film about Elizabeth Ann Seton and browsing our exhibits. including our latest, Sisters Today: A World of Difference.
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The Basilica
Awe-inspiring and amazing are a few words people have used to describe the Basilica.
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Civil War Sisters
Discover how the Daughters and Sisters of Charity continued Elizabeth Ann Seton’s ministry of charity, helping those who were in need or wounded during the Civil War.
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The Stone House
Step back in time while you tour the Stone House, which was originally built in the mid-1700s.
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The White House
This historic home was built in 1810 when Elizabeth Ann Seton realized one home wasn’t enough for all that she had in mind.
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St. Joseph's Cemetery
In 1809, Mother Seton and her companions took a walk through the dense woods on their property to select a site for a cemetery.
Read MoreElizabeth Ann Seton
The First American-Born Saint
Elizabeth Ann Seton was a wife and mother, and then found herself a widow at just 29 years old in 1803. Despite the hardships that she faced, she went on to do amazing work, and eventually became the first American-born saint in 1975. Visit this historic site and Shrine and see the museum, her historic homes, and the Basilica dedicated to her.
Elizabeth Ann Seton
The First American-Born Saint
Elizabeth Ann Seton was a wife and mother, and then found herself a widow at just 29 years old in 1803. Despite the hardships that she faced, she went on to do amazing work, and eventually became the first American-born saint in 1975. Visit this historic site and Shrine and see the museum, her historic homes, and the Basilica dedicated to her.