St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Summary

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Catholic Saints Podcast — St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Host: Mary McGeehan
Guest: Dr. Chris Mooney (Augustine Institute)
Date: January 4, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Catholic Saints podcast delves into the remarkable life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, focusing on her journey from a privileged upbringing in pre-Revolutionary New York to her canonization as the first American-born saint. The conversation explores the depth of her suffering, the transformation of her tragedies into places of grace, her pioneering work in Catholic education, her profound conversion experience, and the enduring relevance of her faith and example in contemporary life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Life and Personal Suffering

[00:40–03:19]

• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was born into a well-to-do family in New York City in 1774, two years before the Declaration of Independence.
• Major hardships characterizing her youth:
  • Lost her mother and younger sister as a toddler.
  • Stepmother later abandoned the family.
  • Married William Seton at 19; soon became responsible for his younger siblings after her father-in-law died.
  • At 29, she was left a widow with five young children, four of whom were in America while she was in Italy with her husband as he sought recovery from tuberculosis.
• Insight: St. Elizabeth's life seemed outwardly ordinary, but it was marked by extraordinary suffering, responded to with deepening trust in God.
  • “So much of her life looks like an ordinary life that was beset by extraordinary suffering, which she responded to with a great trust in God.” (Dr. Mooney, [02:34])

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2. American and Episcopalian Roots

[03:39–07:25]

• Born into a prosperous, socially connected family.
• Raised Episcopalian, with a grandfather who was a priest.
• Early sign of devotion and love for the poor, accompanying her stepmother in charitable works.
• Married into another influential New York family.
• Despite privilege, faced shadows over her marriage due to her husband's ailing health and business troubles.

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3. The Italian Sojourn and Seeds of Conversion

[03:39–12:22]

• In 1803, traveled to Italy seeking a better climate for her husband’s health.
• Immediately quarantined upon arrival; her husband died shortly thereafter.
• Taken in by the Italian Felici family, who introduced her to Catholicism.
• Cultural shock: Had previously known Catholicism only as a faith of poor immigrants in America and viewed with suspicion.
• Impressed by the devout yet cultured Felicis (Amabilia and Antonio), their commitment to fasting, and their reverence for the Eucharist.
• Diary reflection: “Oh, my Heavenly Father, I know that these contradictory events are permitted and guided by thy wisdom.” (St. Elizabeth, [05:52])
• Began to view Catholic worship (“smells and bells”) as an expansion of glorifying God, not merely empty ritual.
  • “This isn’t just smells and bells. This is actually a way of totally expanding my sense of worship.” (Dr. Mooney, [08:37])

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4. Encounter with the Eucharist

[10:57–12:41]

• Profound impact: St. Elizabeth was deeply moved by the Catholic Eucharist—called it “awful” in the sense of awe-inspiring.
• Witnessed a Eucharistic procession in Italy; moved to adoration.
• On conversion: “If it is true that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, why would I not want to be in that religion where He’s so close to our humanity?” (Mary McGeehan, [12:33])
• The richness of the Catholic faith, especially the sacraments, provided real consolation in suffering.

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5. Return to America and Catholic Identity

[12:41–15:01]

• Conversion wasn’t immediately upon return but soon after.
• Her new faith faced family skepticism: tolerated only if kept private.
• Her desire to share the faith, especially with other women, led to her being shunned and distrusted—especially regarding educational efforts.

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6. Foundations in Maryland: Religious Life and Catholic Education

[15:06–16:17]

• Moved to Maryland as acceptance of her Catholic identity in New York remained fraught.
• In 1809, founded the first American congregation of religious sisters (Sisters of Charity) and the first Catholic girls’ school.
• Pioneered education: Mission centered on making education accessible to girls, especially the poor.
• Managed to continue mothering her own children while leading the community.
  • “One of the ways she made it happen, though, is that she brought her daughters into her own school so that they could still be connected.” (Dr. Mooney, [16:13])

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7. Suffering and Perseverance in Faith

[16:48–19:22]

• Suffering was not dismissed or minimized, and her faith was not a naive escape.
• Maintained a lifelong hunger to know God, which shaped her choices and responses to adversity.
  • Notable quote: “God has given me a great deal to do, and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own.” (St. Elizabeth, [17:47])
• Despite adversity and loss (shunning, prejudice, widowhood), her strength was in seeking God’s consolation and will.

