From an Eighteen-Acre Field to Twenty-Five Hundred Families
On a stretch of Hill Road North in Pickerington, Ohio, just next door to the Pickerington Post Office, stands St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, a Roman Catholic community of more than 2,500 families that the Diocese of Columbus officially brought to life on July 1, 1978. The land, however, is much older than the parish. In the mid-1960s the diocese had purchased an eighteen-acre tract here with an eye toward future growth. When Father Edward Fairchild arrived as organizing pastor in 1978, Mass and religious education classes began in Pickerington Middle School. They met there until February 1981, when Bishop Edward Herrmann dedicated the first multipurpose building on the property.
Father Stephen Hawkins became the second pastor in July 1988, just as the parish was approaching one thousand registered families. A group called the Steering Committee, working with Bill Brown and Associates, led what parishioners still call a "Journey to Decision" to build a permanent, larger worship space. Bishop James Griffin dedicated that sanctuary on September 13, 1992, completing the stone-and-stucco complex that anchors the campus today.
Three more pastors followed in relatively quick succession: Father Martin Weithman, who finished the Parish Activity Center in 2000; Monsignor William Maroon, an administrator who came out of retirement from April 2002 to July 2003; and Father James Klima, who arrived in July 2003 and led the parish for many years. A Vision Committee drawn from across the parish set out seven focus areas that still guide the community: Hospitality, Communication, Spiritual Growth, Parish Outreach, Parish Community, Parish Facilities, and Stewardship.
In 2012 Father Klima convened a Renovation Steering Committee to address an aging HVAC system, cracks in the floor, a leaking roof, a divided sanctuary platform, deteriorating pews, and a lack of a clear axis among tabernacle, altar, and baptismal font. After two years of design work, surveys, and open meetings, Meleca Architecture was selected. Fundraising for the 2.8-million-dollar "Home for Our Faith" campaign began in 2015, construction started in May 2016, and the project was dedicated on January 4, 2017, the feast day of the parish's patroness, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
On July 1, 2018, the parish marked its fortieth anniversary with an outdoor Mass attended by an estimated six hundred people, celebrated by Father Klima and founding pastor Monsignor Edward Fairchild and assisted by Deacon Hector Raymond and Deacon Mickey Hawkins. The current pastor, Father Matthew Hoover, leads the parish today, with Monsignor Anthony Frecker assisting on weekends and Deacon Kennedy Ofezu serving as transitional deacon.
A Church Shaped as "Home for Our Faith"
The 2017 renovation did more than fix a building; it tried to give form to the parish's identity. The design realigned the tabernacle, altar, and baptismal font along a single axis, a centuries-old Catholic concern that had been lost in the original layout, and added a new Eucharistic chapel. Stone both inside and out speaks of permanence, while stucco and roof forms tie the worship space to the rectory. A narthex connecting the sanctuary to the rest of the parish was kept and refined to promote fellowship before and after Mass.
The altar itself holds the relics of three saints: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born Catholic saint and the parish's patroness; St. Pope Pius X; and Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, a missionary who brought Catholic education to the American frontier. A separate document compiled by the parish walks through the deep symbolism found throughout the architecture for anyone who wants to understand the choices behind every surface and sight line.
Outside, the Gardeners' Guild tends twenty-two flower beds surrounding the church from May through October. The guild has no formal meetings and works on its own schedule, but its hand is everywhere on the grounds from late April to late October.
Weekend Mass and What to Expect
Seton Parish holds one weekday Mass each morning Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m., a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m., and four Sunday Masses at 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 5:00 p.m. Each Mass runs about an hour and includes music, scripture readings from the Bible, a homily from the priest, and Communion. The 5:00 p.m. Saturday vigil is livestreamed, and the recording becomes the replay shown at all four Sunday Mass times.
Most people dress in business casual, but the parish invites visitors to wear whatever makes them comfortable. A large parking lot surrounds the church, with overflow parking available at Spence Funeral Home next door. Ushers staff every Mass and will help newcomers find a pew. The parish suggests arriving ten or fifteen minutes before Mass to settle in, and recommends the pews on either side of the main aisle for the clearest view of the altar.
