One Parish From Two on the West Side of Hastings
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish traces its beginnings to 1987, when the Catholic families of Guardian Angels and St. Boniface churches in Hastings came together to form a single parish. Nearly four decades later, the unified community continues to honor both heritages, gathering under the patronage of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native-born American saint, who is remembered for her deep Eucharistic devotion and her pioneering work in Catholic education and charity.
The parish mission is stated plainly: to form joyful disciples who make Jesus Christ known and loved. The vision is to be a community that radiates Christ's love and hope to everyone they encounter. From the school's first days to the latest Piercing Faith column, that double commitment to formation and joyful witness shapes nearly everything the parish does.
A Week of Mass at the Heart of the Parish
Daily and weekend Mass form the backbone of parish life. The schedule covers mornings, evenings, weekdays and weekends, and includes low-gluten hosts on request in the sacristy before each Mass.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 pm
- Sunday: 8:00 am and 10:00 am
- Tuesday and Thursday: 5:15 pm
- Wednesday and Friday: 8:00 am
- First Saturday of the Month: 8:00 am
Incense is not used at the Saturday 4:30 pm Mass or the Sunday 8:00 am Mass. A live podcast, The Practicing Catholic, extends the parish's reach on Spotify.
Confession in the St. Francis Room
The sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated in the St. Francis Room at times that line up with the Mass schedule so visitors can combine the two.
- Saturday: 3:15 to 4:15 pm
- Tuesday and Thursday: 4:30 to 5:00 pm
- Wednesday and Friday: 7:30 to 7:50 am
- First Saturday of the Month: 8:30 am
A Perpetual Adoration Chapel
Parishioners can stop by the adoration chapel at any hour of any day. Perpetual adoration is sustained by a roster of committed adorers and is overseen through a security code system after sundown. The parish is openly recruiting additional adorers to fill open Holy Hour slots; inquiries go to Tracy at steiner26@aol.com.
The Seven Sacraments and How the Parish Prepares People for Them
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton walks families and adults through each of the seven sacraments, with dedicated coordinators for every stage of the journey.
Baptism. Parents begin by emailing Laura Stierman, the Director of Evangelization, to schedule a meeting and receive preparation materials through FORMED.org and Archbishop Hebda's letter "Only One Thing Is Necessary." Baptism session dates are scheduled several times a year, and baptisms are typically celebrated during or after weekend Masses, although any day or time can be arranged depending on the priest or deacon's availability. Godparents must be at least 16, confirmed Catholics in good standing, and free of canonical penalties.
First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Children in second grade and older prepare through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, alongside Saturday Parent Formation and weekly family Mass attendance.
Youth Confirmation. Beginning with the 2026-27 formation year, the parish has moved to a readiness model for Confirmation. Teens in grades 8 through 12 participate in Kairos or Metanoia youth ministry for at least one year before entering Confirmation preparation. The process includes a Confirmation Discernment Guide for families, four Confirmation-specific formation sessions (October, December, February and April), the Fan Into Flame Retreat Weekend in late November, and a rehearsal before the Confirmation Mass celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Paul.
Adult Confirmation and OCIA. The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults is open to anyone seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, whether unbaptized, baptized in another Christian tradition, or already Catholic and missing only Confirmation. OCIA involves 24 to 30 sessions alongside a Catholic mentor. Adult Confirmation for baptized Catholics who missed the sacrament as teenagers is an eight-week course that meets between the Sunday morning Masses.
Marriage. Couples work with the parish to plan their wedding liturgy; inquiries begin through the parish office.
Anointing of the Sick. Available for those facing serious illness or the end of life.
Funerals and the Cemetery. The parish maintains an active Cemetery Committee that meets four to six times a year and a Funeral Server/Sacristan ministry to help prepare funeral liturgies.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and the Atrium for the Youngest Disciples
Children as young as three encounter the Catholic faith in the peaceful setting of the Atrium through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-inspired approach that immerses them in Scripture, prayer, and the liturgy. The parish offers three early-childhood tracks: Little Buds for ages 3 to 5 and their parents, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for preschoolers through second grade, and Little Flowers for girls in grades 1 through 5, a Catholic girls' ministry inspired by St. Thérèse of Lisieux and her Little Way. Little Buds is the parent-and-child feeder into Little Flowers.
Elementary Youth Group and Saturday Parent Formation
Children in grades 3 through 5 gather once a month for the Elementary Youth Group, with prayer, dynamic Catholic teaching, games, and small-group conversations in the St. Clare Youth Room. While children meet on Wednesday evenings, parents participate separately in Saturday Parent Formation gatherings throughout the year. Each month the family receives a Faith at Home Guide with a simple prayer and conversation prompts to keep formation going between gatherings.
