MOTHER Anna Elizabeth Bayley Seton. foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph, will be beatified in St. Peter's Basilica this Sunday, March 17. Pope John will visit the Basilica at 4.30 p.m. GMT to venerate the new beatus.
Mother Seton, when canonised, will be the first American born saint.
The Pope has also promulgated the decrees of the Sacred Co-ngregation of Rites, approving the miracles obtained through the intercession of Bergamo-born Luigi Palazzolo, founder of the Poverello Order of nuns, who died in 1886. His cause was only introduced in 1958. It is rumoured. but not confirmed, that he too will be beatified on Sunday.
Also approved were the miracles of Nunzio Sulprizio who died at the age of 18 in 1836 after a life of cruelty and illness. Date of his beatification is given as March 19, but this too has not been confirmed.