St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine begins two years of celebration, marking two anniversaries

On June 5–6, the shrine in Emmitsburg will host walking pilgrims who are headed toward the National Eucharistic Congress. The pilgrims will participate in two days of prayer and service at the shrine. 

There are four pilgrimage routes headed toward the congress in July, and the Eastern route that stops at the shrine is called the “Seton Route” named after the saint. 

Pilgrims stopping at the shrine will also get the chance to watch a new short film on the saint’s devotion to the Eucharist and the role the sacrament played in her conversion. 

The shrine said in a press release that the film is a follow-up to its video series “Seeker to Saint,” which celebrated the 200th anniversary of her death. 

Judge said the shrine’s goal is to advertise the short film on social media and through its partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress so that the reach will be “leveraged much past the physical destination of the shrine.”

Additionally, the Seton shrine has plans to develop more media in the form of videos and articles in the coming years to focus on the trials of Seton, her devotion to the Church and the Eucharist, and how her life relates to those from different walks of life today. 

Finally, the shrine will be expanding its ministry, Seeds of Hope, to the disadvantaged. A full-time coordinator has been hired to run the program established in 2018 and will begin to offer two retreats each month. 

“At each Seeds of Hope retreat, the most vulnerable among us have the opportunity to visit the Shrine where Mother Seton is entombed. Each retreat is almost entirely subsidized, with transportation, meals, and fees largely covered by the Seton Shrine and generous donors,” the website says. 

Judge said that Seeds of Hope partners with both Catholic and non-Catholic groups that directly serve the poor to offer those populations an all-expense-paid trip to the shrine for a retreat. 

“Elizabeth Ann Seton founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph, and their charism is serving the poor,” he said. “So it puts us in line with her charism. And we just think it’s the right thing for a shrine to do.”