Join the Seton Shrine September 13, 2026 for a national gathering and public festival honoring the American holy men, women and children on the path to canonization.
At the Seton Shrine’s Saints on Their Way festival, visitors can encounter these stories in one place, meet those working to advance American causes for canonization, and reflect on their own call to holiness.
Saints on Their Way is a Seton Shrine initiative that shares the stories of American men, women and children whose causes for canonization have been opened by the Church. These holy witnesses come from many states, backgrounds, vocations, and eras — but each one reveals something of the universal call to holiness.
On Sunday, September 13, the Shrine grounds will open for a joyful public festival celebrating American causes for canonization.
Visitors will be able to meet guild leaders, hear the stories of holy men and women from across the country, enjoy live music and food, pray in the Basilica, and tour the Shrine and Mother Seton’s historic homes.
Whether you are deeply devoted to the saints or just beginning to discover their stories, this festival is an invitation to see holiness as something close, concrete, and possible.
On Saturday, September 12, the Shrine will host a private day for those involved in advancing American causes for canonization.
The day will feature a keynote presentation by Msgr. Robert Sarno, internationally recognized for his decades of service to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, on “Canonization: Theory & Practice,” along with workshops from Dr. Jeanine Marino and Fr. Dan Mode.
Participants will also celebrate a private Mass at Mother Seton’s tomb and enjoy the Shrine Museum, Basilica, and historic homes. This gathering will offer cause leaders and representatives a rare opportunity to strengthen their mission together.
At her Shrine, Saints on Their Way celebrates the holy men, women and children who have followed in her footsteps — and invites each of us to take the next step in our own journey toward God.
Saturday, September 12, 2026
– Private day for guild representatives.
Sunday, September 13, 2026
– Public event. All are welcome.
EMMITSBURG, Md. (DATE, 2026) — The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton will host the second annual Saints on
Generations of Catholics came to know Ann Teresa O’Neill as the child whose miraculous cure from acute lymphatic leukemia in
Ann O’Neill understood that miracles invite us to trust more fully in God’s loving presence in our lives. When pilgrims come to Emmitsburg seeking the prayers of America’s first native-born saint, they’ll have an opportunity to reflect on how her life became an indispensable part of Mother Seton’s story.
Saints on Their Way is more than an event. It is an invitation to discover the men, women and children whose lives continue to bear witness to Christ in America — and to remember that holiness is not beyond reach. Come to the Seton Shrine this September. Meet the guilds. Hear the stories. Pray with fellow pilgrims. And discover how the saints on their way can help light your own.