Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori helped the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton open a new exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of its patron’s canonization with a Mass Jan. 4, her feast day.
Archbishop Lori celebrated the Mass at the shrine in Emmitsburg, Md., before an official ribbon cutting for the new exhibit.
In his homily, Archbishop Lori noted that Pope Francis has dedicated the Jubilee Year 2025 to hope, and said that St. Elizabeth Ann’s life was the epitome of hope.
“Few people fit this description better than St. Elizabeth Ann Seton — a wife and mother, a widow seeking meaning and direction in her life, a convert to Catholicism, an educator, and last but not least, the founder of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph,” Archbishop Lori said. “She was a pilgrim of hope; she exemplified the hope that impels us to seek God’s will and follow the path of holiness, wherever it might lead.”
The new exhibit, named “One of Us – The Making of an American Saint,” takes up two full rooms and tells the backstory of her canonization, one of the monumental days in the American Catholic Church during the 20th century. The exhibit transports visitors to 1975, giving them an understanding of the magnitude of Mother Seton’s influence then and her relevance today as a saint to whom people can relate in profound ways. Visitors will see artifacts, including the canonization decree from Pope Paul VI, now St. Paul VI, and peruse personal scrapbooks of those who attended the proceedings in Rome or watched them in Emmitsburg.
An original mural by Frederick, Md., artist Ellen Byrne depicts Mother Seton’s long road to sainthood, with a separate wall dedicated to information about other Americans in various stages of the canonization process. A replica of a 1975 living room rounds out the exhibit.
“Mother Seton’s life can be considered a pilgrimage first to the Catholic faith and then to Emmitsburg and ultimately to heaven as a saint of the church,” said Rob Judge, executive director of the Seton Shrine. “This puts the shrine in a unique position to highlight the universal call of holiness and the unique role of pilgrimage for Catholics on their journey. During this anniversary year we hope to encourage the faithful to go on pilgrimage, themselves, and deepen their relationship with Our Lord, with the knowledge that Mother Seton will show us the way and accompany us all.”
To that end, the shrine is organizing a series of events in 2025 to bring people closer to Mother Seton so they can better understand her life and legacy.
Besides the special events, the shrine will operate its regular programs, tours and other activities throughout the year. The shrine attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year who can walk in the literal footsteps of a saint.
Republished with permission from Catholic Review Media in Baltimore.
Find out more
Read about the shrine and the 50th anniversary celebration at setonshrine.org.
