The Practice of Spiritual Direction In the Life and Writings of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

524 Pages·2010·4.41 MB·English

by  Shin Ja Lee

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

The Practice of Spiritual Direction
In the Life and Writings of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Faculty of the
School of Theology and Religious Studies
Of The Catholic University of America
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy

©
Copyright
All Rights Reserved
By
Shin Ja Lee

Washington. D. C.

2010
The Practice of Spiritual Direction
In the Life and Writings of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Shin Ja Lee, Ph. D.
Director: Raymond Studzinski, OSB, Ph. D.
Elizabeth Ann Seton became the first North American-born saint in 1975 and her
sainthood was a fruit of her spiritual formation in the Episcopal and the Catholic Church.
That formation qualified her as a spiritual director to her contemporaries. This
dissertation examined what characterized her reception and practice of spiritual direction
through an analysis of her letters, journals, meditations, her translations and works she
copied.
Part one of this dissertation begins with research on the North American Catholic
spirituality of the 19th century in Elizabeth’s time and continues with an investigation of
Elizabeth’s reception of spiritual direction. Part two investigates Elizabeth’s
qualifications as a spiritual director and her practice of spiritual direction of her
contemporaries. In conclusion, this dissertation presents an analysis and evaluation of
Elizabeth’s spiritual direction.
This dissertation demonstrates the nature of Elizabeth’s spiritual direction as
incarnational which was also characteristic of the “Garden of the Soul Spirituality” of her
time, as exemplified in Richard Challoner’s Garden of the Soul (1773). The prominent
themes in her spiritual direction were the formation of faith, hope, and love via the
process of conversion of heart, right discernment, and the Christ-centered life. She used
the Scripture and spiritual writings including those of the Church Fathers as resources for
her spiritual direction.
This dissertation claims that Elizabeth was a qualified spiritual director and her
practice of spiritual direction contributed to the enrichment of the ministry of spiritual
direction. Her biblical, Eucharistic, liturgical, and ecclesiastical piety led individuals to
deepen their spiritual life by following her example of piety. Her emphasis on the Christ-
centered life in her spiritual direction offered insight on the method and goal of spiritual
formation. Her method of spiritual direction via her letters and writings contributed to the
ministry of spiritual direction by encouraging individuals by their own letters and
spiritual reflections to aid others in deepening their spiritual life.

For Sister Marlene Mondalek and
The Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill

and

For My Mother and Family
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………………………………………………………… viii
Chapter

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………. 1
PART I. ELIZABETH SETON’S RECEPTION OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

1. NORTH AMERICAN CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY:
ELIZABETH SETON’S TIME (1774-1821)……………………………………. 7

1. Catholicism in North America in the Colonial Period ………………………. 8

2. Catholicism in the Republican Period………………………………………… 19

3. The Birth of the American Catholic Church…………………………………. 24

4. Garden of the Soul Spirituality in the Time of Elizabeth Seton…………………. 39

5. Summary …………………………………………………………………………… 49

2. ELIZABETH SETON’S SPIRITUAL GROWTH
IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH………………………………………………………. . 50

1. Elizabeth Seton’s Spiritual Growth in the First State of Her Life…………… 50

Initial Formation of Faith, Hope and Love
in the Experience of God as Abba ……………………………………… 53

Cultural Formation in Elizabeth’s Education and Social Life…………….. 65

Spiritual Growth in the Life of Social Service and Prayer………………… 73

2. Spiritual Growth in the Second Stage of Her Life:
Spiritual Growth under Influence of Rev. John Henry Hobart ……………….. 80

3. Summary ……………………………………………………………………... 110

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Chapter

3. ELIZABETH SETON’S SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN
THE VIRTUOUS LIFE IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH UNDER
THE GUIDANCE OF THE FILICCHI BROTHERS…………………………….. 112