Kairos: Middle Schoolers and the Opportune Moment
Named for the Greek word for the decisive moment, Kairos is the parish middle school youth group for grades 6 through 8. It runs in five seasons during the school year, each season made up of four Wednesday evening gatherings followed by a Friday night experience of prayer, teaching, small groups, games, and worship at the parish. Small groups led by committed mentors sit at the heart of Kairos, giving students a safe place to be known and to ask the bigger questions about life and faith. There is no registration fee to participate.
Metanoia: High School Teens Making the Faith Their Own
Metanoia (a transformation of mind and heart) is the high school youth group for grades 9 through 12. Like Kairos, it runs in five seasons built around Wednesday evening sessions and concluding Friday nights. Each gathering mixes games, a relevant talk, small-group discussion, and prayer, with teens placed in consistent small groups led by caring mentors. The group is designed for teens in any season of faith: just exploring, returning after time away, or ready to go deeper.
Parent Formation as the Backbone of Every Program
Across all youth and sacramental programs, parents are recognized as the first and most important educators of their children in the faith. Parent Formation gathers mothers and fathers on Saturdays for prayer, learning, and community, with practical tools for leading faith at home. Parents of Confirmation candidates also participate in the men's and women's retreat opportunities offered throughout the year.
Adult Formation That Reaches Every Season of Life
The parish offers a rich slate of adult formation opportunities.
Evangelical Catholic (EC). A 12-week lay training in two cohorts each year, January through March and September through November, that combines deepening one's prayer life with intentional evangelization in everyday circles of influence.
Catholic Watchmen. A monthly men's gathering on the first Tuesday, beginning with optional Holy Hour at 6:30 pm, followed by refreshments and a session in Mother Seton Hall at 7:30 pm, ending at 8:45 pm with optional extended social time. The Watchmen follow seven disciplines together in fraternity.
The King's Men. A men's brotherhood that meets Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:30 pm in the St. Boniface Room, except on the first Tuesday of the month when the Catholic Watchmen meet.
Women's Bible. A Tuesday-morning gathering at 9:00 am in the GA/Boniface Rooms, focused on the Sunday readings and the historical and social world behind them.
Women's Spirituality and Scripture Study. A Thursday morning prayer study from 9:00 to 11:00 am in the St. Boniface Room.
Divine Mercy Cenacles. Two small groups, one meeting Wednesday mornings from 9:00 to 10:30 am and another on Friday afternoons from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, study the diary of St. Faustina Kowalska along with related Scripture and Catechism passages.
Young Adults. Rather than running a separate young-adult group, the parish points young adults to Disciples of Christ Young Adults at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Woodbury.
Young Family Ministry for Households with Children Under Six
Young families find a particular welcome through St. Zelie Moms Group, which meets the second Monday of each month from September through May, 7:30 to 9:00 pm, in the GA/Boniface Room. Parents Pray & Play gathers parents and kids on scheduled afternoons for prayer, playtime, and treats; in nice weather they head to the preschool playground, in poor weather to Mother Seton Hall. Mass & Dinner Night invites families to attend the Saturday evening Mass together and then share dinner in Mother Seton Hall.
A Family Day Camp Built Around Prayer and Play
Anchoring the young-family calendar is Family Day Camp, a single-day event that runs from an 8:30 am opening Mass through a 7:45 pm night blessing and includes breakfast, a family hike at Spring Lake Park Reserve, a parish scavenger hunt, gaga ball and games, a Divine Mercy Chaplet and Adoration at the Holy Family Grotto, a quiet craft activity, the 4:30 pm Mass, pizza dinner, an outdoor sing-along, and the Family Rosary Across America livestream. The camp is funded by the Catholic Community Foundation.
Outreach That Reaches Hastings and Beyond
The parish organizes a remarkable breadth of outreach ministries.
Sharing and Caring Hands. Once a month, a team of about 40 volunteers prepares and serves a meal at Mary Jo Copeland's homeless shelter in Minneapolis, an outreach the parish has sustained for 41 years. Donations of groceries, prepared food, baked goods, Jell-O, and financial contributions are all welcome. Food preparation happens on the third Wednesday of the month from 7:00 to 10:00 am in the Mother Seton Kitchen.
Meals on Wheels. Volunteers deliver hot meals to homebound neighbors over the lunch hour on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, twice a month.
Hastings Family Service. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton serves as a collection site for the local food shelf and emergency service organization, with weekly Thursday drop-offs at the west entrance.
Giving Trees. Each November, the parish collects clothing, food, toys, and household goods for Hastings Family Service, Lewis House, the Franciscan Brothers of Peace, and TLC of Hastings.
