Saintly Giving

In St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, there is a shrine to the first American-born saint, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Born in 1774 in New York City, Seton's family was Episcopalian. After the early death of her husband, Seton converted to Catholicism and founded the first Catholic school in the United States, located in Emmitsburg, Maryland, to support herself and her five children. Later, she established the first congregation of religious sisters in the United States called the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph.

Inspired by the works of St. Louise de Marillac and St. Vincent de Paul, Mother Seton as she became known tasked her religious community to the education and care of the children of the poor. Her canonization, or sainthood, is based on three miracles attributed to Seton's intercession healing three people with terminal illnesses.

After watching hours of footage of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey this week, I can't help but think of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Like her, we must care for those less fortunate, such as our East Coast neighbors who have lost their homes and businesses due to this destructive hurricane.

During tonight's telethon on the NBC network, singer Mary J. Blige moved me with her performance of the song, "The Living Proof." Let's help those struggling right now recover and rebuild. To help those impacted by Hurricane Sandy, visit this great resource page by NBC News for support and donation opportunities.