Christian Formation Commission

The mission of the Christian Formation Commission is to invite and engage adult members of the parish to participate in faith formation activities. These are oriented towards increasing their knowledge of the faith, calling them into a deeper personal relationship with Christ and inspiring them to put their faith into action.

Parish Faith Formation

Parish Mission: We offer opportunities to grow deeper in our spiritual lives thru our Parish Mission. The Parish Mission provides extraordinary preaching outside of our Sunday homilies and other instructional courses. It is meant to invigorate our parish community as well as strengthen our bonds with one another. The mission is also intended to renew our commitment and attachment to the Body of Christ present in our faith community.

Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (O.C.I.A.): OCIA is the rite whereby adults inquiring about God and the Catholic faith share with existing parishioners in prayer faith experiences, catechesis, and parish life to discern whether the Lord is leading them to become a Catholic. Through this process, which involves various rituals and parish support, unbaptized adults are added to the faith through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion, or those baptized in another Christian faith are brought into Full Communion with the Catholic Church through a profession of faith and reception of the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion. Also, adult Catholics who were baptized but not instructed in the faith enter the OCIA to prepare to complete their Rites of Initiation by receiving the sacraments of Confirmation and/or Holy Communion. Members of St. Elizabeth Seton, willing to share their faith and parish experiences with others are invited to join the OCIA as team members or sponsors to journey with those seeking the Lord in a new and deeper way. By sharing our faith experiences with others, we experience a deepening of our own relationship with the Holy Trinity, the Catholic Church, and our parish community.  For more information, contact Deacon John Ripoll at 630-416-1992 or sesjripoll@gmail.com.

Formation Resources: The following resources are available for parishioners with a variety of needs; those involved in sacramental preparation, catechists, Small Christian Communities, study groups, or individuals and their families.

• Lighthouse Catholic Media kiosk is located near the Welcome Desk in the Narthex. It offers a wide variety of authentic Catholic media. Parishioners are able to take and keep these books, CDs and DVDs in exchange for a small recommended donation.
• The Parish Library is a collection of faith-based books, DVDs and CDs that are physically housed in a small room near the Welcome Desk in the Narthex. Parishioners are invited to check out materials for a period of time and return them, similar to a local public library. Click here to go to the online catalog. 
• FORMED is a digital platform that gives our parishioners unprecedented access to video-based study programs, feature films, audio presentations, and eBooks from the Church's foremost presenters. Register at www.formed.org using our parish code MHRFR3.

Small Faith Communities: We at St. Elizabeth Seton have the opportunity to experience community in much the same way that early Christians did. Small Faith Communities offer us the chance to meet with others in our parish to pray, reflect on Scripture, and to connect our everyday life with our faith. Many in our parish have experienced small group faith sharing and come to St. Elizabeth Seton looking for a continuation of the positive aspects of such programs. Others find themselves searching for a deeper understanding of their faith which they know can be found by sharing and praying with those who have similar interests. Because of the mobility of many in our parish, some people look to Small Faith Communities as a way to feel part of a small parish “family” within the larger parish family.

Adult Faith Formation

Bible Study: This Bible Study is an ongoing study of Sacred Scripture, both Old and New Testaments. A study guide is used that asks the participant to prepare for each session with a particular focus on the impact of these scripture passages on our lives today. Faith sharing in a group environmentis an essential part of this study.

Cursillo: The full name, “Cursillo de Christiandad” is a Spanish term meaning, “Short course in Christianity,” making Cursillo different from a retreat, but complementary to one. It is a lay church movement made up of three parts, the pre-Cursillo, the Cursillo and the post-Cursillo. During the three days of the weekend itself, from Thursday evening to Sunday evening, people from various walks of life and from all over the diocese, will have the opportunity to discover a new understanding of Jesus Christ, hear basic Christian truths, and learn a method of forming and sustaining lay leadership by which ordinary people can grow in the love and service of God and others for the rest of their lives.

High School Teen Ministry:  An opportunity for teens in the parish in 9th-12th grade to meet and form a community. This ministry meets twice per month with meetings centered around social activities, growing in faith, worship, and social justice and service. All are welcome.

