Page 22 - Michael 2024 May

The brothers accompanied her, mar-
veling at the graces God gave her: “An-
“I seek but God tonio,” she later said, “showed me how to
make the sign of the cross and with what
and his Church, and spirit to use it.”
expect to find my When they arrived in New York on
peace in them, not in June 4, the whole family was there except
for sister-in-law Rebecca, who was dying
the people.” of tuberculosis. Elizabeth told her of her
faith in the Catholic Church, which Reb-
Saint Elizabeth Seton ecca fully embraced before dying, filled
with joy, on July 18. By contrast, Elizabeth
set off a storm in her Episcopalian environ-
ment in which faith was linked to a kind of
religious patriotism. In this painful phase,
ence between the Catholic and Episcopalian confes- Elizabeth was helped by Father Cheverus, a priest at-
sions. Antonio answered her in all simplicity: “Only tached to the Boston mission. On his return from a trip
one is true, and without it one cannot be acceptable to Ireland, he found a note from Elizabeth saying she
to God.” was ready for the big step: “I seek but God and his
This clear affirmation made a long journey in Eliza- Church, and expect to find my peace in them, not in
beth’s soul in a short time. One Lord, one faith, one the people.”
baptism, says St. Paul (Eph 4:5). In fact, “The Lord In February 1805, Elizabeth for the first time en-
JESUS, the only Savior, did not only establish a simple tered the modest Catholic church in New York, then
community of disciples, but constituted the Church as the only one in that city, dedicated to St. Peter. The
a salvific mystery: … The Catholic faithful are required anti-Catholic laws, inherited from the Church of Eng-
to profess that there is an historical continuity—root- land, had been abolished only a few years earlier, and
ed in the apostolic succession—between the Church the Catholic community was very small, composed
founded by Christ and the Catholic Church: This is the mainly of Irish emigrants. In front of the tabernacle,
single Church of Christ” (Congregation for the Doc- the young woman poured out her heart: “Ah! my God,
trine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus Iesus, August here let me rest.”
6, 2000). Antonio had fulfilled the duty of the Christian
laity: to be cooperators of the truth (3 John 8). As St. She made her formal adherence to Catholicism on
Thomas Aquinas declares, “To teach in order to lead March 14 in the hands of Father Matthew O’Brien, an
others to faith is the task of each believer,” who thus Irish Dominican; immediately she received the Eucha-
performs a work of spiritual mercy (cf. Catechism of rist, which became her daily nourishment. She who
the Catholic Church, nos. 904 and 2447). had felt the bitter regret of not being able to receive
Communion in Italy, rejoiced: “How bright is the sun
Making the sign of the Cross these morning walks to the church for preparation
On February 18, 1804, the young widow and her for Holy Communion!” A year later, she received the
daughter embarked on their return trip to America. sacrament of Confirmation from the hands of Bishop
Elizabeth wore the habit of the Tuscan widows, which John Caroll, the first bishop of the first diocese erected
later became that of the nuns she would found. The in the United States, in Baltimore in 1798. On this oc-
Filicchis accompanied them to the dock; with most casion, the young widow confided to the bishop her
delicate tact, they made her accept the money she desire for a life completely dedicated to the Lord.
would need in the near future. But Ann, and shortly How to teach others?
afterwards her mother, were struck down by scarlet
Little by little, Elizabeth separated herself from
fever and had to postpone their departure. her former Episcopalian friends, who did not accept
The Filicchis took advantage of this delay to talk her conversion; however, a few did convert, among
about religion with the young woman, who was be- them several children of her family-in-law. One young
coming increasingly aware of the soundness of the girl even had to leave her parents’ home and take ref-
Catholic faith: “They possess God in the Sacrament, uge with Elizabeth when she converted. Elizabeth had
she said to herself… He remains in their churches. founded an academy for girls, but her conversion to
The other day, in a moment of excessive distress, I fell Catholicism caused her to lose all her students.
on my knees… when the Blessed Sacrament passed
by… and cried in an agony to God to bless me, if He She considered emigrating to Canada where
were really there.” She also experienced the maternity Catholics were more numerous. However, Bishop
of the Blessed Virgin: “May we find Him more surely Caroll and Father Cheverus, who wanted to found
through His Mother!” Catholic institutions, did not forget her. In 1807, the
Pope erected four new dioceses in the United States,

22 MICHAEL May/June/July 2024 www.michaeljournal.org