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8. Lasting Legacy and Contemporary Relevance

[19:22–24:26]

• Became a spiritual mother to many: two sisters-in-law converted because of her, and her religious and educational legacies have had a lasting impact.
• Passed away at age 46, still leading her congregation.
• Her example resonates with anyone facing ordinary suffering—parenting, loss, social rejection, or starting anew—making her a highly relatable and accessible saint.
  • “She experienced all this suffering in her life, but she wasn’t weighed down by it. It’s like a choice before us: do we let the suffering define us and weigh us down, or do we see in God’s providence an opportunity to trust Him more deeply?” (Dr. Mooney, [22:19])
• Her diaries are available and recommended for those who want to know her voice more personally.

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9. “Saints behind the Saints”

[09:55–10:57], [23:37–24:26]

• The Felici family, particularly Amabilia and Antonio, played critical roles in mediating the faith to Elizabeth—paralleling the Ambrose-Augustine story.
• The podcast ends encouraging listeners to both draw inspiration from Seton and strive to be like those “friends of saints” who gently and persistently invite others deeper into faith.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “So much of her life looks like an ordinary life that was beset by extraordinary suffering, which she responded to with a great trust in God.”
  — Dr. Chris Mooney ([02:34])

• “Oh, my Heavenly Father, I know that these contradictory events are permitted and guided by thy wisdom.”
  — St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (quoted by Dr. Mooney, [05:52])

• “This isn’t just smells and bells. This is actually a way of totally expanding my sense of worship.”
  — Dr. Chris Mooney ([08:37])

• “If it is true that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, why would I not want to be in that religion where He’s so close to our humanity?”
  — Mary McGeehan ([12:33])

• “God has given me a great deal to do and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own.”
  — St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (quoted by Dr. Mooney, [17:47])

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Overall Tone and Style

The conversation is warm, reflective, and educational, balancing biography and theological insight. Dr. Mooney and Mary McGeehan draw practical connections for contemporary listeners while maintaining a sense of reverence and admiration for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s faith and resilience.

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Suggested Further Resources

• Elizabeth Ann Seton’s diaries: Available via the Sisters of Charity and various online sources.
• Formed documentary: Short film on her life recommended by Dr. Mooney ([19:00]).
• Sisters of Charity: Visit their website for more on her enduring legacy.

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Welcome to Catholic Seats. My name is Mary McGeehan. I am joined with Dr. Chris Mooney. Thank you for joining us. Thanks, Mary.

[A]

Thanks for having me.

[B]

It's a joy to learn from you. Here at the Guston Institute, we are going to talk about another life of the saint. Today we're going to focus on St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Her feast day is January 4th. And we were just mentioning how she is such a well known name. So many people know of her at least heard her name, but sometimes we don't actually know her story or where she came from or what, you know, how, what impact she made. So where should we start about Elizabeth?

[A]

