The National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland, celebrated the 50th anniversary of St. Elizabeth’s canonization last month by inviting some special guests: over a dozen Guilds for American men and women in the canonization process.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is the first American-born saint to be canonized, but she will definitely not be the last.
The Seton Shrine reported that there are currently 11 canonized American saints, and another 87 causes currently in process.
As part of their 50th anniversary celebration, the Seton Shrine prepared a “Who’s the Next Saint” panel that highlighted a selection of the many American Blesseds, Venerables, and Servants of God.
This panel was so popular that the Shrine decided to invite representatives from the Guilds of American canonization causes to attend the festival on the anniversary of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s canonization.
The litany is not long enough!
Seventeen canonization causes were represented in person and another nine sent materials about the causes. Visitors to the festival had the opportunity to learn more about these holy men and women and where they are on the path to canonization.
Some faces are widely recognizable, such as Founder of the Knights of Columbus Blessed Michael McGivney, activist Servant of God Dorothy Day, and television personality Venerable Fulton Sheen.
Others may be less known, but getting to know them shows how they each witnessed to Christ in their own lives and communities and were known for their personal virtue and holiness.
Why introduce all of these different holy men and women? The Seton Shrine was very clear about the connection between all of these holy Americans and American Catholics today.
“The litany of saints is long, but not long enough! It needs all these people — and YOU!” their website reads.
Indeed, the many different men and women represented gave participants plenty of opportunities to see how God calls each one of us to holiness.
Who are they?
Blessed Fr. Solanus Casey (1918-1963) wasn’t a great student, but he did have a great sense of humor. He played the violin, started a soup kitchen, and his last words were, “I give my soul to Jesus Christ.”
Servant of God Charlene Richard (1947-1958) died of lymphatic leukemia after only 11 years of life. But this Cajun sports-loving little girl heroically asked to pray for others as she was dying.
Then there’s Venerable Pierre Toussaint (1766-1853): a hairdresser, a father, a benefactor, a husband. And Servant of God Michelle Duppong (1984-2015), daughter of a farmer and a FOCUS missionary who died of cancer.
There are priests, religious sisters, married people, and single people on this list of holy Americans. Some were missionaries, some were prisoners, some were educators, and some died young. All dedicated their lives to Jesus.
The festival is over, but the 5oth Anniversary Special Exhibit, One of US: The Making of an American Saint, including the Who’s The Next Saint panel, is open to visitors until the end of 2025. For those who can’t visit Maryland, both the Seton Shrine website and the websites of many of the Guilds provide plenty of resources to get to know and learn from the "Saints on their Way."
You can take a look at our own list, which we try to keep updated:
And review the canonization process below:
