Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-07
AMERICAN TO Be SAINT
Qualifications of Mother Seton
Under Examination.
ONCE A SOCIETY BELLE
Turns for Consolation to Church on
Death Of Husband.
ORGANIZED ORDER OF CHARITY
Sisters Of st. Vincent de Paul Leased
Farm Near NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Much Privation.
ORDER OF CHARITY


lied, 1t Is proposed to add another woman.
and this time an American, to the calen-
dar of saints of the Roman Catholic
Church.
There Is only one American saint, Santa
Rosa de Lima. who was Isabel Morales.
the child Of humble parents. born at
Lima, Peru. in 1886. Her father was en-
ployed at the military barracks mending
guns and other weapons: her mother was
a peasant woman. sturdy, honest and de-
vout
From her childhood Isabel manifested
a deep religious spirit and as she grew
older devoted her life to the relief of the
poor and the healing of the sick. She
was known throughout Peru for her
piety. and many miraculous cures are
attributed to her.
Shortly after her death. In 1917. the
ecclesiastical authorities Of Lima petit
toned Pope Urban VIII for her canoniza-
ton. He sent a commission to Peru to in
vestigate. Her sanctity was established.
and upon the recommendation OF the sac
red college she was beatthed by Pope
Clement TX In 1858. and her name was
placed upon the calendar as Saint Rosa,
the name given her by the poor people of
Peru.
This was accomplished in a remarkably
short time but there was no opposition
The canonization OF Joan of Arc has been
under consideration for at least two hun
dred years. 1t has been opposed by many
Of the ablest men in the church on the
ground that she was condemned as
witch and sorceress by an ecclesiastical
court.
But finally the "Congregatio Sacrarum
Rituum,' which has charge of such mat
ters, became convinced of her martyrdom.
1t was understood that the decision of the
on fo
The efforts to canOnize Christopher Co
lumbus, which have been renewed periodi
cally for nearly two hundred years. have
failed. although it is said that the petit
tons In support Of them now lying In the
archives of the promoter fdei contain
more signatures than were ever presented
for any other purpose to the pope. The
reasons for rejecting Columbus are too
many to be overcome, chief being that ne
had an illegitimate son. Fernando, and
that the natives Of San Domingo suf-
fered horrible cruelties by his neglect or
Indifference.
Elizabeth Bayley Seton.
The American woman whom it is now
proposed to canonize is Elizabeth Bayley
tiers of Charity in the United States, at
Emmittsburg, Frederick county. Nd a
pleasant little town which lies just south
VI luc UOOAo0lS VI SihSJiSoAio hot ioi
from Gettysburg. Her claims have been
has charge Of such matters at the Vati-
can. and to the ''Congregatio Sacrarum
Rituum,' which has jurisdiction over
''causae Qualifications seu canoniza-
tionis"
This department Of the holy see. which
was founded January % 1857 consists Of
five cardinals. whose duties are:
Hooking after the observance and
improvement Of the ritual.
2.-Settling disputes about presidents
In professions and at divine worship.
3.-Conducting processes Of canoniza-
ton and Qualification which require
the most rigorous formality of procedure
At its head is a project and a pro-pre-
of the "Congregatio Indulgentiarum ct
ST. Reliuiqarum." The secretary, as
rule. Is a titular archbishop.
Then follow the oficales praelati:
The sacrtsta Of his holiness "a titular
bishop from the Augustianian Order). an
apostolic prothonotary. the dean and the
two senior auditors of the rota, the mag
lister sacri palatii (from the Dominican
Order). he promoter fidei: and the as
SCISSOR and sub-promotor f1dei.
Besides these to be considered, there are
also the magistri ceremoniarum pontif-
calium. the members Of the Congregation
of Rites, and the various auditors of the
rota are generally consulted upon ques-
Of consultors. who investigate the facts
concerning subjects for canontzatioD Is
ranged SO as to have all of the principal
religious orders represented.
The Investigations are broad and mi
mute. and there are eighty different steps
to be taken in the canoniZation procedure.
All matters are conducted with the strict
est secrecy. and the praelatt omciales,
persons connected with them are bound
by solemn oath.
The fact that q petition has been pre-
scented and that an INJURY is in progress
cannot, of course, be concealed and that
Is all we know about the movement to
canonize Mother Seton, founder Of the
Sisters of Charity of st. Vincent de Paul
In America.
Mother seton's Life.
She was born in New York August %.
1774, the daughter of a prominent physi-
clan. DR.. Richard Bayley. and Catharine
Carleton, sister of the famous Guy Garlic
ton. Her grandmother was Helen Roose-
Welt, daughter of James Roosevelt of New
York city. and it Is possible that she may
have been related to the President. The
Bayleys came from Norfolk county.
England, and DIR. Bayley was the brother
of two famous English bellies who occu-
pied a conspicuous position In English So
ciety for many years and appear In Lord
Il
| Misses Otrantos."
William Seton, who married Elizabeth
Bayley, was descended from the Earl Of
Winton. and his father was cashier OF
| the Bank OF New York before the revolu-
ton The latter remained loyal to the
English cause. and after independence
was established settled down as a mer-
chant in New York city and founded the
house of Seton, Maitland & Co., which
existed for several operations.
Once . Society Belle.
Before her marriage Elizabeth Seton
was q reigning belle in society. and at
the same time was devoted to good
works, visited the poor and was a mem
Der Of the Widows Society of New
York. which was composed Of men,
bers Of the Episcopal Church to which
she belonged.
In 1903, when she was twenty-nine
years OF age her husbands health
| failed, and she accompanied him to
Rome with her children. He died there
| a few weeks after their arrival, and in
her sorrow she first came under the
| influence Of the Roman Church.
Having little or no property. and
FIVE children to support she opened a