Children are welcome, and a program called Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) gathers them near the beginning of Mass to follow a prayer leader into a classroom, where they hear the same readings proclaimed in simpler language. They return to the church right after the homily. Two confessionals sit to the right when facing the altar, and the sacrament is offered on Friday mornings after the 8:30 a.m. Mass and on Saturday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.
Perpetual Adoration in Pickerington
Few Catholic parishes in central Ohio offer twenty-four-hour adoration, and Seton is one of them. Its Eucharistic Adoration Chapel has been open around the clock since April 1, 2000, the only scheduled closure being Thursday from noon to 1:00 p.m. for cleaning. More than 250 people now commit to a weekly holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament, with substitutes filling in as circumstances allow.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is held in the chapel every Wednesday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. with Benediction and Reposition. On First Friday the exposition runs for a full twenty-four hours, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the church, moving to the chapel, and ending with Benediction at 9:00 a.m. Saturday. The monstrance sits in the church from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. on First Friday so the priest can hear confessions before the Blessed Sacrament is moved.
The chapel's daytime entrance is adjacent to the breezeway on the east side of the church and closes automatically in the evening; the parish office can share the combination with anyone needing early-morning or late-night access. Tom Wagner coordinates the chapel, and a Flocknote signup is available for each day of the week.
Becoming Catholic: OCIA
For adults and children age seven and older who want to enter the Catholic Church, the parish runs the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, OCIA. The parish emphasizes that OCIA is not a class but a journey, one that can begin with a phone call to the parish office, a walk in to introduce yourself, or an online inquiry form. Once a person inquires, the team meets with them, introduces them to parishioners, attends Mass together, and invites them into the community.
The path through OCIA is shaped by where someone begins. A person who has never been baptized and has little Christian background will follow a longer preparation than someone already baptized and active in another Christian tradition. Catholics who have been baptized and received First Communion but never Confirmation are also welcome to complete their initiation through OCIA.
Tina Bowie serves as Director of OCIA, Evangelization, and Discipleship. Scott Ritchey assists her. Together they welcome newcomers year-round and walk with them toward the Easter Vigil and beyond.
The Seven Sacraments
The parish ministers all seven Catholic sacraments and explains the theology and the practical how-to for each.
Baptism is celebrated for infants and young children of parishioners up to age six, with preparation and scheduling arranged through the parish office. For children age seven and up and adults, Baptism is received through OCIA. The parish teaches that Baptism cleanses from sin, makes the baptized a new creation, incorporates them into the Church, and leaves an indelible spiritual mark.
First Communion is normally celebrated in the second grade year around the age of seven, after First Confession. Children preparing for the sacrament are enrolled in the Seton Parish Youth program.
Confirmation for youth and teens is currently in a transition. Bishop Earl Fernandes announced that the age for receiving Confirmation will be lowered to fourth grade, beginning in fall 2025, with the change unfolding over four years. The parish is preparing both ninth- and tenth-graders in the interim so that everyone currently eligible is well prepared to receive the sacrament.
Marriage preparation begins with a phone call to the parish office to inquire about available dates and to set up an initial meeting with a priest. Engaged couples set a wedding and rehearsal date, complete a marriage prep inventory and follow-up meeting with clergy, attend a Columbus Diocese Pre-Cana retreat, work with a mentor couple, take a Natural Family Planning course, meet with a wedding coordinator, and meet with the music director to plan the liturgy.
Anointing of the Sick is offered to anyone seriously ill, facing major surgery, or in danger of death due to sickness or old age. Arrangements are made through the parish office. A team of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion also brings Communion to the homebound, the hospitalized, and those in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Pickerington.
Holy Orders, to the priesthood or the permanent diaconate, is another door the parish keeps open. Any man discerning such a call is invited to speak with one of the parish priests or deacons.
Confession is offered as described above, with additional times during Advent and Lent.
Seton Parish Youth: Spark, Ignite, Flame, and Inferno
The parish's youth ministry, branded SPY, reaches every child from kindergarten through senior year of high school, whether they attend public school, private school, or are homeschooled. The program splits into three age-specific tracks that meet on Sunday.
Spark is for kindergarten through fourth grade. Children gather on Sunday mornings for thirty minutes between Masses, and a session is also offered before the 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass so families can pick the time that fits their week. Each session dives into a Bible story, explores something about the Catholic faith, and breaks into small groups for sharing.
