St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church sits along State Route 31 in Baldwinsville, a few miles west of Syracuse, and has served Catholic families in the Liverpool and Baldwinsville area since 1985. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Syracuse and today reaches more than 4,000 registered parishioners across roughly 1,000 families. What began as a community of 300 founding households meeting in borrowed spaces now gathers in a church dedicated in 1987, a thirteen-classroom education wing, and Seton Hall, a fully accessible two-story ministry center with a preschool, youth room, commercial kitchen, and gym.
From a Living Room on Kimbrook to a Dedicated Church
The parish was established in July 1985 by Bishop Frank J. Harrison to minister to the rapidly growing neighborhoods of Liverpool and Baldwinsville. Father John Finnegan became the founding pastor, working out of a house on Kimbrook. The first religious education classes met in the rooms of that house, including the basement, while Mass was celebrated wherever a space could be borrowed. Palmer Elementary, Maurer Funeral Home, the Aspen House in Radisson, and Moyers Corners Fire Department all opened their doors for weekend worship.
By July 1987 the building was finished and Bishop James J. O'Keefe dedicated St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church. The community grew quickly, and soon an education wing with thirteen classrooms and additional offices was added, with parishioners donating their time and trades to make it a reality. In August 1996 Father Finnegan was transferred to St. Joseph's in Camillus and Father John Wagner was appointed as the parish had grown to 1,300 families.
In March 2004 construction began on Seton Hall, a two-story Parish Ministry Center. The first level houses two large preschool classrooms with cubbies, parent-teacher conference rooms and offices, along with a youth room, kitchenette, and storage. The upper level holds a welcoming lobby, a large gymnasium used for CYO and summer basketball leagues, pancake breakfasts, spaghetti dinners, funeral receptions, and parish teen events, plus a commercial kitchen for serving them. Seton Hall is fully accessible for those with disabilities. Father Finnegan returned in September 2005 as Administrator and was a familiar presence alongside his Irish Setter Declan, until his passing on April 30, 2019.
Weekend Masses, Confession, and the Weekday Rotation
Mass at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton follows the regular Roman Catholic schedule. Saturday brings Confession from 4:30 to 5:15 pm followed by the Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm. Sunday Masses are celebrated at 7:30 and 10:30 am.
Weekday Masses are shared with the parish's sister communities in the area. Monday's 9:00 am Mass is celebrated at St. Mary's, Tuesday's 7:00 pm Mass is also at St. Mary's, and Wednesday's 10:00 am Mass takes place at St. Augustine's. Both Thursday at 6:45 am and Friday at 9:00 am, however, the community gathers at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton itself. The weekly bulletin is the final word on any schedule changes.
Two Periods of Eucharistic Adoration Each Week
Eucharistic Adoration is offered twice a week so that parishioners can pray before the Blessed Sacrament. On Tuesday evenings the chapel is open from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, and on Friday mornings from 7:00 to 9:00 am. Ministers of Adoration commit to being present for one hour per month for the coming year, and re-register at the start of each new school year. The parish notes that the Blessed Sacrament is also reserved in the tabernacle at other times, and that family and friends of the parish are welcome to stop in for as long as they can during either session.
Sacraments: Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing
Baptisms are scheduled during Mass on designated weekends, with private baptisms usually set for 12:30 pm on Sundays. First-time parents attend a baptism preparation class on the second Sunday of the month following the 11:00 am Mass. A godparent must be a confirmed Catholic Christian at least sixteen years old who actively practices the faith; two godparents are traditional but only one is required by Church law, and a baptized non-Catholic may serve as a Christian Witness alongside a Catholic sponsor.
Children in first grade begin preparing for First Eucharist and First Reconciliation through the parish religious education program; a baptismal certificate is required unless the child was baptized at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Confirmation preparation has two parts, classroom instruction along with retreats, workshops, and service projects, followed by direct preparation for the sacrament. Candidates who complete the Religious Education curriculum through grade eight are confirmed in the spring of their sophomore year of high school.
Couples planning a wedding should contact the main office at least six months ahead of the date. Preparation includes meetings with the pastor and a diocesan Pre-Cana class. The Anointing of the Sick is offered for spiritual, emotional, and physical strength during illness, before surgery, and near the time of death; arrangements are made through the parish office.
The Seton Food Pantry
The Seton Food Pantry, run from the parish, is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:00 to 11:00 am and on the first Tuesday of each month from 6:00 to 7:00 pm for an additional evening distribution. The pantry distributes standard grocery staples and accepts donations of items like kids' cereal, granola bars, and coffee. Each summer gardeners in the parish are invited to drop off extra produce from their gardens. Around birthdays the pantry also collects Birthday Bags filled with cake mix, frosting, candles, plates, napkins, balloons, and party hats, so that families can mark a child's or even a parent's special day.
