As the 50th anniversary of the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton nears (September 14, 2025) and the United States approaches its 250th, the Archives of the Daughters of Charity Province of St. Louise in collaboration with the Digital Commons at DePaul University announces the online publication of the first of many historic Bayley Seton family papers.
Among the initial digital offerings are numerous letters to and from St. Elizabeth Ann, Right Reverend John Carroll, and Antonio Filicchi (the family with whom St. Elizabeth, her husband William and eldest daughter Anna Maria, stayed in Italy in the hope of restoring William’s health). In upcoming online publications, researchers will find diary entries, spiritual writings, early documents related to the governance of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s (predecessor community to the Daughters of Charity in the U.S.), and correspondence of St. Elizabeth Ann with her children, family, and in-laws For each paper, researchers will have access to a photo of the original document as well as a transcription.
Publication of these papers is a project that will extend throughout 2025 and 2026. Manuscripts currently available may be accessed online at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/seton_family_papers/.