That Man is You! (TMIY): That Man is You! is a men’s group that meets regularly during the school year on Saturday mornings. This interactive men’s program combines the best research from science with the teaching of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of a man fully alive. 

Walking with Purpose (WWP):  Walking With Purpose is a Women's Bible Study that exists to help all women know Jesus Christ personally by making Scripture and the teachings of the Catholic Church relevant and applicable. By creating communities centered around Catholic-based bible studies, women deepen their relationships with Jesus Christ, enabling transformation to take place in their hearts - and, by extension - in their families, in their communities, and ultimately, in our world.

Welcome (Formerly CRHP): The Welcome Weekend is a day and a half commitment to growing your faith, and is given by parishioners for parishioners. Members of the Giving Team volunteer to present the challenges and successes of their own lives, allowing attendees to introspect their own relationships regardless of where they are in their faith journey. The end result is often a stronger bond with other attendees and a renewed passion for Christ. Saint Elizabeth Seton offers both a men's and women's Welcome Weekend.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter/IMET: A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend is for any husband and wife or priest/religious interested in a weekend away from the distractions and demands of everyday life, to focus on their marriage and on each other. (Priest/Religious: focus on their service to their spouse, the people of God.) The weekend is designed to deepen and enrich the joys a couple share, whether they have been married only a short time or for many years. It is not a retreat, a clinic, nor a group sensitivity course. You do not talk to other couples about your marriage. You actually give the weekend to each other.  Marriage Encounter is open to all married couples/religious regardless of faith expression. The weekends are held several times a year at a local hotel or retreat centers. There are also virtual weekend formats that allow you to attend online from any location. For more information, contact John & Betty Schuch at 630-235-3971 or johnwschuch@gmail.com. Applications to attend a weekend can be found at www.wwme-chicagoland.org or call 630-577-0778. You may also call John and Betty if you would like more information about Marriage Encounter Weekends or our marriage enrichment group, the Inter-parish Marriage Enrichment Team (IMET) that St. Elizabeth Seton Parish is part of and supports.

Young Adult Community (YAC): A new group for young adults in their 20s and 30s. We regularly gather for fellowship and social events, give back to our community through service projects, and participate in faith formation activities to grow in our Catholic faith. Whether you are single or part of a couple, have young children or barely manage the care of a plant, we invite you to be a part of our community.

Family Faith Formation

We invite all families to join us on a dynamic journey of faith. Our Family Faith Formation program is designed to form children in the Catholic faith within their family. The foundation of our faith formation is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. All faith flows from the Mass where we encounter Jesus Christ and are filled with grace to be His hands and feet in the world. “The Christian faith is not a theory, philosophy, or idea, but an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ.” – Pope Francis 

Our family program supports and equips our families in their Domestic Church, where parents share the Catholic faith with their children by their living example. “Catholic parents are called to form their family as a “domestic church,” a church in the home, where God is honored, His law is respected, prayer is a normal event, virtue is transmit­ted by word and example, and everyone shares the hopes, problems and sufferings of everyone else. All this is not to advocate a return to some outdated style of living: It is to return to the roots of human development and human happiness!” – Saint Pope John Paul II

Families in formation come together, once a month, to grow in faith and friendship with other families. During the meeting, parents are equipped to lead the monthly at-home lessons with their family. Children are introduced to the theme for the month, then families will come together at the end of the meeting for a family activity and hospitality. Families are invited to join us on their journey of faith when their children turn 3 years old.  Formation is also provided to receive the Sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation during a family's journey from preschool through 8th grade.

Vacation Bible School: Vacation Bible School at St. Elizabeth Seton is the best week of the summer! At VBS kids learn the many ways Jesus shined hope, love, forgiveness and joy into the world, and how we can do the same with His power! Kids will experience a week full of faith discoveries, memorable music, and epic adventures that will help them grow in friendship with Jesus and each other. Children entering kindergarten through 5th grade, are invited to participate. Students entering 6th grade through college are invited to join our VBS Leadership team! Parent volunteers are also welcome! Registration begins in early Spring.

ASCA (All Saints Catholic Academy): All Saints Catholic Academy is a regional Catholic elementary school, founded in 2005 by three Naperville parishes: St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, St. Margaret Mary Parish, and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish. ASCA educates children from Pre-school through 8th Grade.