Spirit of Seton

Appreciating the patron saint of Catholic schools

01/04/2023

Jn 1:35-42 John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ. Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.

January 4 is the feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a saint I love very much and one all Catholic school students should love a lot, too. Why should you care about her? Well, she founded the first Catholic school in America in 1810 in an obscure little town in Maryland, called Emmitsburg. So, she is the patron saint of Catholic schools in America, and the reason your Catholic school exists.

But I love her personally because I went to seminary in that same obscure little town in Maryland. And I often walked the four miles between the seminary where I studied and the Shrine where St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is buried. I said a lot of prayers there. I believe the deep love I have for Catholic schools was born at Mother Seton's shrine. That is why in the last 15 years I have run 4 marathons and written 3 books to raise money for Catholic schools. The spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton lives in me, and and I hope she will live in you.

Elizabeth was not born a Catholic; she was raised Episcopalian. But her husband contracted tuberculosis and they traveled to Italy where they had friends, the Filicchi family, and they hoped the warmer weather in Italy would help William. But sadly, Elizabeth’s husband died in Italy and was buried there. The Feliccihi’s cared for Elizabeth and her children and introduced them to Catholicism.

When Elizabeth returned home to America, she and her children became Catholic. She decided not to remarry, stayed a widow, and dedicated her life to educating children and started the Catholic school system in the United States. Think about this: you would not be going to Trinity Catholic School today if it were not for St. Elizabeth Anne Seton. Her spirit lives on in this school, and I hope she will live on in you.

Do you know who else the spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton lives in? It is in your wonderful Trinity teachers. How so? Well, St. Elizabeth really wanted a school for poor, immigrant children coming to the United States from Europe. That is why her first school was free and did not charge tuition. That is Trinity’s mission as well: to educate everyone (to be sure), but especially the poor and immigrants (like me!).

And that is why Catholic school teachers are paid less than their counterparts in other public or private schools. But don't worry, their retirement plan is out of this world! Just like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton made many sacrifices to educate children, so too do our Catholic school teachers. Her spirit lives on in our dedicated and hard-working teachers, and I hope her spirit will live on in you, too.

Do you know someone else Seton’s spirit lives on in? It is in your parents, who chose to send you to a Catholic school. My parents did not have enough money to send us to Catholic schools when we came from India. But they worked hard, long hours, saved and sacrificed personal comforts, so they could send us later to Catholic schools.

Your parents are doing the same. Your parents could have sent you to another school and not pay $5,000 a year in tuition. They could do a lot of other things with that money! But the spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton lives on in them, and I hope her spirit will live on in you, too.

By the way, have you noticed the guys around the Trinity grounds who mow the grass, trim the trees, and keep it all beautiful? No one is paying them to do that. It is the spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton that motivates them. Some of our coaches are volunteers who come and inspire you to play sports. The priests and deacons who say Mass, preach, and hear your confessions are not paid to do that. It is the spirit of Seton in them.

The wonderful Sisters of St. Scholastica up the hill pray for us because the spirit of Seton inspires them. There are volunteer trustees on a board overseeing a substantial endowment for Trinity’s future. The spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton lives on in all of these people, and I hope her spirit will live on in you, too.

Boys and girls, if you ever travel to the northeastern part of the United States, you may pass through Maryland. I hope you will stop by the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton located in this obscure little town called Emmitsburg. Light a candle at her grave and say a little prayer of thanksgiving to St. Elizabeth Anne Seton. Her spirit is what made Catholic schools possible for me and for you. And maybe then her spirit will live on in you, too.

Praised be Jesus Christ!