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing because she's a remarkable saint. So there's so many things that we could say about her. And I think this is one reason why she's so well known. She is the first US Citizen to become a saint. Okay. She founded the country's first Catholic girls school and the first American congregation of religious sisters which still exists today, the Sisters of Charity. She is, I was kind of struck by all the things that she's known as the patron saint of, patron saint of Catholic schools, patron saint of widows, patron saint of the loss of parents and patron saint of the loss of children. Patron saint of people who are ridiculed for their piety, Patron saint of people who have in law problems, really. And it's because as I think people will hopefully can get a taste of, you know, listening to this, she lived a remarkable life. But one of the things that I'm drawn to that I think at least one place where I think would be interesting to start is to recognize that she lived in some ways a very seemingly ordinary family life, but surrounded by much suffering. So when she was just a toddler, her mother and her younger sister died. When she and then her stepmother, her father married again, but her stepmother later abandoned the family and her when she got married at a young age. Soon after she got married at 19. Soon after she got married, her father in law died and her father in law had many young children. And so she and her husband moved into their house and took care of their kids. Then a few years after that her husband died. And when her husband died, she was 29 and she had five children, all of whom were 8 or under. But what's in fact, actually when her husband died too, she was in Italy away from four of those children. I'll say a little bit more why in a moment. But the reason I mention these things is because one of the things that stands out to me, thinking about the life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. There's so many things that we could go to, but how so much of her life looks like an ordinary life that was beset by extraordinary suffering, which she responded to with a great trust in God. And I think all the. If you see the context of the kind of suffering that she endured and her response to it, it can give us a much greater appreciation for her as a saint with also all of these great things that she's known for.

[B]

Yes. No, that's great. All that she is a patron of help exemplify the width and breadth of where she let God transform her life and her tragedy as places of grace. And where did. You said she's American? I'm assuming East Coast. Is it New York or.

[A]

Great question. Yeah. She was born in New York City in 1774, so two years before the Declaration of Independence. And she was born to a well to do family in New York City. They were socially well connected and were fairly prosperous. Her father was a surgeon and was, I think, the chief health officer of the Port of New York. And her mother was well, engaged in sort of the society of New York City. Her grandfather had been on her mother's side, had been an Episcopal priest. And when she was married, when she became married at age 19, it was to another well known and prosperous family in New York City, the Setons. And so. And she also, though even at a young age she was known for her very strong devotion as a member of the Church of England and also for her love for the poor in accompanying her stepmother on. On charitable work that she did in the city in caring for the poor. I mentioned earlier that when her husband died, they were in Italy. So although they had this very, this marriage that by all accounts was very happy and was, you know, that their lives together were going very well. They had, you know, again married at 19, had five children within less than 10 years. There was a kind of shadow over their marriage, a kind of twofold shadow. Difficulties with her husband's business and difficulties with his health. It turns out he had tuberculosis. And one of these ideas that they had as a family was to go spend time in Italy with one of his business partners, a family called the Felicis. And Antonio Felici was one of the business partners. And so they decided to. Just the three oldest. Sorry, just three of them. Elizabeth, her husband William, and their oldest daughter went to Italy hoping that the warm weather would help to give him some relief, but met immediately with great suffering. There they were because of concerns about health not actually related to the tuberculosis directly, but they were put into quarantine for 30 days. And meanwhile, his health continued to deteriorate. And it was after they were released from quarantine as a family that he died two days after Christmas in 1803, when she was, as I said, 29 years old. And the Felice family, whom they had gone to be with, immediately took them in. St. Elizabeth left us these great diaries, and you can already get a sense of her, her trust in God at this point. Just one example from her diary at the time she wrote, oh, my Heavenly Father, I know that these contradictory events are permitted and guided by thy wisdom. I think this really captures the disposition she had. But something unexpected happened while the Felicis took her in and were caring for her, which is they started to introduce her to the Catholic faith. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton writes in her diary that initially she kind of laughed them off. She said, these charitable Catholics are trying to push their faith upon me. And so she didn't take it too seriously. But over time, certain things started to grow on her. It may be helpful to remember.

[B]

Think.

[A]

About the society she was born in, the time she was born in, and the place in New York City society that she was born in. Catholics were, she knew Catholics only as immigrants whose faith was looked down upon as being backwards and superstitious. And yet meeting the Felicis really and being in Italy totally changed things for her. So the Felicis, Antonio and Amabiglia really struck her. So Amabelia would rise every morning at 4am for Mass and showed her great devotion. And yet St Elizabeth was also impressed by how cultured they were. Amabilia spoke five languages. Antonio had a background in philosophy. They introduced her to a friend of theirs who was a Jesuit priest. They gave her St. Francis's introduction to the devout life. They took her to visit churches and, you know, she mentions that this Episcopalian priest who was, I think, her spiritual director, that she was close to back in New York City, had warned her not to be taken in by, you know, the smells and bells of Catholicism. This is a kind of very 19th century warning. But Elizabeth, in visiting Italian churches, realized this isn't just smells and bells. This is actually a way of totally expanding my sense of worship, of glorifying God in a way I've never thought of before. She says, oh, yeah.

