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Dialing in Prayers:Seton Shrine Runs Successful Prayer Hotline

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When the world shut down last year because of the pandemic, the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton decided it was time to reach outward.

The question was how, when for a time, people couldn’t even visit the Shrine in Emmitsburg. The answer was simple, profound, and one that Mother Seton, America’s first native-born saint, would have appreciated: Pray.

So, buoyed by dedicated staff members and seminarians from nearby Mount St. Mary’s, the Shrine created a prayer hotline last April that has proven so successful that it plans to continue well after COVID-19 has receded. More than 2,000 calls have been logged, and many of them have turned into relationships that have changed the lives of people on both ends of the line.

“We are sometimes the only ones they talk to; the only ones who say their name,” says Rebecca Corbell, evangelization programs manager at the Shrine. “Having that connection, having a person who knows your name, builds a relationship that is so powerful.”

And this effort isn’t limited to just calls. One of the staff members on this project writes to 12 death row inmates a week. The hotline team also proactively calls people in the Shrine’s vast database to see if they need prayers.

“It’s a way to do pastoral work and to be with people amid the pandemic,” says Christopher Feist, a seminarian from Leonardtown.

The prayer hotline is part of the extensive evangelization efforts of the Shrine, as it marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Mother Seton. In January, the Shrine released Seeker to Saint, a film on her life. Other short films on various aspects of her life and spirituality will be released later this year.

“The Shrine is a basilica, a museum and the real home of a saint, and we have a mission as a place of prayer and pilgrimage to draw people closer to our Lord,” says Rob Judge, executive director of the Shine. “Through programs like the prayer hotline, we connect people to Mother Seton and a life and legacy that is relatable and inspiring. She is a true saint for our times, and we increasingly find that her message resonates with people today.”

The seminarians who attend Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and hail from the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. said they jumped at the chance to participate in the program. “We wanted the experience of being with people and to bring their concerns to God and to show we care and to bring God’s love to them,” Feist said.

The idea of cold-calling people—not to sell them anything but to offer to pray with them—can be intimidating. But in the end, “you’re going to connect with people who Jesus wants you to and nobody else,” said Benedict Radich, from Rockville.

Sometimes the reaction is “are you sure you’re not asking me for money?” said Caleb Gaeng, another seminarian from Bowie. “But it’s beautiful to be with someone who God has put me with; someone who needs prayers at just that moment.”

Prayer requests deal with everything from loneliness and illnesses to issues with jobs, families and addiction, said Karen McGrath of Taneytown and the first person hired on the prayer team. “People need to tell their stories,” she said. “Part of this is just standing with them before God, asking for the things they need.”

She recalls how one man called in January and was distraught. She tried to express how he needed to see how God is with us and in each other.

Recently he called back to say that her advice helped and “that he was able to look at Jesus and say ‘thank you.’”

A prayer ministry comes easy to her, she says. She’s the mother of five sons and a daughter – “so I pray a lot.”

As for the future, the Shrine now sees the hotline – borne in the depths of the pandemic — as an essential part of its mission, Corbell says.

“These are our people,” she says. “We need to be doing this.”

To contact the prayer hotline, call 1-866-202-4934 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT or visit the prayer request page of the Shrine website.

For more information about the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, please visit www.setonshrine.org.

Seton Artifacts Arrive at Seton Shrine

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To commemorate the bicentennial of Elizabeth Ann Seton’s death, the Sisters of Charity of New York have donated artifacts of their Elizabeth Ann Seton to the Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg.

Sr. Donna Dodge, president of the Sisters of Charity of New York, said in a press release about the donation, “These treasures have always had a great significance for us. It is with great joy that we send them on a new mission where more people can appreciate them and draw closer to Mother Seton.”

The artifacts were unveiled and blessed during an event at the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in March. The items will be featured in a special exhibit this summer.

“Our mission, of course, is to promote the life and the legacy of Elizabeth Ann Seton as a source of inspiration and as a source of hope,” said Rob Judge, executive director of the shrine, in a press release. “These artifacts are a tremendous contribution to our ability to tell her story and cover the themes that were important to her in her life and make her relevant today as an example, as an intercessor and a friend from heaven.”

The artifacts include:

Hand-painted wedding porcelain miniatures of Elizabeth Ann Seton and husband, William Magee Seton;

A gold-filigree Seton family brooch worn by Seton on her wedding day;

Seton’s portable writing desk;

The christening gown Seton sewed for her daughter, Catherine;

Seton’s rosary and crucifix;

A tea chest with inlaid decoration that belonged to Seton’s father, Dr. Richard Bayley; and

Seton’s cap, shaw, and belt.

Judge said the artifacts will help tell Seton’s story and her struggles and help people relate to her. “The more she’s relatable, the more she becomes an example, an inspiration, and a friend in heaven for those who visit the shrine or participate in our print and online programs. Mother Seton endured many of the challenges we are enduring in 2021, and therefore provides hope for our nation and the world.”