Ignite serves fifth through eighth grade and meets on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The evening opens with dinner for everyone, then breaks into age-level sessions using the Edge program from Life Teen.
Flame serves ninth through twelfth grade and meets on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., also using the Life Teen program. Students who have not yet been confirmed are part of the Confirmation class this year, in line with the diocese's transition plan.
Outside of Sunday formation, the parish offers Inferno, a youth group for grades five through twelve that combines retreats, service trips, social-justice events, and trips like the National Catholic Youth Conference, a Halloween party, spring and summer retreats, and the annual Cedar Point trip. Inferno events are tagged for specific age groups and added throughout the year.
A Mission-Focused Parish with a Year of Outreach
The parish describes itself as mission-focused, and the outreach calendar that comes out of that conviction is long. The Sleeping Bag Ministry meets Wednesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Parish Activity Center. Anyone who can tie a knot can join; the sleeping bags they sew are distributed through The Open Shelter in Columbus to people without housing in Columbus, Lancaster, and surrounding communities.
Each winter the parish collects hundreds of new coats for needy families. Each year parishioners donate more than seven hundred pairs of new shoes and drive them to Kentucky to place them on the feet of schoolchildren. Each Advent the parish collects enough food to fill more than 750 baskets and hand-deliver them to families in the poorest part of Scioto County.
The Seton Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, part of the national SVdP and the Diocese of Columbus, offers person-to-person assistance that ranges from microloans to car repairs to temporary hotel stays for neighbors in crisis. The conference accepts monetary gifts, furniture, appliances, and cars, and is always looking for volunteers with trade skills.
The parish also partners with the YWCA Family Center, providing dinner for adults and children at the center on the second Monday of every odd-numbered month: January, March, May, July, September, and November.
Helping Hands is the parish's internal safety net. When a parishioner faces a middle-of-the-night medical emergency, needs a child picked up from school, or needs meals after a funeral, Helping Hands volunteers step in. The time commitment is small; the response is quick.
The Homebound Ministry distributes the Body of Christ to parishioners who cannot attend Mass because of injury, illness, advanced age, or circumstance, and visits Amber Park, Abbington, Echo Manor, Pickerington Nursing and Rehab, and several nursing homes outside Pickerington.
Seton Sages is the parish's group for ages 55 and older. They marked the beginning of summer with a picnic at the local shelter house and meet regularly through the year.
Music That Fills the Church
Jim McQuaide serves as both Business Manager and Music Director. Under his leadership, the Music Ministry offers a striking range of ensembles.
The Children's Choir includes children in kindergarten through sixth grade and sings at the Christmas Eve 4:00 p.m. Mass and the Easter Sunday 10:00 a.m. Mass, rehearsing on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the three weeks leading up to each.
The SPY Band brings together seventh through twelfth graders who lead the assembly in song at the second Sunday 6:00 p.m. Mass, rehearsing on Sundays from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
The Praise Choir, for high-school-age and older, rehearses on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and sings at the third Sunday 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Masses, drawing on both newer liturgical music and classic hymnody.
Cantors and small ensembles provide music for regular weekend Masses, with music provided for home practice and a thirty-minute warm-up before Mass.
The Men's Ensemble rehearses on the first Saturday of each month at 4:00 p.m. and sings at the 5:00 p.m. Mass.
The Adult and Holiday Choir comes together for the great celebrations of the liturgical year, with rehearsal schedules that shift by holiday.
Scripture Study and Small Groups
On Thursday mornings, a Scripture Study group reads and discusses the Old Testament reading, the psalm, the epistle, and the Gospel that will be proclaimed at the following Sunday's Mass. The group is informal; people come and go as schedules allow, and the conversation ranges across the connections among the readings, how they touch individual lives, and what new insight each cycle brings.
Rebuilt Small Groups, based on the book Rebuilt Faith by Father Michael White and Tom Corcoran, meet weekly for six weeks using a mix of parish, home, and virtual formats. Separate sign-ups exist for women's groups, men's groups, moms-and-toddlers groups, and mixed groups.
