Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
Encyclopedia
The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth are a Roman Catholic
apostolic congregation of pontifical right, based in the Convent Station
area of Morris Township
, New Jersey
. The stated purpose of the order is to show the love of Jesus Christ in serving those in need, especially the poor. The religious order was established in 1859 in Newark, New Jersey
, following the example of Elizabeth Ann Seton
's community that was founded during 1808 in Emmitsburg, Maryland
. The first bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
, James Roosevelt Bayley
, a nephew of Elizabeth Ann Seton, called for the establishment of a new regious order for women in that diocese based upon her work. Two members of the New York Sisters of Charity, Mary Xavier Mehegan
assisted by Mary Catherine Nevin, established the new order and chose to remain with the new congregation.
The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth founded the Academy of Saint Elizabeth, the first secondary school for young women in the state, near Morristown
in 1860 during the same year that they established their motherhouse at that location. Eventually, the nearby community became known as Convent Station
because of a railway station built during the 1870s with funds provided by the order, to accommodate their needs. In 1899 the religious order also established the College of Saint Elizabeth
on the same campus, becoming the first college for women in New Jersey and one of the first Catholic colleges in the United States to award degrees to women. The Saint Anne Villa is the retirement facility on the campus for members of the order. Later in 1935 the Sisters of Charity also sponsored a second academy, Marylawn of the Oranges, a college preparatory school for young women in the Essex County area.
The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth congregation is one of the independent groups among a federation of Sisters of Charity
that formed in 1947.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
apostolic congregation of pontifical right, based in the Convent Station
Convent Station, New Jersey
Convent Station is an unincorporated area within Morris Township, Morris County, New Jersey, east of Morristown.-History:The community is named after, and contains, the railroad station established during the 1870s to serve the complex of the Academy of Saint Elizabeth, a Catholic school operated...
area of Morris Township
Morris Township, New Jersey
Morris Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 21,796. It is known as the "doughnut" around Morristown since it completely encapsulates it, and has at least five times the area...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The stated purpose of the order is to show the love of Jesus Christ in serving those in need, especially the poor. The religious order was established in 1859 in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, following the example of Elizabeth Ann Seton
Elizabeth Ann Seton
Saint Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church . She established Catholic communities in Emmitsburg, Maryland....
's community that was founded during 1808 in Emmitsburg, Maryland
Emmitsburg, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
. The first bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
, James Roosevelt Bayley
James Roosevelt Bayley
James Roosevelt Bayley was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the first Bishop of Newark and the eighth Archbishop of Baltimore .-Early life and education:...
, a nephew of Elizabeth Ann Seton, called for the establishment of a new regious order for women in that diocese based upon her work. Two members of the New York Sisters of Charity, Mary Xavier Mehegan
Mary Xavier Mehegan
Mary Xavier Mehegan started the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and founded New Jersey's first four-year women's college.She immigrated from Ireland to New York in 1842. She joined the Sisters of Charity of New York in 1847, and in 1857 began work in New Jersey. The Sisters of Charity of New...
assisted by Mary Catherine Nevin, established the new order and chose to remain with the new congregation.
The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth founded the Academy of Saint Elizabeth, the first secondary school for young women in the state, near Morristown
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
in 1860 during the same year that they established their motherhouse at that location. Eventually, the nearby community became known as Convent Station
Convent Station, New Jersey
Convent Station is an unincorporated area within Morris Township, Morris County, New Jersey, east of Morristown.-History:The community is named after, and contains, the railroad station established during the 1870s to serve the complex of the Academy of Saint Elizabeth, a Catholic school operated...
because of a railway station built during the 1870s with funds provided by the order, to accommodate their needs. In 1899 the religious order also established the College of Saint Elizabeth
College of Saint Elizabeth
The College of Saint Elizabeth is a private Roman Catholic, four-year, liberal arts college for women. It is located in an unincorporated community called Convent Station, in Morris Township, New Jersey...
on the same campus, becoming the first college for women in New Jersey and one of the first Catholic colleges in the United States to award degrees to women. The Saint Anne Villa is the retirement facility on the campus for members of the order. Later in 1935 the Sisters of Charity also sponsored a second academy, Marylawn of the Oranges, a college preparatory school for young women in the Essex County area.
The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth congregation is one of the independent groups among a federation of Sisters of Charity
Sisters of Charity Federation in the Vincentian-Setonian Tradition
The Sisters of Charity Federation in the Vincentian-Setonian Tradition is an organization of 13 congregations of religious women in the Catholic Church who trace their lineage to Saint Elizabeth Seton, Saint Vincent de Paul and Saint Louise de Marillac....
that formed in 1947.
External links
- Official homepage
- More about the history of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
- Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth - Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
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