[B]

So one way to, as I'm hearing this, potentially having been in, in America, where she's coming from more an affluent family and upbringing, what her experience of Catholicism is in America is. It's more of a poor immigrant culture community and almost that bias against it.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

Yeah. It's just so it's. Italy might have been one of the first times where she was able to see it in a new light.

[A]

Yeah. It's interesting to think of other examples I know of this. Some people who might know a little bit about the history of St. John. Henry Newman, too. Newman, who's also a great 19th century convert, took a famous trip to Italy and he had only known sort of working class Catholics and then was suddenly exposed to this whole new life in Italy. So this is kind of what happened to St. Elizabeth when she was in Italy.

[B]

I think it's a good point to highlight because we often take that psychological and sociological just reality as we're trying to understand the minds and life of the saints of the culture in which they lived.

[A]

Yeah. I'm also struck by thinking about. When I think about Amabilia and Antonio, we don't know a whole lot about, but I love knowing about the saints behind the saints. You know, Amabilia and Antonio are not canonized saints, but it's sort of like Augustine and Ambrose. You know, you learn so much about what Ambrose did for Augustine and have a greater appreciation for how people mediate the faith to others. You know, the Antonio and Amabilia, they loved the faith. They carried it out fully. One of the other things St. Elizabeth was struck by is Amabilia's habit of fasting. St. Elizabeth mentions that her Episcopalian priest back in New York City had said fasting was an outdated practice, that they didn't really do that anymore. But Elizabeth couldn't help but contrast the fast that Amabilia would undertake with her own sumptuous diet As a wealthy American, you know, or Saint Elizabeth was also deeply struck by how Catholics revered the Eucharist.

[B]

Yeah, that was.

[A]

She mentions too, in her diary, she writes, all the Catholic religion is full of those meanings which interest me. So. And she mentions particularly how she uses the word awful to describe how she approached the Eucharist, because she was just blown away by it and I think was deeply consoled by the reality perhaps in the mid. And we can see this not as, you know, a kind of psychological, I don't know, like false comfort in the midst of her suffering, but a real comfort because she found that in the Eucharist was the highest expression she had ever known of God's desire to truly be present with her in the midst of her suffering. She recounts one story that when she was in Italy A Eucharistic procession was passing by. She just couldn't help it. She fell down in adoration. And, you know, this was totally foreign to her at the time. But all of these things left a deep impact on her. She didn't actually become Catholic while she was still in Italy, but she was deeply moved by it. And she was moved by the family, you know, that in some ways they pressured her, but in other ways, you know, she writes that all Antonia would tell her over and over again was pray and inquire, pray and seek, pray and seek, pray and seek. And so this is what had a big impact on her. So that when she went back to New York City, it wasn't long before she joined the church, converted.

[B]

That is fascinating to take into consideration. The depths of her suffering almost made her heart more ripe to embrace the Eucharist fully.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

If it is true that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, why would I not want to be in that religion where he's so close to our humanity?

[A]