Parish, at-home, and virtual small groups also gather around other interests; sign-ups are organized on Flocknote.
Mental Health Ministry and Clinical Counseling
The parish's Mental Health Ministry focuses on spiritual accompaniment for people struggling with their mental health and on overcoming the stigma that often surrounds mental illness in faith communities. It explicitly does not replace clinical care, but it offers a ministry of presence, raises up the importance of professional collaboration, and walks with individuals and families.
The cornerstone program is the Sanctuary Course, an eight-week series designed to raise awareness and start conversations about mental health in parish settings.
Seton has also partnered with Jennifer Shonk of Spirit of Peace Clinical Counseling, who provides licensed, confidential counseling at the parish facility. Jennifer is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with the State of Ohio, holds a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University, and works with adolescents and adults on anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, addiction, and family and relational concerns.
Knights of Columbus Council 11187
The parish hosts one of the more than 1.9-million-member Knights of Columbus councils around the world, and Council 11187 meets on the second Wednesday of each month in classrooms 7 and 9. Members are men eighteen and older who are practicing Catholics in union with the Holy See.
The Knights at Seton live out the order's four core principles: Charity, through food drives, Special Olympics volunteering, and support for mothers in need; Unity, through mutual encouragement; Fraternity, through service hours and care for widows and children; and Patriotism, through public witness to faith and citizenship. They serve pancake breakfasts after Mass from time to time and host the annual Lenten Fish Fry that the parish proudly calls one of the best in Ohio.
Other Ministries and Parish Groups
The roster of ministries is long and varied. Altar Servers, open to boys and girls from fourth grade through adulthood, assist the priest at Mass and model the postures and responses of liturgical prayer. Lectors proclaim the readings and lead the Prayers of the Faithful. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Eucharist at Mass and bring it to the homebound. Greeters and Ushers create the warm first impression that the parish believes every visitor deserves.
The Welcome Center combines greeters, prayer ministers, and registration assistance. Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) brings the readings to children at an age-appropriate level during Mass. Preschool Co-Directors Dian Fogus and Jenna Ferdinand lead the early-childhood program.
The Bereavement Committee helps families plan funeral Masses, sends sympathy cards, follows up at six weeks, marks first anniversaries with handwritten notes, and facilitates a seven-week support group twice a year. Each November the committee organizes a Mass of Remembrance with a reception.
The Seton Prayer Chain, founded in November 1990 by Joan Marie Trainer and Pat Gray, began as a telephone chain with about fifty members and converted to email around 2000. It now connects more than two hundred members who receive periodic prayer intentions and add their own. The ministry has no meetings and takes only minutes a week.
The parish's Flocknote newsletter, its YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram accounts, its podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Play, and the Ministry Scheduler tool used by liturgical volunteers keep the parish wired together between Masses.
Outside the parish's own ministries, affiliated groups call Seton home. Boy Scout Troop 1147 and the Mothers of Ministry (MOMs) are active groups with their own rhythms, and the annual Seton Parish Festival in mid-August brings the wider Pickerington community together for rides, games, food, entertainment, and a raffle.
Seton Parish Preschool
Seton Parish Preschool serves children from two to five years old in a Christian setting designed to nurture their social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development. The preschool runs from mid-September to mid-May on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with one-day, two-day, and three-day programs depending on the child's age. Two classroom sessions are offered, from 9:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with time built in for centers, craft and circle time, lunch, music class with Miss Janet, and large-motor play in the afternoon. Registration begins each February, partial and full scholarships are available, and the program admits students of any race, color, or national and ethnic origin.
Joining the Parish Family
Becoming a registered parishioner is as simple as filling out the online registration form. The parish office will follow up to answer any questions and walk newcomers through registration. Online giving is set up through WeShare for those who would like to support the parish electronically, and the parish also encourages Amazon Smile, which directs one-half percent of purchases to the parish at no cost to the shopper.
Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The parish can be reached at (614) 833-0482 or hello@setonparish.com.
From an empty field in the 1960s to a renovated sanctuary in 2017 to a perpetual adoration chapel that never closes, Seton Parish has spent nearly half a century building a Catholic home for faith on Hill Road North. Its people, gathered around the altar and the Eucharist, fill the rest of the story.