The shrine’s basilica was dedicated in 1965, and Seton was canonized as America’s first native-born saint in 1975. Her remains were then transferred from the cemetery to the basilica. Pope John Paul II designated it a Minor Basilica in 1991.

The christening gown Seton sewed for her daughter, Catherine

Seton’s rosary and crucifix.

200th Anniversary of Mother Seton Celebrated at Seton Shrine

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“Valley of Blessings” Joins World in Celebration of Local Saint

Anita DiGregory

“Elizabeth Ann Seton is a saint. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is an American. All of us say this with special joy, and with the intention of honoring the land and the nation from which she sprang forth as the first flower in the calendar of the saints. Elizabeth Ann Seton was wholly American! Rejoice for your glorious daughter. Be proud of her. And know how to preserve her fruitful heritage.”—Pope Paul VI, in his homily from the canonization of Elizabeth Ann Seton, September 14, 1975.

The first canonized saint born in America, Mother Seton (as she is still fondly known) remains a saint for our country, our world, and our times. A convert, wife, mother, and founder of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph, the first community for religious women established in the United States, Mother Seton remains today a beacon of hope in a time of pandemic, isolation, and uncertainty. 

On January 4, 2021, the world will celebrate St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s feast day and the 200th anniversary of her death. Locally, the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton will kick off a year-long celebration of this momentous anniversary with a commemorative Mass celebrated by Archbishop William E. Lori of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The Mass, scheduled for 11:30 a.m., will be aired live on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network). Father Ted Trinko will celebrate an additional Mass at 1:30 p.m. that day.

Lori, who at the time of Seton’s canonization was studying to become a priest at Mount St. Mary’s seminary, recalls the day Seton became a saint. He and his fellow seminarians helped the Sisters of Charity coordinate the celebrations in Emmitsburg.

“Looking back on it, I’m not sure that we were much help to the sisters,” joked Lori. “But, I certainly remember how happy we were, how excited we were that a saint, who so loved Emmitsburg and who so loved the grotto, and who knew our seminary, and was the first saint born in the United States…we were so excited about all these things unfolding before us.”

Mother Seton had a deep love for the Catoctin Mountains and Valley, referring to the area as the “Valley of Blessings.” It was here that she walked, and prayed, and served the community. It was in Emmitsburg, in the heart of the Catoctin Valley, where she founded St. Joseph’s Academy and Free School, the first free Catholic school for girls staffed by sisters in the United States.  Here is where Mother Seton’s religious community flourished, and she wrote, “Our community increases very fast, and no doubt will do a great deal of good in the care of the sick and instruction of children, which is our chief business.”

The Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph inspired the formation of other communities across North America. Today, her legacy continues as the religious sisters of these communities serve the poor, assist the needy, care for the sick, and educate the young, just as Mother Seton did in countries throughout the world.

“Mother Seton sent sisters out across the country, who in turn have gone out across the world, and they’ve built hospitals and schools and orphanages—all of that came out of our community here,” said Rob Judge, executive director of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. “The first American-born person to be canonized as a saint, she’s a saint of the universal church, which of course is international—Emmitsburg’s own, so to speak, has an international footprint. That’s a reflection on the community, and they rightly should have a lot of pride in that recognition.”

Now, on this 200th anniversary, the town of Emmitsburg will join with the world to once again celebrate Mother Seton. In addition to the commemorative Masses, The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton will be hosting a year-long celebration honoring this anniversary and “Two Centuries of Charity.”

On January 4, the Shrine will premiere the new and inspiring film, “Elizabeth Ann Seton:  Seeker to Saint.” Every Saturday throughout the winter, the Shrine will offer free tours of Mother Seton’s historic homes, in addition to exclusive, live virtual tours. They will offer a free, downloadable, spiritual biography, as well as a deep discount on Annabelle M. Melville’s book, Elizabeth Bayley Seton. The year-long celebration has a few surprises in store and promises some big news coming soon. More information on these upcoming events can be found at setonshrine.org/200years.

The Shrine strives to continue Mother Seton’s legacy through prayer, community outreach and support, education, and programs. Some of their newest initiatives include creating a prayer line (where the public can call, and trained staff can offer prayer and outreach), the Seeds of Hope program (offering assistance and support to the community), virtual learning, pilgrimage, educational and spiritual podcasts, and tours that bring guests “back in time” (utilizing adult and junior history interpreters).

“Our goal is to foster devotion to Mother Seton, to continue her legacy, and to make sure that her work remains in the minds and hearts of all,” adds Judge. “This is more than the story of how Elizabeth Ann Seton became an American saint. It’s about a woman who changed the world, the lives she touched, and a legacy that lives on today. That’s why visitors of all backgrounds are drawn here, and why we welcome everyone to share in this celebration.”

Journey Back In Time at the Seton Shrine

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James Rada Jr.

