Liturgical

The purpose of the council is to promote spiritual and social activities for the general welfare of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish and community and to perform such tasks as are assigned to the council by the pastor.

We also provide cash for the purchase of turkeys for the food pantry.

Please try to join us on the second Monday of each Month at 9:30 a.m. for our meetings. We are always looking for more talented, capable women to move our group into the future!

For More Information

Please contact Juanita Bowden at (352) 465-6007 or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

Altar servers assist the priest and assembly during parish liturgical celebrations. This is an important ministry of both prayer and service. A server should be reverent and reliable.

The priest depends on the servers and needs to know they will assist him. Any youth or adult who has made their First Holy Communion is eligible to be an altar server after attending a brief training program.

Please contact Jerry Stone and Michael Long at 489-4889 (office) for more information.

For More Information

Please contact
the parish office at (352) 489-4889, or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

Does your love for the Eucharist include desire to distribute Communion at Mass or take Eucharist to hospitals, nursing homes or the homebound? Would you like to become more active in your parish liturgy by distributing Communion as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion? Do you wonder what is required to become an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion?

An Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion assists the priest at Mass in the distribution of the Eucharist and the chalice.

From ancient times, the Church’s teaching has clearly stated the Eucharist is the center of Christian existence. The Eucharist, which is the “sign of unity and bond of charity” is likewise “the school of active love for neighbor” for the Lord Jesus Christ “offers himself equally to each one, under the species of bread and wine.” The Eucharist has always been the source of Christian love and center of ecclesial life, daily building up life of all Christians, “making them a holy temple of the Lord, a dwelling place for God in the Spirit, to the mature measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Training is available to all who are called to be part of this ministry.

Prayer of Discernment for Becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
Lord Jesus Christ, I ask your help in discerning whether you are calling me to be a Eucharistic Minister. I trust that you always give me the grace necessary for my life. Please grant me the courage to respond to you with a willing and generous heart. No matter how you are calling me to serve, may my hands bring your compassion and mercy to others. And may I be Eucharist to all I meet. Lord, guide me, and fill me with wisdom I need to understand and accept your call to me. If you are calling me to Eucharistic Ministry, may I not be intimidated by the sacredness of your presence. Instead, fill me with a devout and reverent spirit. As I offer the Eucharist to others, let me be your presence to them. Give me the grace to be a worthy minister. Amen.

For More Information

Please contact Terri Horan or Kathi Holt at 489-4889 or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

St. Elizabeth’s Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion to the Homebound wishes to show love and care for our parish members who for reasons of health or infirmity cannot be with us as we gather for worship.

Communion of the Sick prayer books are distributed at the minister. The hosts are reverently carried in a “pyx”.

We aim for all parishioners who are housebound, permanently or temporarily, to be visited by an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion on a regular basis.

Training is available to all who are called to be part of this ministry.

For More Information

Please contact Barbara Angel at (352) 489-4889 or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

The Greeter serves as ambassador of kindness by greeting and providing a genuine, warm and welcoming atmosphere, especially for all of our first time visitors and members alike.

The Greeter is an extension of the Priest. A priest cannot personally greet each member of the congregation, but we act in his place welcoming all those who come to share in our Mass.

The Greeter is a minister of hospitality which goes above and beyond greeting and welcoming newcomers and parishioners. We represent St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, as we are the first people that you see when you come in through the doors of the church.

The Goal of the Greeter:

1. To put each person immediately at ease and make them feel comfortable so that they can receive all that God has for them in the service.
2. To make parishioners aware of the ecclesial nature of Catholic Liturgy, that Liturgy worship is not an individual matter apart from others, but a call to join together in praising and giving thanks to God.
3. To promote diversity in our parish.
4. To direct people to locations and times of the ministries available at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church: Children’s Liturgy of the Word, children’s faith formation classes, RCIA, Knights of Columbus special events, Reconciliation times, and mass times and schedules.
5. To distribute materials.

Our Goal as a greeter has more to do with relationships than mechanical aspects of handing out special church announcements, or programs as requested by the Pastor. Sometimes this includes a list of special activities during Lent, a map of the school and the different facilities of our parish, some history or a list of week-day activities.

For More Information

Please contact
the parish office at (352) 489-4889, or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

Reading at Mass

Do you ever wish you could lector at Mass? Do you wonder what it takes to be a lector? Do you yearn to participate more actively in the liturgy?
As you listen to the readings do you feel the call to liturgical ministry to proclaim the Word of God? To proclaim Scripture in the worshiping community as a lector is a sacred trust. As the voice of the Lord, the lector needs to be an ardent lover of Sacred Scripture. This requires a deeper understanding of the Word of God in the Bible. Taking a Bible Study is one good way to understand better what you proclaim.

To be an effective lector, one must not only be a competent reader, but also must read with enthusiam and feeling the word or God, which of course, is a very important part of the Mass. Also one must not only understand the reading, but be aware of the context of the reading to effectively convey its meaning. Preparation is very important.