Yes. One of the things I think that we see with St. Elizabeth's conversion is that she experiences all of this profound suffering and her response to it at the same time, though her response to it isn't naive. She doesn't. She doesn't treat the suffering as if it wasn't a great affliction, but she's able to hold simultaneously that the suffering is a great affliction without relinquishing her deep confidence in God. And so for her, I think seeking the Lord's consolation is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of her strength. You know, suffering. Suffering is not alone. Sanctifying suffering invites our deeper trust in God. And God sanctifies us through suffering because of our response to it and our response to Him. And I think St. Elizabeth is a great example of that. And her suffering didn't just end when, you know, with these immediate tragedies of the death of her family members. Because for her, becoming Catholic was not well received when she was back in New York City. The sense that I get from her life is that her family had a kind of, you know, well, we're okay with you being Catholic as long as you don't care that we become Catholic. To which, of course, Saint Elizabeth couldn't simply let go. And so her family kind of tolerated her being Catholic as long as they thought that this was a sort of private thing that she just kept to herself. But this wasn't what St. Elizabeth's faith was like. She had an earnest desire to share the Catholic faith with others. I mean, after all, you know, if she has such a love for the Lord, if she has such a love for the Eucharist, she couldn't help but want to share it with others. And so when some of her family and her husband's family kind of caught wind of the fact that she was sharing the faith, especially with her female relatives, then she was kind of shunned from the family. And one of the things that St. Elizabeth tried to do to support her family after the death of her husband was teaching. But many of her efforts to teach and to found schools were thwarted because a lot of the Protestant parents feared that it was just a proselytizing effort. So she found that a lot of people lost trust in her because of that.

[B]

Did she work in a particular area where there were more Catholic families?

[A]

I'm assuming eventually. So, you know, she has to eventually move out of New York City. She moves to Maryland. And in. I think it's in 1809, when she was 35, she ended up starting a congregation of sisters. You know, again, another way that she responded to the Lord's call. And simultaneously with starting the congregation of sisters, she started a Catholic girls school. And St. Elizabeth cared deeply about education, deeply about providing education for girls and especially for girls whose parents couldn't afford it. So one of the big missions of this school was to provide free education for children. Now, the interesting thing, it's almost hard for us to picture so many things going on in this woman at the same time. She's a mother of her religious community and a mother of her children, and she's leading this school. One of the ways she made it happen, though, is that she brought her daughters into her own school so that they could still be connected there. And her boys went to, I think, a nearby Catholic school.

[B]

That's smart.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

With you into the school that I'm creating. Yes, well, yes. Responding to God's direction with that. With that. I'm very struck by how many motifs in her life just resonate so much with us today in even just tension and family life, when maybe you're fresh into your conversion of the faith and the adversity you face. That I would love for you to repeat one more time what you were mentioning about consolation, because I didn't fully understand that.

[A]

Yeah, Sorry.

[B]

But, yeah, times of just despair or tragedy and suffering. It was a part of her strength to see.

[A]

Yeah. What I meant was, you know, okay, let's say someone wanted to. Let's say someone looked negatively at St Elizabeth's life for some reason. And they might think, oh well, oftentimes people undergo, you know, great religious upheavals in order to sort of deal with. They can't deal with the stress of suffering. But I just don't think that matches the facts of Elizabeth's life that I think it's because she responded to suffering with a great desire to seek the face of God more and more, which was consistent with her whole life. She had always wanted to know God more and more. If I can share another quote she wrote in her diary, too. God has given me a great deal to do and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own. This is her lifelong desire. So I think we can look at her conversion and the decision she made in light of that and say, actually, no, these weren't accidents. They really are consistent with. Yes, they're prompted by her suffering, but they're really consistent with it. And that she seeks a deeper union with God. And that in itself is consoling.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So consistent with her.

[B]

Her constant search and looking and hunger to follow God and his will in her life. And also struck how she and her husband were just doing the prudent business things like, let's go to Italy, let's try to improve your health. Let's look at, meet with our. This business partner and how just almost in their human path, like, I don't know, that's where God encountered that. That's where she encountered the faith. And she was just being obedient to her daily next step of what we need just for our family and how God is constantly pursuing us within the reality of where we're at. Does that make sense?

[A]

Yes. Maybe part of the reason I mentioned this is okay, I said at the start, she's patron saint of people who are rejected for their faith, among other things. And you can imagine how her family met her conversion so skeptically. You went off to Italy, your husband died. Surely this is a. Maybe they thought, you'll grow out of this. And that's what I mean about her response not being out of weakness, but out of strength.

[B]

Yes, thank you.

