SERVING

In describing her plan to found a religious community and school in 1809, Elizabeth Seton exuberantly exclaimed, “To speak the joy of my soul at the prospect of being able to assist the Poor, visit the sick, comfort the sorrowful, clothe little innocents, and teach them to love God! - there I must stop.” With equal eagerness and a charitable spirit, the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill have stood “open to appeal, ready to respond, and willing to serve” since 1870. From meeting the needs of the underserved to tending to members in their own community, the Sisters of Charity stand as models of servant leadership. For the sisters, service is a daily and lifelong calling. This enduring spirit of service took shape through concrete ministries that embodied Elizabeth Seton’s vision - most notably in the sisters’ devotion to educating and healing. 

Teaching and nursing, two of the primary ministries of the Sisters of Charity, represent this intersection of service and vocation. An infant abandoned on a convent doorstep in 1884 inspired the Sisters of Charity to open their first healthcare ministry, Roselia Foundling and Maternity Hospital. Other healthcare ministries developed and Sisters became nurses, chaplains, counselors, and social workers. This dedication to service is connected to the core tenets of Catholic Social Teaching (CST). Human service to others is an incarnational act and recognizes the inherent dignity and value of each person. At Seton Hill University, developments in healthcare training from the Physician’s Assistant Program to the nursing program, a partnership with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), and burgeoning graduate programs in the medical field continue to support the calling to serve the dignity of others. Just as care for the body reflects Christ’s compassion, Seton Hill’s dedication to education nurtured the mind and spirit. 

The vocation to teach is one rooted in the life and legacy of Elizabeth. She exemplified the role of teacher as servant. The Undergraduate Teaching Plan offered by the Sisters of Charity through Seton Hill beginning in 1955 attracted dozens of students who earned scholarships in exchange for service as teachers in Catholic schools. The sisters made this investment of time and money to train teacher-servants and to enhance access to equal and quality education. Education for the poor, the disabled, and the disadvantaged remained paramount. The sisters’ substantial commitment to education, both at Seton Hill and to their more than 100 other schools, affirms the impact of lives devoted to service. Their ministry of service, however, extended well beyond hospital wards and classrooms - it became a defining hallmark of the entire Seton Hill experience.

Beyond the classroom, Seton Hill met the needs of those affected by our country’s most difficult times, including the Johnstown Flood, the Spanish Flu Epidemic, and the Great Depression. When World War II caused strife, Seton Hill answered the call to service by sponsoring American Red Cross drives, through offering land for victory gardens, and answering the call to military service as nurses or members of WAVE. As the decades progressed, this mission of service evolved from spontaneous acts of generosity into organized opportunities for reflection, growth, and community impact.

After the development of a formal Campus Ministry Department in the 1970s, service opportunities with both impact and meaning became ingrained in the student experience. Long-time relationships with Clelian Heights School, Westmoreland Food Bank, Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity, and the Blackburn Center, all developed by Campus Ministry, signified Seton Hill’s commitment to service within the local community. The 2000s saw a continuation of many long-time programs, including Labor of Love, MLK “Take on the Day,” Operation Christmas Basket, and various community partnerships. At Seton Hill University, service is a sacred and transformational act. It brightens our souls and offers respite, guidance, joy, and assistance to the community. Oh, the joy Mother Seton must feel now! From Elizabeth Seton’s 19th-century dream to Seton Hill’s 21st-century reality, the call to serve has never wavered - it continues to shape hearts, hands, and futures.