"Widow - Convert"
Elizabeth Seton was no stranger to suffering and hardship. The Setons fell upon hard times when William's shipping business went bankrupt and he contracted tuberculosis. On the urging of their business friends, the Fellicis, the Setons sailed for Italy hoping the climate would restore William's health. However, he died shortly after their arrival in Italy and Elizabeth was left a widow in a strange country. In her grief, she found comfort in the Catholic devotions of her Italian hosts and was especially drawn to the Blessed Sacrament. Upon her return to America, Elizabeth's faith struggle continued despite the opposition and threats of abandonment by family and friends. Many doors were closed to her when Elizabeth joined the Catholic Church on March 14, 1805, at the age of thirty.