St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Pope Paul VI, when he preached at the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, spoke these words: "She is a saint!... Rejoice for your glorious daughter." Born in 1774, just as our nation was stirring in preparation for its own birth, little would indicate that some two hundred years later this delicate infant, born in wealth and raised in the society of the established elite, would be raised to the honor of the altar by the Vicar of Christ on the site of the martyrdom of St. Peter...

Read the rest on Fr. Phillips' blog Atonement Online.

Royal relation Father Ignatius Spencer could become a saint

A distant relative of Princes William and Harry has moved a step closer to becoming a saint.

A Vatican investigation has declared that Father Ignatius Spencer, who is buried in Merseyside, lived a life of "heroic virtue".

The priest, who is buried in the church of St Anne and Blessed Dominic, in St Helens, was a great, great, great uncle of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Rome has to verify two claimed medical cures to declare someone a saint.

Father Ben Lodge CP, who is responsible for promoting Father Spencer's cause, said the Vatican's move was "good news".

Born George Spencer in 1799, he was the youngest child of the second Earl Spencer, who was First Lord of the Admiralty at the time.

Noted preacher
He grew up at Althorp, where Diana Princess of Wales is now buried, and was an Anglican clergyman in the area before his conversion to the Roman Catholic Church scandalised some sections of Victorian society...

Read the rest at the BBC online.

Hat tip to Deacon Greg Kandra at The Deacon's Bench.

St. Therese at work

Fr. Ernie Davis, pastor of St. Therese Church in Kansas City, which is the home of the Anglican Use community of the Our Lady of Hope Society, has posted an interesting letter from Bishop Wilkinson of the TAC's Canadian church.

I received the following note today from another convinced that St. Therese is "spending her heaven doing good on earth."
Dear Father Davis,
Your story about the Anglican Ordinariate and St Therese (which came to me via England this morning) is very interesting. And I can tell you another connexion with her...

Read the rest at Fr. Davis' blog, How Can I Keep from Singing?.