It’s 1818, and a shipment of straw bonnets has just arrived at Sis. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s free school in Emmitsburg. The young girls sit in their school room decorating their bonnets with ribbon as they talk about their lives, whether she is a daughter of a farming family in town or the granddaughter of one of the wealthiest men in the country.

The 1818 Experience at the Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg is a living history experience at the Stone Farmhouse and White House on the grounds.

At the 1750 farmhouse, you meet living history interpreters, portraying Sisters Sally Thompson and Bridgette Farrow, who take you on a tour of the first permanent home in Emmitsburg for Seton and her sisters. They show you where the small home was added onto and the room where Seton slept and the first small chapel for the sisters.

It was also in this house that Seton founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s on July 31, 1809.

At the White House, a class of young girls is comprised of girls from town families and those who are boarding at the school. This is the building where the first free Catholic school for girls was founded, and it eventually grew into St. Joseph’s College.

An interpreter portraying Sis. Elizabeth explained that many of the boarders came from cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore because Mother Seton had “connections” in those cities.

“They knew their daughters could get a good education here and good skills needed to start a household,” Sis. Elizabeth said.

The 1818 Experience also allows you to watch the girls have fun with outdoor activities and take French lessons.

“Everything we can control, we try to keep period,” said Claire Bodine, group visits coordinator at the Seton Shrine.

The program makes uses of the junior history interpreters, a relatively new program at the shrine that trains youth in living history.

“They take workshops and classes to learn why what they do is important,” explained Bodine. “They also do instructional shadowing with experienced interpreters to learn how it is done.”

Bernadette Hahn, age 10, plays Catherine Walters, a student at the school. When her mom first signed her up for the program, all she knew was it had something to do with history. Now, after learning more about Walters and playing her during living history activities, Bernadette said, “I love it.”

Although the program chose a bad year because it had to deal with COVID-19 restrictions, it will be returning in the spring. The living history interpreters will be participating in the Candlelight Tours this month from December 11-19. These tours will take you into the homes on the grounds that are decorating for the holidays during the early 1800s. Visitors will learn about the Christmas traditions from Mother Seton’s time and can partake in hands-on activities.

Photos by James Rada, Jr.

Junior history interpreters get ready to play students at the White House at the Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg.

Living history interpreters play sisters Sally Thompson and Bridgette Farrow at the Stone House at the Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg.

Seton Shrine Chat with an Author Series Highlights Local Mom

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Anita DiGregory

Are you a struggling mom? Do you feel like you are failing? Do you feel like your efforts are never quite good enough? If so, local mom and author Colleen Duggan has some practical and spiritual advice for you. On April 29, 2018, in honor of Mother’s Day, the Seton Shrine hosted a “Chat with an Author,” featuring Duggan and her book, Good Enough is Good Enough: Confessions of an Imperfect Catholic Mom, which has a 5-star Amazon rating.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native-born U.S. saint, faced many struggles in her life. Because Mother Seton was a young wife, mother, and resident of Emmitsburg, the Seton Shrine was thrilled to invite Duggan to share her message with the community. The event, which was well attended, included a talk, a question and answer session with the audience, a book signing, and refreshments. The free event was the third in the series, with the next talk (featuring Thirty-Three Breaths: A Little Book on Meditation author Father Jack Lombardi) scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on August 19, 2018.

Duggan, a wife and mother herself, was happy to meet with the community and share her personal “confessions” on imperfect motherhood. In a refreshingly humble and honest manner, Duggan shared stories from her life and the lessons she has gathered along the way. As a woman who has struggled with the challenges of trying to be the “perfect” wife and mother, Duggan communicated the hopes, fears, joys, and sufferings of her journey thus far.

With the honesty of a best friend, Duggan invites her reader into her life. With all of her “confessions” as separate chapters (including I Don’t Know How to Master Motherhood, I Don’t Always Take Care of Myself as I Should, I Don’t Know How to Keep My Kids Catholic, I Don’t Like Watching My Children Suffer, and I Sometimes Compare Myself with Other Parents), Duggan tackles each heart-wrenching subject with a humble and honest approach, interspersing advice from spiritual advisors, counselors, and saints.

In addition to sharing her stories and lessons with the reader, she has questions for reflection at the end of each chapter. Another unique element of the book is that each chapter ends in a heartfelt prayer for moms struggling with that particular “confession.”

Duggan adds, “Maybe you feel like everything is up to you, that you have to get everything right or you’ll destroy your kids’ lives. Maybe you think creating perfect Catholics, who stay Catholic, is something you can control. Maybe you struggle with doing everything “right” but know the ill effect of this approach to life.  If so, this book is for you.”

Those looking for helpful, friendly advice on motherhood can also reference Duggan’s blog at Colleenmurphyduggan.com. In addition, you can find her photography and a free, downloadable group study guide for Good Enough is Good Enough: Confessions of an Imperfect Catholic Mom on the site.

Colleen Duggan discusses her book, Good Enough is Good Enough: Confessions of an Imperfect Catholic Mom, at Seton Shrine Chat with an Author Series in April.