EMMITSBURG – More than 400 people helped the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton celebrate the 50th anniversary of St. Seton’s designation as the patroness of American service personnel who go to sea.
The Seton Shrine hosted its annual Pilgrimage and Mass for the Sea Services Oct. 5. The Emmitsburg gathering included active-duty personnel and veterans of the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and public health services, and their families.
The attendees came together at a special Mass to thank Mother Seton for her protection and to ask for her continued intercession for all Sea Services personnel. A meal followed.
The pilgrimage coincided with the 50th anniversary of Mother Seton’s canonization as the first native-born American saint Sept. 14.
Auxiliary Bishop Gregg M. Caggianelli of the Archdiocese for the Military Services was the principal celebrant and homilist of the Mass, which was televised by EWTN and co-sponsored by the Sea Services Sponsoring Committee and the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA.
Bishop Caggianelli, a chaplain colonel, is a former Air Force officer. On May 9, he became the first U.S. bishop to be ordained under Pope Leo XIV.
Monsignor James Watkins, son of Adm. James D. Watkins, one of the co-founders of the Sea Services Pilgrimage, was a concelebrant at the Mass.
In his homily, Bishop Caggianelli said, “Of course, all of you know the dangers and the perils, the restless waves – and the perils of the sea. That’s why we gather here today in this 50th year of the canonization of the patroness of the Sea Services, Mother Seton, in this beautiful, beautiful place, asking for intercession for all of those, for safety on the sea.
“And certainly, as a mother, she worried about her sons, William and Richard, as any mother would do. And we ask her to pray and intercede for all in the Sea Services – for safety and for that courage – for a community that does not shy away from those dangers involved. We ask that God give them grace. God will protect them in all that they do,” Bishop Caggianelli said.
Rob Judge, executive director of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, echoed those thoughts.
“Bishop Caggianelli’s words were a beautiful reminder that just as God protected and provided for Mother Seton, he will do the same for all of us who put our trust in His providential care,” Judge said. “Mother Seton is a saint whose personal experiences are relatable to so many people. As the mother of two sons who faced the perils of the sea, she remains someone that family members of military personnel can turn to for comfort, and for active-duty service members, her prayers bring these men and women the strength to complete their missions.”
Midshipmen from the Merchant Marine Academy and several University NROTC units also participated. National colors were presented by Knights of Columbus, who also served as ushers. The U.S. government shutdown prevented the Ceremonial Honor Guard from the Navy and the Naval Academy Catholic Choir from participating.
Attendees at the Mass prayed for more Catholic priests to serve as chaplains. Catholic chaplains in the military numbered in the thousands during World War II. Now, the Navy has fewer than 50 active Catholic priests to serve hundreds of thousands of Catholic sailors, marines, merchant mariners, Coast Guard members and public health service personnel.
As the patroness of the Sea Services, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton had a deep connection with those who spend their lives at sea and those devoted to public health. Her son, William, served in the Navy on the USS Macedonian, while another son, Richard, was a civilian, who served on the USS Cyane. Her father, Richard Bayley, was a prominent New York City physician in the 18th century and the city’s first chief health officer.
“St. Elizabeth Ann Seton knew both the pride and anguish of a mother who sends her children to sea,” said retired Adm. William J. Fallon, chairman of the Pilgrimage Sponsoring Committee. “It was personal to her, as it remains personal now for the family members of our heroes now serving in posts and on ships around the world. Her prayers lift all of their spirits, and she remains an inspiration, spiritual guide and friend.”
The late Cardinal John J. O’Connor of the Archdiocese of New York, together with the late Adm. James D. Watkins, advocated for Mother Seton’s designation as the patroness of the Sea Services in 1975 when Cardinal O’Connor served as the Navy chief of chaplains and Watkins was chief of naval personnel. The first pilgrimage to the Seton Shrine was in 1977.
The Shrine celebrates both the spirituality of the first native-born American to be canonized and Mother Seton’s role as one of the most prominent Catholics of the early 19th century in the U.S. After her husband died and she converted to Catholicism, she moved to Emmitsburg where she founded one of the first Catholic schools for girls and the first U.S. congregation of religious sisters.
The story of her life and legacy is commemorated in a museum and visitors center that opened in 2023 at the shrine. The museum has three core galleries that portray her life as a seeker, servant and saint, using rarely seen artifacts and interactive exhibits.
More about the Sea Services Pilgrimage, including footage of the Mass, can be found here or on the Shrine’s Facebook page.
For more information about the Shrine, visit setonshrine.org.
Read More Local News
Copyright © 2025 Catholic Review Media