1. Elizabeth Seton’s Spiritual Growth under
the Guidance of the Filicchi Brothers ……………………………………….. 112

2. Summary …………………………………………………………………….. 175

4. ELIZABETH SETON’S SPIRITUAL GROWTH TOWARD
UNION WITH GOD UNDER GUIDANCE OF THE CLERGY………………… 181

1. Elizabeth Seton’s Spiritual Growth under the Guidance of
Bishop John Cheverus……………………………………………………….. 184

2. Elizabeth Seton’s Spiritual Growth under the Guidance of
Archbishop of John Carroll …………………………………………………. 220

3. Elizabeth Seton’s Spiritual Growth under the Guidance of
Rev. Simon Gabriel Bruté ………………………………………………….. 263

4. Summary ………………………………………………………………......... 305
PART II. ELIZABETH SETON’S PRACTICE OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

5. ELIZABETH SETON’S ROLE AS A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR………………. 314
1. Elizabeth Seton’s Role as a Spiritual director ……………………………… 317

A Facilitator of Conversion to the Life of Faith:
Formation of Faith …………………………………………………… 320

A Co-Discerner for One's Vocation in Life:
Formation of Hope …………………………………………………… 327

An Advocate of the Christ-Centered Life in the Church:
Formation of Love ………………………………………………….. 337

2. Elizabeth Seton’s Qualifications as a Spiritual Director …………………. 346

3. Summary …………………………………………………………………. 350

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Chapter

6. ELIZABETH SETON’S SPIRITUAL DIRECTION 1:
CONVERSION TO THE LIFE OF FAITH…………………………………… 355

1. The Ultimate Goal of Human Life………………..……………………… 358

2. The Pure Intention……………………………………………………….. 367

3. The Word of God………………………………………………………… 370

4. Living in The Presence of God…………………………………………... 382

Prayer Life…………………………………………………………….. 388

Look Up……………………………………………………………….. 395

The Sacramental Life…………………………………………………. 399

5. Summary………………………………………………………………… 410

7. ELIZABETH SETON’S SPIRITUAL DIRECTION 2:
DISCERNMENT IN ONE’S VOCATION IN LIFE………………………… 413

1. Discernment in the light of the Holy Spirit…………………………...... 414

2. Discernment according to the Will of God……………………………… 418

3. The Discernment of Spirits……………………………………………… 431

4. Discernment Concerning the Knowledge of Self and of God…………… 436

5. The Discernment of One’s Outlook based on
Senses, Mind, and Will…………………………………………………….. 441

6. Discernment in Light of Eternal and Global Vision
and Psychological Insight………………………………………………….. 445

7.Summary………………………………………………………………… 455

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Chapter

8. ELIZABETH SETON’S SPIRITUAL DIRECTION 3:
THE CHRIST-CENTERED LIFE …………………………………………… 457

1. Imitation of Jesus Christ………………………………………………… 458

2. Participation in the Passion of Jesus Christ…………………………....... 469

3. Serving Jesus Christ in His People……………………………………… 482
4. Summary……………………………………………………………....... 494
9. CONCLUSION: THE ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF
ELIZABETH’s SPIRITUAL DIRECTION…………………………………………. 498
BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………….... 509

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude and acknowledge the following people
who helped me in various ways so that I could complete this dissertation:
- To Sister Marlene Mondalek, S.C. and the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and to
my family for their continual encouragement and support which enabled me to write this
dissertation.
- To Rev. Raymond Studzinski, O.S.B. who continually directed my writing,
patiently critiquing each chapter and offering recommendations, affirmation and insight
which enabled me to complete this work.
-To. Rev. James Wiseman, O.S.B. and Rev. Regis Armstrong, OFM Cap. who
offered their precious time for reading my dissertation and important advice for this work.
-To Msgr. Robert Trisco and Sister Mary Elizabeth O’Brien who offered their
insightful wisdom and contributed to the completion of this dissertation.
-To Sister Betty Ann McNeil, D.C., archivist of the Daughters of Charity
Emmitsburg, MD., who provided the manuscripts of the letters to Elizabeth from her
spiritual directors which are cited in this dissertation. I also am grateful to Sister Betty
Ann's archival assistants, Bonnie Weatherly, Selin James and Mary Ann Weatherly.
-To Sister Claire Debes, D.C with her provincial council and to Sister Vincentia
Goeb, D.C. and the Sisters of the Bethany Community of the Daughters of Charity who
offered me a home and loving care during the writing of my dissertation.
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