[A]

Because it was consistent with her whole lifelong desire to know the Lord more and more.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

And it was very fruitful, too. Two of two of Elizabeth's St. Elizabeth's sisters in law joined the church later in her life. And of course she became very fruitful as the head of this congregation of sisters, even though she died at a fairly young age. I think she was 46 when she died. She was still the superior when she died. Still had a sense of humor, too. She told her sisters when they elected her the superior that they were choosing someone already dead. But she lived for two more years after the last time they elected her superior. And, you know, and there's still so many people mentioned at the start. Where do you start with St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. There's so many people who, you know, her work for Catholic schools. So much credit goes back to her, the Sisters of Charity that she started. So many people are moved by her example of conversion. Actually, if I can mention on Formed, there's a really great short little 16 minute documentary about her life that I think if people listening really enjoy this and want to learn more about St Elizabeth, there's so many resources, so many ways to learn about her.

[B]

Yeah, no, that's wonderful to capture. As you were mentioning, all the nuances of her life, all the different missions that she started. Is there anything else that you wanted to add about? You know, we talked about how she can be an intercessor for us today or even other legacies of, of her life for the church today.

[A]

I'm not the first one to make this point, but I think one of the reasons that St. Elizabeth Ann Seton stands out for a lot of people is because sometimes Catholics, they're looking for a saint that they feel like they can relate to more. It's great to learn about, you know, I don't know, like Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, but I might think to myself, I'm just not cut out for that Life or St. Thomas Aquinas. And I think, you know, I love learning about St Thomas, but surely he lived a very different life than I could ever live. One of the things that's so striking about Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is she was a mother, she was an American. She was. She had children. She underwent. She underwent great suffering, but in some way common suffering, the suffering of the loss of loved ones, sufferings that, that all of us experience.

[B]

Social persecution.

[A]

Social persecution, yeah. And So I think St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is actually a saint that is really accessible for all of us. But one of the things that stands out to me, this is. I guess I've said this already, but maybe to just drive it home is that I think one of the things that stands out to me is she experienced all this suffering in her life, but she wasn't weighed down by it. It's very easy. You know, I think all of us in our lives, when we experience suffering, part of what happens is we have this. It's Like a choice before us? Do we let the suffering define us and weigh us down and do we let ourselves be defeated by it? Or do we see in God's providence an opportunity to trust him more deeply? And that's how St. Elizabeth responded. All of the things that happened in her life, you know, you could never have anticipated from earlier on, but so many graces that came to her because she was faithful in these very ordinary ways. I think that's very inspiring for us.

[B]

For all of us Catholics I know. And we all will experience that choice at some point of do I fall into this despair or lean into the faithfulness and trust in God? And you said she write. I didn't know she had diaries we could read. I'm going to read this.

[A]

Yes. I wish I had brought it with me, but that's wonderful.

[B]

Is it just called The Diaries of St. Elizabeth?

[A]

Yeah. I think what I'm thinking of is a selection that people can find. But if anyone wants to read more about, I mean, there are a lot of great resources online because there's such a strong devotion to her in the US and the Sisters of Charity are, you know, continue to do their work. But her diaries are also accessible for folks who want to learn more and, you know, learn about her from her own voice.

[B]

Yes. Which is always a wonderful source. You feel so privileged when you have the opportunity. And finally, I was just once again also struck by the friends of how I think we all have experiences of friends who have almost put these irresistible question marks of faithfully living to the faith that make you kind of just struck to reconsider your own life and how you're living different aspects of your faith. Like if they're so joyful or, you know, such reverence, they just almost juxtapose what is often seen in the world. And how can we also be like those friends of Saints behind the saints who are nudging people and planting seeds along the way.

[A]

Yeah. I hope people who persevere to this point, listening to this episode, I hope they learn from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, but I also hope they learned from her friends, from Antonio and others who encouraged her along the way.

[B]

Well, thank you. Thank you for that Beautiful reflection about St Elizabeth Ann Seton and thank you for joining.