St. Elizabeth Ann Seton – A Collection of Her Wisdom in Thirty Quotations

During her life, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton played many roles serving others in the imitation of Christ. In honor of her feast day, here are thirty quotes from the saint whose labors as a wife, mother, nurse, educator and religious instilled in her extraordinary intelligence, insight, wisdom and faith.

Live simply, so that all may simply live.

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The gate of heaven is very low; only the humble can enter it.

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The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly to do it because it is his will.

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If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate... Much harm may result from bad company, and we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse than what is better.

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The accidents of life separate us from our dearest friends, but let us not despair. God is like a looking glass in which souls see each other. The more we are united to Him by love, the nearer we are to those who belong to Him.

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Faith lifts the soul, hope supports it, experience says it must and Love says... let it be!

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Our Lord Himself I saw in this venerable Sacrament... I felt as if my chains fell, as those of St. Peter at the touch of the Divine messenger. My God, what new scenes for my soul!

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We must often draw the comparison between time and eternity. This is the remedy of all our troubles. How small will the present moment appear when we enter that great ocean.

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Disorder in the society is the result of disorder in the family.

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How sweet, the presence of Jesus to the longing, harassed soul! It is instant peace, and balm to every wound.

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The love of talk distracts all the powers of our soul from God, and fills them with earthly objects and impressions, like a vessel of water that cannot be settled while you are continually stirring the earthly particles from the bottom.

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Afflictions are the steps to heaven.

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Be attentive to the voice of grace.

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I will go peaceably and firmly to the Catholic Church: for if Faith is so important to our salvation, I will seek it where true Faith first began, seek it among those who received it from God Himself.

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Can you expect to go to heaven for nothing? Did not our Savior track the whole way to it with His tears and blood? And yet you stop at every little pain.

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We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives - that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him.

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When so rich a harvest is before us, why do we not gather it? All is in our hands if we will but use it.

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Cheerfulness prepares a glorious mind for all the noblest acts.

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God is everywhere, in the very air I breathe, yes everywhere, but in His Sacrament of the Altar He is as present actually and really as my soul within my body; in His Sacrifice daily offered as really as once offered on the Cross.

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You think it very hard to lead a life of such restraint unless you keep your eye of faith always open. Perseverance is a great grace. To go on gaining and advancing every day, we must be resolute, and bear and suffer as our blessed forerunners did. Which of them gained heaven without a struggle?

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And in every disappointment, great or small, let your heart fly directly to your dear Savior, throwing yourself in those arms for refuge against every pain and sorrow. Jesus will never leave you or forsake you.

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God is everywhere, in the very air I breathe, yes everywhere, but in His Sacrament of the Altar He is as present actually and really as my soul within my body; in His Sacrifice daily offered as really as once offered on the Cross.

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