Prayer of Discernment for becoming a Lector

Lord, as I meditate on your Word, help me to discover whether I can be a worthy servant of Your Word as a lector. May I be like Jeremiah the prophet who could not hold in your Word. Grant me the grace to give myself completely to your service. Allow your Word to become flesh through me. I realize, Lord, the power of your Word to make your presence a reality in our community of faith. Lord, be in my heart and on my lips that I may worthily proclaim your sacred Word. Give me, Lord, the grace to accept your call willingly and even joyfully. No matter what ministry I choose, may I reach out and touch those who need to hear your words at the proper time. Be with me, Lord! Show me how you want me to serve you. Here I am. Amen.

The Men’s Association is dedicated to the religious and social well-being of the parish community. The Association sponsors trips to local religious shrines and discussions related to faith.

Social programs include parish dances, dinners, and fundraising activities. Corporal works of the group include the maintenance of the church grounds and equipment, and other projects that may come to the attention of the Association.

Meeting is held at 9:30am in the  church office on the third Thursday of each month.

For More Information

Please contact Bill Emond at (352) 489-4889 or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

Music Is Important in the Liturgy

A verse in the Bible gives an insight into the importance of music in the liturgy.  “After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Matthew 26:30)  The ones doing the singing in this verse were Jesus himself, and his disciples.  Jesus had just instituted the Eucharist, and before going out to the Mount of Olives, they all sang a hymn together.  It puts sacred music in perspective when we realize that our Lord himself, who is our example, sang a hymn with his disciples.

Let’s look at another Bible reference: “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another [in] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks.” (Ephesians 5:18b-20a).  Note that this speaks not only about singing, but also about “playing”, which brings in instrumentalists.  Each of us with a musical inclination has an opportunity to contribute.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is a good, singing parish, with great participation by the assembly.  If you’d like to get even more involved in the music, I invite you to join us in the choir, either as a singer or as an instrumentalist.  Please call me at 586-350-1067, or stop by before or after mass.  Thank you.

For More Information

Traditional Choir:
Please contact
Mark Bateman at (586) 350-1067

Contemporary Choir:
Please contact
Mark Bateman at (586) 350-1067
or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

The Prayer Ministry meets at 1:00 pm on Wednesdays in the Office. Everyone is invited to join at any time. Following the pandemic period, we are excited to begin again on Wednesday, May 5.

For More Information

Please contact
Dee Hunt (352) 489-4889,
or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

A sacristin is an assistant to the priest and prepares everything needed for the Mass. Whether it is a novena, holy hour, funeral, marriage, or a special feast day, the sacristan is in charge of preparing for it.

In addition, the sacristan keeps the sacristy organized, orders supplies, and takes care of the albs, vestments, and sacred vessels. Flowers are cared for on the altar, and the missals are kept tidy in the pews.

Because of the large number of duties that a sacristan performs, we are always looking for more volunteers.

Please contact Terri Horan at 489-4889.

For More Information

Please contact
Terri Horan at 489-4889 or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

Ushers are part of the Hospitality Ministry of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish. Our ushers faithfully perform their duties for our parishioners and guests during the weekend Masses and on Holy Days of Obligation.

Our ushers also serve at funeral Masses to honor the deceased members of our parish. They are on hand to assist the family and funeral attendees, especially those who may not be familiar with St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish.

The Goal of the Usher:

1. Greeting the parishioners and visitors as they enter the church for Mass.
2. Finding seating for congregants when the church is crowded.
3. Helping the disabled and if requested, arranging to have Holy Communion brought to their pews.
4. Ensuring that congregants are available for the Offertory Presentation of the Gifts.
5. Answering any questions that our parishioners or guests may have or directing them to the appropriate person if the usher does not know the answer.

Being a member of the Ushering Ministry is personally very rewarding – and the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Usher Ministry is open to both men and women of our parish. If you are a caring, reliable, conscientious and dedicated person the Usher Ministry will be very pleased to welcome you. Call today – they would love to hear from you!

For More Information

Please contact the parish office at (352) 489-4889 or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.

Our youth ministry strives to be a place where our teens feel welcome and inspired to learn more about their faith, as well as meet new friends and be an integral part of our parish community.

The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Youth Group is open to all middle and high school students, and we are always excited to see new faces whether Catholic or non-Catholic!

Our mission for Youth Ministry is to provide our youth with opportunities to explore their faith, ignite a love of Christ in their hearts, instill an ethic of community service, and encourage life-long friendships, all while having fun!

The youth group typically meets (enter time here) at the church. Don’t forget to listen to the announcements and read the parish bulletin for dates and events as well!

Faith Formation is a life-long process and we look forward to another successful and exciting year with our children.

For more information contact Beth and Jerry Stone.

For More Information

Please contact
Beth and Jerry Stone at (352) 563-9882 or 489-4889
or email steas@tampabay.rr.com.