Celebrating St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Feast Day January 4: A Legacy of Compassion and Service

On January 4th, we celebrate the feast day of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first canonized saint in the United States and a pioneering figure in the history of parochial education and charitable service. Her legacy and dedication to helping the poor and underserved continue to inspire and guide the vital work we undertake at St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, a ministry founded by the Daughters of Charity.

Elizabeth Ann Seton, as the foundress of the American Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s, dedicated her life to serving those in need. She saw the inherent dignity and value in everyone, especially vulnerable women and children. Under her guidance, the early sisters of her community embraced Vincentian principles that directed their mission beyond education to include caring for orphans, operating hospitals, and providing other essential social services.

Connecting the past to our present work, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels lives out the vision that St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the Daughters of Charity championed: providing food and love to the hungry and homebound in Los Angeles. The choice of the Vincentian rule in Elizabeth’s life reflects our shared mission of service to the poor and our community.

Today, we honor St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s remarkable life of charity and service by reaffirming our commitment to addressing the unmet needs of the vulnerable as she once did. As the Daughters of Charity, founded by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, inspired Elizabeth, we in turn draw inspiration to continue this critical work.

May St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s legacy inspire us all to embrace our calling to feed the hungry, offer companionship to the lonely, and serve our neighbors with love, respect, and dignity, so that everyone in our community may thrive.

Join us as we celebrate her feast day and continue her mission of mercy and love through the work of St. Vincent Meals on Wheels.