And just like that… the pride of Wittenberg, Martin Luther, said “game over” and iced John Wesley’s heart with a huge win! 🏀❄️🔥 But don’t get too comfortable… we’re only warming up!
Now we’re sliding into the Modern Mercifuls portion of the bracket, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu takes on Elizabeth Ann Seton in a showdown of grace, grit, and joy 😇✨ Two absolute legends. One spot in the Saintly Sixteen. You decide!!
As always read the blogs, use the trading cards, watch the videos, and VOTEEEEE 🗳️🙌
Elizabeth Ann Seton
Elizabeth Ann Seton began life as a wealthy New Yorker and a member of Trinity Church. By the end of her life, she was a Roman Catholic nun who had, in effect, invented parochial schools in the United States. The life lived in between is a witness to her faith in Christ, her care for those in need, and her willingness to forge an unexpected path to follow God’s call on her life.
Elizabeth grew up in pre-Revolutionary New York City. Her mother was the daughter of a Church of England vicar, and her father was a surgeon known for his care of immigrants and his work during the Yellow Fever epidemic. From a young age, Elizabeth was all too familiar with the precarity of life. Her mother died when she was just three, and a stepmother later severed ties with the family, leaving Elizabeth motherless twice.
With her husband William Magee Seton, a successful merchant, she had five children in seven years and lived comfortably in New York society. Elizabeth was an Episcopalian through and through—Bishop Samuel Provoost officiated her wedding, and Bishop John Henry Hobart later served as her spiritual director. Like her father, she was always concerned with the needs of those around her; in 1797, seeing the poor conditions for those on the margins in downtown New York, she helped found the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children.
The social ease and comfort of her young adult life did not last. A shipping crisis devastated William’s business, forcing the family to seek help from friends in Italy. The strain worsened his already poor health, and he died there at just thirty-four. Elizabeth, suddenly widowed, broke, and far from home with five children, experienced unexpected hospitality from the Italian Catholics she found herself amidst.
When she returned to New York, Elizabeth faced a crisis—not of faith in Christ, but of denominational loyalty. Drawn to the Catholic theology and practice that had tethered her in Italy, yet keenly aware of the social cost of conversion, she ultimately chose to be received into the Roman Catholic Church in 1805. The society she was born into could not understand Elizabeth’s conversion; anti-Catholic sentiment pervaded her social circles. Her oldest friends cut ties with her.
Still, Elizabeth persisted. She moved south to Maryland, where Catholicism was more accepted, and opened a school. She founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s—the first religious community for women established in the United States—and became a nun. Her persistence led to the founding of many schools, orphanages, and hospitals that shaped American Catholic life for generations and laid the groundwork for the parochial school system.
Elizabeth was a motherless mother who buried two daughters, lived with constant financial anxiety, and endured chronic illness. She died in 1821 at age forty-six. But in those relatively few years on earth, she forever changed the scope of American Catholicism. In 1975, Pope Paul VI made her the first American-born saint.
Elizabeth Ann Seton reminds us that God does not wait for our lives to be stable before calling us. Grace meets us in the unraveling—and builds something new from what remains.
— Julia Offinger
Collect for Elizabeth Ann Seton
Give us grace, O God, to love you in all things and above all things; that, following the example of your servant Elizabeth Ann Seton, we might express our love for you in the service of others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (LFF p 25)
Desmond Tutu
While he may not be officially canonized, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu exemplifies the Episcopal Church’s definition of a saint: “a holy person, a faithful Christian, one who shares life in Christ.” He serves as a model for following in the footsteps of Christ, inspiring us not to remain silent or become discouraged in the face of injustice. He also demonstrates the power of forgiveness and loving our enemies.
Throughout his life, Desmond Tutu was rooted in the concept of ubuntu, the interconnectedness of human beings. He emphasized that racism was against the will of God and constantly advocated for “the least” (Matt 25:37-40), recognizing that God Ksides with the poor, the oppressed, and the victims of injustice. “The Arch,” as he was known, fought against apartheid in South Africa, first confronting political leaders demanding justice, and when that failed calling for boycotts and sanctions against South Africa.
Desmond was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa. After graduating from college, he taught high school and met his wife, Leah. Following the 1953 Bantu Education Act, which enforced segregation in South African schools, he left teaching to focus on theology. He was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church in 1960, obtaining his Master of Theology in England in 1966 and teaching theology in South Africa until 1972. In 1975, he was named the Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Johannesburg, the first black man to hold this position, and he became the bishop of Lesotho in 1976. He served as the first black General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches from 1976-1978. In 1985, Tutu became the Bishop of Johannesburg, and in 1986, he was named Archbishop of Cape Town.
