History of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

1774 - 1821

She was born on August 28, 1774 as Elizabeth Bayley to a prominent Anglican family in New York City. During her life, she was a wife a mother, a widow, a sole parent, educator, social minister, and spiritual leader.

After converting to the Catholic faith, Elizabeth Ann Seton founded the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph's, the first new community for religious women to be established in the United States. She opened the Saint Joseph's Free School in 1810 as the first free Catholic school for girls staffed by sisters in the country. Saint Joseph's Academy began a few months later with the addition of boarding pupils who paid tuition which enabled the Sisters of Charity to subsidize their charitable mission. The Saint Joseph's Academy and Free School formed the cradle of Catholic education in the United States.

The legacy she west now includes six religious communities with more than 5,000 members, hundreds, of schools, social service centers, and hospitals throughout America and around the world. Her works led her to be canonized on Sunday, September 14th, 1975, in Saint Peter's Square, by Pope Paul VI. She is the first native-born North American to be canonized. Her remains are entombed in the Basilica that bears her name.

Parish History:

October 1983	Rev. Jarlath Heneghan appointed Pastor of St. Brendan's Satellite Parish
November 1983	Services held at Silver Lake Elementary School
February 1984	Services held at newly-leased space at Marketplace Shopping Center
March 1985	Rev. Oliver F. Duggan assigned as Pastor
June 1987	First Mass in the new St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church
October 1987	Dedication of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church by Archbishop Raymond G. Hunthausen
September 1991	Dedication of the Colon Center for Religious Education classrooms
June 1996	25th Jubilee Celebration of Rev. Oliver F. Duggan's Ordination
June 2000	Dedication of Seton House by Archbishop Alex J. Brunett
August 2000	Rev. Eusebio Elizondo M.Sp.S. assigned as Pastor and Reverend Jorge Gomez del Valle M.Sp.S. assigned as Parochial Vicar
June 2005	Rev. Eusebio Elizondo ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle
July 2005	Rev. Conrad Aquino, MSpS assigned as Priest Administrator
July 2006	Rev. Agustin Rodriguez, MSpS assigned as Parochial Vicar
July 2008	Rev. Edgar Sanchez, MSpS assigned as Priest Administrator
January 2009	Decon Jose Ugalde ordained to Rev. Jose Ugalde MS.p.S.