Abstract
Jean Flannelly asserts that Elizabeth Seton was a mystic, although she probably would not have seen herself that way. Elizabeth’s worldview differed from ours, but she can still serve as a model for us. She was “fascinated with God” and found his presence in the Church, especially in the eucharist, in her suffering, and in people. To “gain deeper insight into her words, admonitions, and interiority,” Flanelly examines the influence of the Bible, The Imitation of Christ, the liturgy, and the writings of Francis de Sales on Elizabeth’s “religious imagination.” Flannelly also explores what Elizabeth might have us do to become closer to God. She would particularly want us to see the divine in ordinary life. The contemporary theological understanding of mysticism and its application to Elizabeth are explained.
Recommended Citation
Flannelly, Jean S.C.
(2000)
"Elizabeth Ann Seton: Model of Contemplative Presence for the 21st Century,"
Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 21:
Iss.
2, Article 1.
Available at:
https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol21/iss2/1