Tutu could be prophetic, forceful, and sometimes even offensive in his words, yet his friend Farid Esack reports him saying, “Whether I like it or not; whether he likes it or not; PW Botha [the prime minister and major enforcer of apartheid] is my brother, and I must desire and pray for the best in him.” He was known to spend four hours on his knees each day in silent contemplation and commenced every meeting, no matter who was present, with prayer.
In 1984, Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role leading the nonviolent campaign to end apartheid. From 1996-1998, he led the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate apartheid-era crimes, establishing a model where truth is the foundation for forgiveness and reconciliation. When he retired in 2010, he was granted the title Archbishop Emeritus. He died in 2021 and lay in state for two days in an inexpensive pine coffin per his request.
— Emily Kiel
Collect for Desmond Tutu
Heavenly Father, Shepherd of your people, we thank you for your servant Desmond Tutu., who was faithful in the care and nurture of your flock; and we pray that, following his example and the teaching of his holy life, we may by your grace grow into the stature of the fullness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
141 comments on “Elizabeth Ann Seton vs. Desmond Tutu”
This is probably the hardest decision I have ever made. I was raised as Catholic but in 1987 was received into the Episcopal church. I have always admired Tutu. But as a youth I went to school with several young men that lived at A Seton Orphanage. One was a dear friend that list her parents at a young age. I went with my childhood friends supporters
I love the life and witness of Desmond Tutu, but I was educated as a child by absolutely loving, intelligent, and inspiring Sisters of Charity, so have a more personal connection to Elizabeth Ann Seton and feel as though I am a beneficiary of her legacy, so she gets my vote this time.
I heard Desmond Tutu preach at Christ Cathedral. This is the first "saint" in Lent Madness who I have seen in person. Tutu was amazing and has my vote.
I had the chance to meet Desmond Tutu when he spent time in Atlanta, Georgia. His humility, intelligence and words of wisdom touched me deeply, but the attribute that I remember most fondly about him was his strong and lighthearted sense of humor.
I'll be hanging onto Julia's closing quote on Elizabeth Ann Seton's legacy:
"God does not wait for our lives to be stable before calling us. Grace meets us in the unraveling —
and builds something new from what remains."
But Desmond Tutu embodies LOVE. No contest today! (Besides, I actually shared an elevator with him once.)
I hope and pray we'll be making use of his Truth and Reconciliation tool here in the U.S. -- soon and very soon, please God.
Also, please restore the reply function -- and make LM team replies on it when folks ask questions about how LM works. The Reply tab was on display all through Lent last year, and <>!
Finally, if you cut and paste here is a picture of Bishop Tutu dancing with the Dalai Lama!
https://share.google/p4YZrilcujNJEa55U
The reply works…
I just hit Reply and this opened! We'll see. Michael H. wondered if Bishop Tutu qualifies since he has not been canonized. I believe LM requires that a person must be commemorate on some church calendar, and includes the calendars of many bodies which have calendars but don't presume to canonize -- including the Episcopal Church.
Is that accurate?
The Episcopal Church canonizes no one. We commemorate them. Tutu is not yet on our calendar. And I do not believe he is on anyohe else's. I stand by my opionion. He should be dusqualified by the Supreme Executive Committee and the day awarded to Mother Seton.
Archbishop Tutu may not be on the Anglican calendar, but I would be quite surprised if he wasn't on another denomination's calendar.
Another impossible choice today! I had to go with Archbishop Desmond Tutu because of his incredible lifetime body of work regarding ending apartheid, and his example of forgiveness. I fully appreciate the work of Elizabeth Ann Seton as well.
Both are very worthy of my vote. I went to parochial school for 12 years and am better off for it. However, I met Bishop Tutu at an event in Providence RI years ago and found him to be so amiable and so full of Christ that there is no way I would vote for anyone else. In his message that day I remember him talking about meeting someone who told him that they didn't believe in God. Bishop Tutu said, "That's okay. God still believes in you." and that has stuck with me. I also read the book, "The Book of Joy" and loved his relationship to the Dalai Lama.
I have had a few meetings with ArchBishop Tutu and While I adore and respect the man deeply. and to me he was a Saint. I know for a fact that he did not consider himself as "greater than " anyone and he would be the first to oppose any steps towards Canonization.