Appalachia Christmas Mission. In October, donations of essential items are collected for low-income families in Kentucky through the St. Paul and Minneapolis Council of Catholic Women and Terminal Transport of Roseville.
CRS Rice Bowl. During Lent, families pick up a Rice Bowl from the information table near the library; 25 percent of donations stay local.
Kitui Partnership. As part of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis's solidarity partnership with the Diocese of Kitui in Kenya, the parish builds relationships, strengthens faith, and shares resources, including a Phase II Water Project.
TLC of Hastings. A pregnancy resource center offering pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, parenting classes, adoption referrals, post-abortion healing, baby supplies, and STD education receives ongoing parish support.
Lions Club Used Glasses. A marked basket near the coat closet at the west entrance collects intact glasses, children's glasses, non-prescription sunglasses, and readers for the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers.
Plastics Recycling. A bin near the Seton Hall restrooms accepts approved plastic materials to support the school's TREX bench recycling goal.
Music and Liturgical Ministries for Those Who Serve at the Altar
Anyone interested in serving at Mass can find a fit. Altar Servers (open to anyone who has completed fourth grade), Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (practicing Catholics at least 16 and confirmed), Sacristans for weekend Masses, Funeral Servers, Baptism Assistants, and Greeters are all recruited and trained year-round. Music Ministry welcomes singers, instrumentalists, cantors, and choir members under the direction of Denis Allaire. Ministers to the shut-ins bring the Eucharist to parishioners unable to attend Mass, and Ministry at Care Facilities brings Mass and the Rosary to local residences.
Hospitality, Volunteers, and the Parish Life Committee
The Hospitality Committee is actively recruiting greeters before the Saturday 4:30 pm and Sunday 8:00 am Masses. The Parish Life Committee, sometimes called the Party People, plans and runs parish events with monthly one-hour planning meetings and a few hours per event. Other hands-on volunteer opportunities include caring for indoor plants during Easter and Christmas, crocheting or knitting prayer shawls for those in pastoral care, laundering altar linens, and providing front-desk support.
Piercing Faith: The Parish Column
Communications Specialist Jared Brantner writes Piercing Faith, a weekly column reflecting on the Sunday Mass readings. The columns blend personal narrative with theological commentary, often engaging Hastings by name and inviting readers to live their Catholic faith visibly in everyday settings.
Councils and Committees That Steward the Parish
Parish Pastoral Council. Advises the pastor and articulates a vision for the parish.
Finance Council. Advises the pastor on budgeting, properties, and financial development. Members include Tanya Peterson, Kari Kasel, Billy Siebenaler, Abby Meyers, Andy Gentz, Lisa Piotrowski, and Charles Caturia.
Cemetery Committee. Advises the pastor on the operations and finances of the parish cemetery.
Trustees. Chuck Caturia and Lisa Piotrowski serve alongside Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Vicar General Fr. Charles Lachowitzer, and Pastor Fr. Dave Hennen as the corporate board of the parish.
Knights of Columbus Hastings Council #1600. Established locally in 1913, the Knights meet on the third Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 9:00 pm in Mother Seton Hall. Grand Knight Steve Sellars welcomes new members.
Parish Office, Hours, and Weather Closings
The parish office is open Monday and Wednesday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, with the front office closed on Fridays. After-hours emergencies are handled by pressing 4 when calling the office line. The parish follows the local school schedule for weather-related closings; if Hastings Public Schools close, the parish office and school also close and all meetings for that day are cancelled. Adoration closings are posted on the adoration page. The fax line is 651-438-2948.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School
Sharing the parish campus, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School serves as the parish's Catholic school. Stacy Bauer leads the school as principal. Parents can enroll their children through the school's own admissions process, and the parish-school connection is reinforced through shared events like SetonFest and the school's TREX bench recycling program.
Grief Support and Pastoral Care
Faith Siebenaler coordinates Pastoral Care, which extends to homebound parishioners and those facing illness or loss. The parish also points families in need of grief support to local resources through the parish office.
Joining the Parish
Anyone interested in joining St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is warmly invited to fill out the online registration form or simply stop by the parish office to speak with Jared. Visitors and newcomers can subscribe to the parish bulletin and the Constant Contact eNews, spend time in the adoration chapel, or attend a Mass or confession at any of the scheduled times. Those returning to the Catholic Church after time away are encouraged to speak directly with Fr. Dave Hennen, and those becoming Catholic for the first time are guided through OCIA.
Online Giving and Sacramental Records
Parishioners can give online through WeShare Giving, with options for one-time, recurring, or special-fund contributions. Sacramental records for baptisms celebrated at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Guardian Angels, or St. Boniface are held by the parish office and can be requested through Faith Siebenaler. Records for baptisms performed elsewhere are obtained from the church where the sacrament took place.