Faith Formation from Grade 1 Through Confirmation
Faith Formation at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is organized by school level. Julie Moss directs the elementary program for grades 1 through 6, John Sheridan directs the middle school program for grades 7 and 8, and Nick Calaprico directs high school faith formation through grade 10, the year of Confirmation. The Faith Formation Office can be reached at 315-652-3900.
The parish runs a summer program for children in PreK4 through sixth grade with hands-on projects, teamwork, games, prayers, and creativity built around the theme of being 'living stones.' Older students take part in the Steubenville Youth Conference each summer and gather weekly during the school year for shared meals and youth-group fellowship, with parishioners invited to help provide those meals.
Adults who have not yet been baptized, who were baptized in another Christian tradition, or who are baptized Catholics who never received Eucharist and Confirmation are invited into OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. OCIA classes explore creation, salvation, the sacraments, Scripture, and personal prayer, with the journey typically culminating at the Easter Vigil.
The Preschool on State Route 31
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Preschool, located on the lower level of Seton Hall, offers classes for three and four year olds and enrolls about 75 children each year. The school's philosophy is to give young children a warm, predictable environment where they can grow cognitively, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually through hands-on experiences and active exploration.
The three-year-old class meets Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 to 11:30 am at $220 a month, $2,200 a year. The four-year-old class meets Monday through Thursday from 9:15 to 12:10 pm at $305 a month, $3,050 a year, with a curriculum built around language arts, a STEAM center with microscopes and magnifying glasses, and a teacher-directed art center. Both classes include circle time, snack, and indoor or outdoor gross-motor play. All staff are First Aid, CPR, and VIRTUS trained. Preschool Director Nicole Pompo can be reached at 315-652-9364 or preschool@stelizabethbville.org.
CYO Basketball and the Gym at Seton Hall
CYO Basketball uses the gymnasium in Seton Hall to give young people opportunities to develop strong moral character, self-esteem, and leadership through athletic, social, educational, and recreational activities. Registration and payment are handled through the parish, with team coaches directing players to the sign-up. Beyond CYO, the gym hosts summer basketball leagues and serves as the all-purpose meeting room for parish social events.
Adult Education, Mini-Missions, and Parish Missions
The Adult Education program has hosted multi-session study series including 'The Four Temperaments' led by Christina Palazzoli, Teresa Alpha, and Fr. Joe O'Connor; 'Searching for and Maintaining Peace,' a study of the spiritual classic by Fr. Jacques Philippe; and 'The Heart of St. Joseph,' a study of Patris Corde by Pope Francis. The parish also runs recurring Mini-Missions, evenings of reflection, music, and Adoration that have been led by visiting priests and musicians such as Jeremy Bobak and Franciscan Friar of the Renewal Father Pierre Toussaint.
Retreats in daily life are offered seasonally. An Autumn Retreat in Daily Life is a six-week experience of daily prayer and Gospel reflection within ordinary life. A Lenten Mini-Mission has walked parishionets through 'The Seven Sorrows of Mary,' and a Spirituality in Nature Walk led by Luanne DeFelice invites adults and teens to slow meditative walks near water, with opportunities to share or simply walk in silence.
Ministries at the Altar and Beyond
Eucharistic Ministers distribute Holy Communion at parish Masses on schedules prepared quarterly, with training sessions announced in the bulletin. After First Communion, students are encouraged to train as Altar Servers, assisting the priest and deacon at Mass. Lectors and additional Eucharistic Ministers also follow quarterly schedules posted on the parish site.
The parish welcomes a missionary representative each year from an order such as the Daughters of Divine Love, with donations through the poor box forwarded as a single parish gift. The Missionary Appeal is presented as a tangible reminder that the parish is part of one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.
Women's Groups, Seton Seniors, and Parish Social Life
The SEAS Women's Book Club meets monthly on the second Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the Gathering Area of the church for fellowship, prayer, and discussion. The Women of Faith group plans and hosts parish events for women throughout the year. Seton Seniors gathers parishioners for occasional lunches at local restaurants, a tradition that combines fellowship with the simple pleasure of going out together.
Parish Council and Parish Pastoral Council
The Parish Pastoral Council coordinates and unifies the life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, drawing together the thoughts and ideas of the community, building consensus, and translating them into parish priorities. Six standing committees feed into the Council, and all parishioners are eligible to serve. Meetings are open and are generally scheduled on the fourth Tuesday of every other month at 7:00 pm in the Gathering Area, with dates announced in the bulletin. Council President Scott Brown works alongside Trustees Jim Smith and Sandy McDermott and Recording Secretary Mary Smith.
Office, Livestream, and Becoming a Parishioner
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and is closed on Friday. Mass is livestreamed on the parish Facebook page each week. New parishioners are asked to register so they can receive a welcome letter outlining the ministries, volunteer roles, and responsibilities of parish life, and begin using church envelopes to support the community. Forms can be picked up from the table outside the main offices in the Gathering Area, completed in person during office hours, or filled out online.