So because of this, I feel that I must , out of respect for Tutu's own wishes, Vote for the wonderful Elizabeth Seton.
In the early 2000s, when I was rector of a very small parish outside of Chicago, I had the opportunity to attend a book signing with Archbishop Tutu. I was amazed at how few people were there ~ I’d expected hundreds and had the joy of speaking with him for what seemed like a considerable time. While I don’t remember our exact conversation, I remember two things ~ pure joy and holiness seemed to roll off him in waves and he spoke to me as if I were the only person in the room. There are some people we meet in life who we just know are “friends with God” Archbishop Tutu was one of them. I will never forget my time with him.
My daughter was born at Seton Hospital in Austin Texas A wonderful hospital So I had to vote for Elizabeth Ann Seton So far yesterday and today are hard choices to make
As a New Yorker who taught in Catholic schools I voted for Eliz Seton !
Archbp. Tutu visited my husband's school & my hubby got to sing a song for him with the girls which he received with delight. What a joyful, precious man. Mother Seton lived just up the road from us but the bishop is my vote always.
This one was really hard. To vote for someone who did so much good in trying to build orphanages, schools, hospitals, but now some of those institutions are under attack for what the Catholic Church, in part, stood for - anti-abortions, residential school abuse. And then Tutu, who could still pray for those who established apartheid.
Where can I find these trading cards? I've scoured this lovely website looking for them.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BikvfEJpkHGVLSE7prhLY04FF7pPxdB7/view?usp=drivesdk
This is what brought up the trading cards.
Thank you Donna! I so appreciate you posting that!
Two incredible humans. Inspiration for all of us in todays world.
I feel a. better "pairing". would have been Tutu with Luther
and. John Wesley with Mother Seton.
I also feel he information given for Wesley. really missed the mark!
Your comment is quite interesting. Would you please say why you think that those pairings would be better?
We heard him speak at my daughter's commencement from Michigan State University - a lifetime memory. His work in dismantling apartheid and, above all, in the Truth and Reconciliation Committee is a model for the rest of the world.
This was so hard, both deserve to advance. Tough early brakets!
I voted for "the Arch" but was very moved by Elizabeth's biography-- thank you for that. Also--there are trading cards this year? They were such a wonderful addition to our church's bracket poster last year! I'd love to use them again but can't find them on the site. Any information here would be appreciated!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BikvfEJpkHGVLSE7prhLY04FF7pPxdB7/view?usp=drivesdk
Desmond Tutu has been a favorite of mine for years. He has written many inspiring books which are keepers. His book with the Dali Lama is amazing, what an experience the two of them had!
I love Desmond Tutu but he is not officially a saint yet but I am sure will be one day. Why is there not a picture of him? SoElizabeth Ann gets my vote.
Definitely I would support Mister Rogers for Lent Madness. Quakers don't have calendars of saints, yet saintly Friends have been in Lent Madness. A few years ago, a Presbyterian Synod passed a resolution that Fred Rogers was deserving of prayers and remembrance on the anniversary of his death. That's as close as Presbyterians will come to having a Calendar of Saints. There is an icon of him in the Episcopal church on Nantucket where he and Joanne worshipped during summer visits.
Given events in the US today, a bunch of Seton Halls do not feel like a solution. Desmond Tutu, unofficial saint that he may be, does feel much closer to the answer.
I met bishop tutu when I was young.What a man!
Difficult to make a choice . I grew up Cathartic and lived in Baltimore and was there when Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized. But I voted for Desmond Tutu for his demonstration of faith in difficult times like we are going through now in this country
Blessings
Victoriao
As an alumna of Sisters Charity schools in NY I have to vote for Elizabeth Seton. It was a great free education that got this poor non-Catholic daughter of immigrants onto a career path in science.
How can I not vote for Desmond Tutu? Just amazed that anyone who went through what he did and still have a positive attitude toward life and people! His books are what have helped me through so much and I love seeing his smile - especially when he was with the Dali Lama. My pick for the winner!!!
Coming into this I fully expected to vote for Tutu but the following really spoke to me:
"Elizabeth Ann Seton reminds us that God does not wait for our lives to be stable before calling us. Grace meets us in the unraveling—and builds something new from what remains." So I vote acknowledging the unravelling and rebuilding.
Plus my mother was an Elizabeth of similar stature and accomplishments and I am grateful for her and other strong women who modeled godliness for me.
That was a hard choice. They both deserve a vote. I chose Seton, cause we need to lift up the courageous women of the RC Church, still dominated and controlled by men.