St. Elizabeth Ann

As part of my confirmation, I will take a saints name. This saint becomes the heavenly patron that I will set as my role model. My sponsor has been my "role model" throught the converting process, but as I begin my Catholic life, St. Elizabeth Ann will be my guide.

Just any saint would not do. Many Catholics pick a saint of a certain talent or profession, such as St. Thomas More, the patron saint of lawyers, or other saints with personal meaning in their lives. My sponsor, Lilla, whose family is from Sicily, chose the patron saint of Palermo, St. Roalia.

Looking through the hundreds of saints, I'd been partial to the name Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the middle name of my grandmother, who was raised Catholic and shares the same birthday with me. While there are multiple St. Elizabeth's, all with amazing lives, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

As I read through her profile online, I realized that I had found the perfect confirmation name.

Elizabeth Seton was the first American to be canonized, made a saint, by the Catholic Church.

Like myself, Elizabeth was not raised Catholic.

After the death of her husband, Elizabeth, who had inherited her husband's seven half-brothers and sisters, was deeply concerned about the spiritual life of her family and friends. Having moved the family to Italy in hopes of bettering her husbands faith, Elizabeth was introduced to the Catholic Church by friends.

Elizabeth's longing for the Bread of Life led her to join the Catholic Church.

While her life as a Catholic is just as intriguing as the events that led to her conversion, I was immediately comforted when I read the previous sentence.

She had a longing for the "Bread of Life." In the past month, I have been yearning for the day that I can receive Eucharist.

St. Elizabeth Ann will be the heavenly patron that will guide me through Catholic life.