Brittany Finger

Final

PART ONE: READING THEOLOGICAL TEXTS BY SETON (at least 250 words)
Reading Seton can be challenging. What have you learned about how to tackle her work? What
are key theological themes that Seton brings up repeatedly? What does her writing suggest about
her personality? Draw from at least three writings by Seton from the semester? 
Reading Seton‘s work was very challenging, but I did learn how to tackle her
work. The way that Seton wrote and how they wrote back then is hard to
read but I was able to figure it out. Reading her work and also be in a way
translated by many of the things we have here on campus. Also there are so
many sisters that could also help us that study Elizabeth and Seton and know
her like the back of their hand. Reading about Elizabeth and Seton there
have been lots of key themes that Seton brings up repeatedly. Mother Seton
has been through so much in her life, I had no idea all of the things that
Seton had done and been through in her lifetime. These themes include love,
caring, hard work, responsibility, and wisdom. Mother Seton’s writing
suggest that her personality is very loving, caring, and hard-working. Her
writing suggests all of the key themes that she brings up. In day four it is
about Parenthood and the quote is “gladly make every sacrifice...consistent
with my first and inseparable obligations as a mother”, and this just shows
how she was such a loving mother. In day seven and talks about faith and
the quote is “... in any religion not to see the wide difference between the
first established faith given”. Lastly, in day 13 it talks about forgiveness and
the quote is “ there is rest from our labors, peace from our enemies, freedom
from our sins”.

PART TWO: THEOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE (at least 250 words)
In Christianity, science and theology are often depicted as being at odds with each other. How do
Seton, the Sisters of Charity, and Seton Hill show that science and theology are different yet
compatible?
I really like this question about how in Christianity that science and theology
are often depicted as being odds with each other. The sisters of charity,
mother Seton, and Seton Hill have taught us to tie science and theology to
be compatible. Many of the sisters of charity studied the sciences, and we
even have a professor at Seton Hill in the science department that is a sister.
For example in my organic chemistry class we have done multiple Catholic
social teaching In relation to many sciences. One way that I have learned
from doing these Catholic social teachings in relation to science is that both
science and theology want to keep the world a clean and beautiful
environment. In our organic lab we practiced trying to keep the environment
clean or by using less invasive chemicals in our labs. We also would put any
chemicals that were usually put down the drain into containers to be taken
away and put somewhere that would not hurt the environment. All of these
practices would be appreciated by any theology practice. I think that it is
important to see how theology and science can relate. Seton Hill offers so
many programs here at Seton Hill and that just shows that Christianity and
science can work together. You cannot have one or the other. Mother Seton
would be very pleased with Seton Hill University today, having such a
wonderful science building with so many wonderful programs. Many of the
sisters that came into talk to us in class majored in the sciences before they
even knew that the wanted to be a sister.

PART THREE: NEED FOR A MORE JUST WORLD (at least 250 words)
How do Mother Seton, the Sisters of Charity, and Seton Hill address social justice issues,
including through Catholic Social Teaching?

Mother Seton, the sisters of charity, and Seton Hill address social justice
issues and they addressed them through Catholic social teaching. In Catholic
social teaching there are four pillars about the values and beliefs that are
very important to us here at Seton Hill University. The four pillars of Seton
Hill are celebrating, welcoming, servings, and caring. In my opinion mother
Seton has demonstrated every single one of those themes of Catholic social
teaching throughout her existence and her legacy. Mother Seton has shown
us how much love she has for her family and others including strangers and
friends. I mean she’s pretty great to see you found the schools for education
and thought the best of everyone. She cared for everyone, she welcomed
everyone she’s served her everyone, and she for sure celebrated. Elizabeth
Ann Seton and the sisters of charity respected God’s creation by protecting
and loving it. The sisters of Charity were founded by Mother Seton so they
follow everything they know about Mother Seton. They try to be as loving,
caring, responsible, and so much more. Today Seton Hill still teaches us to
follow the same ideas as mother Seton in the sisters of charity head. Being a
student at Seton Hill we are taught to follow these four pillars. In our
freshman year were are required to take a class called connections where we
learn about the four pillars of Seton Hill. I remember that is the first time I
learned about it and in that class I also learned about a lot of the history of
Seton Hill.

PART FOUR: YOUR FAITH JOURNEY (at least 250 words)

How has studying Mother Seton, the Sisters of Charity, and Seton Hill impacted your faith
life/your attitude toward Seton, the Sisters, and Seton Hill? What has been clarified or amplified
for you? 
Studying Mother Seton, the sisters of charity, and Seton Hill has impacted
my faith, life, and attitude towards mother Seton, the sisters, and Seton Hill.
In the beginning, LOL that’s the beginning of the Bible, well anyways, in the
beginning of the semester I wasn’t sure what to expect from this class. But
what I do know now is a lot about mother Seton. I learned that mother Seton
was that one time married and had kids. One thing that I found especially
interesting and sad at the same time was that mother Seton‘s husband died
of tuberculosis and two of her children. I couldn’t imagine losing someone
but I love very much, and I especially couldn’t imagine losing my own kids.
Although I do not have a husband or kids. It must’ve taken a lot of faith to
move forward and do as much as she did in her lifetime. She even traveled
all the way to Italy and back. She was given the responsibility of a lot of
money and to find somewhere to put the sisters of charity. I think she did a
pretty good job. I really enjoyed going to see the sisters in learning more
about where I go to school. There’s so much history at our college here at
Seton Hill University. It was also really great to hear what our guest speakers
had to say. I thought that the sisters that came into speak had probably
always wanted to be a sister, but that was not the case.

PART FIVE: KEY THEMES  AND CONCEPTS IN THEOLOGY (at least 250 words)
Discuss Seton's attitude toward the following: the Eucharist, the hierarchy of the Church, the
Bible, prayer, faith, love.
Mother Seton’s attitude toward the Eucharist, the hierarchy of the church,
the Bible, prayer, faith, and love are all very strong. Elizabeth Ann Seton
loved the Eucharist and she converted to Catholicism because of her
admiration of the Eucharist and how she thought it was so interesting and
beautiful. She thought that taking the body and blood of Jesus Christ was
wonderful. I also think that the Eucharist is very interesting because I grew
up Catholic and never really thought hard about taking the body and blood of
Christ but Elizabeth and Seton has made me think a lot. Mother Seton’s
attitude toward the hierarchy of the church was good and strong, she
respected the bishops, the priest, and the parish. To be where she was in the
sisters of charity she worked with bishops, priests, Cardinals and other
sisters. As for the Bible, I think that she adored the Bible. She took her prayer
very seriously and that is how she communicated with God. When I comes
down to faith and love I think that she had a strong faith and strong love. To
go through what she has gone through she must’ve had a lot of faith in God.
To do everything that she has done in her lifetime she must’ve had a lot of
love in her heart. She cared for everyone that she came across. She had so
much love and faith that she touched everyone around her. She will be
forever someone that I will always look up to.