Fifty years ago, on Sept. 14, 1975, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Elizabeth Ann Seton a saint — the first native-born American to be canonized. For American Catholics, it was a moment of pride and recognition: One of our own, a woman shaped by the struggles and hopes of this young nation, was formally declared a model of holiness for the universal Church.
As we mark the golden anniversary of her canonization this Sunday at the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland, we are reminded of the enduring relevance of Mother Seton’s story — a distinctly American story.
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