On Howard Avenue in New Berlin
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Parish sits on West Howard Avenue in New Berlin, Wisconsin, a suburb west of Milwaukee. The parish gathers each week around the motto "Follow Jesus. Serve Others," a phrase that shapes everything from weekend Mass to a labyrinth that welcomes people of all faiths to pray.
Under the pastoral care of Father Joy Thachil, SAC, and a lay team that includes more than fifty active ministries, the parish combines traditional Catholic worship with a robust schedule of formation programs, outreach efforts, and environmental work rooted in Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si'.
Weekend Mass and the Seven Sacraments
Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 5:00 PM and Sunday at 8:30 AM and 10:45 AM. The 8:30 AM Sunday Mass is livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Weekday Mass is offered Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 AM, preceded by the Rosary at 7:30 AM. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and a worship aid with everything said and sung during Mass is handed to visitors as they walk in, so newcomers can follow along easily.
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptism is offered for infants and children up to age six, with a preparation session held four times per year and Baptisms scheduled during or after the Saturday evening Mass or one of the Sunday morning Masses. The Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC) prepares school-age children who are unbaptized or seeking first Communion, while the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) walks adults who wish to become Catholic or complete their initiation. Reconciliation is available year-round, Anointing of the Sick is offered to those preparing for surgery or facing serious illness, and Marriage preparation uses the FOCCUS inventory tool with couples working alongside Father Joy and the Pastoral Associate. Holy Orders inquiries are welcomed as well.
A Labyrinth Modeled After Chartres
One of the most distinctive features of the parish is its Labyrinth Ministry, located in Sippel Hall. The labyrinth at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is modeled after the labyrinth at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Chartres, France, and stretches roughly a city and a half block along its single winding path. Unlike a maze, the labyrinth has no dead ends; the path leads from the entrance to the center and back out again.
Walking the labyrinth is a form of contemplative prayer in which the body itself becomes the prayer, through standing, walking, sitting, or kneeling. The labyrinth is open during parish office hours when the room is available, and trained volunteer attendants staff scheduled prayer evenings once a month from September through May. During Advent and Lent, the schedule expands to weekly Thursday evenings. Parishioner Margie Gibbons oversees the ministry, which welcomes people of various faith traditions and is described as one of the few ministries where visitors from outside the parish come to pray.
Disciple Formation from Cradle to College
The parish calls its religious education program Disciple Formation, and it stretches from infancy through young adulthood. The Disciple Formation Office is staffed by Pastoral Associate Christopher McAtee, Pastoral Associate and Interim Adult Formation Coordinator Sue Switalski, Director of Youth Ministry Karin Felske, Director of Child Ministry (Early Childhood) Ann Ryan, and Director of Child Ministry (Grades 1 to 5) Barb Lee.
Littles, Kids, and Family
The Littles program supports families with children ages 0 to 3. The Kids program serves grades 1 to 5 through two parallel offerings. Roots meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:40 AM twice per month, with children gathering on their own to explore God's Word through songs, games, and activities. TOGETHER, the family program, meets twice per month on Monday evenings from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Families share a meal, pray together, and break into age-appropriate sessions, with childcare provided for children younger than K3. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during both Sunday Masses, giving children in K4 through 5th grade the chance to hear the Gospel at their own level for roughly twenty minutes.
Middle School and High School
Middle and high schoolers gather for the parish's youth formation programs. RISE serves 6th through 8th graders on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, while THRIVE offers 9th and 10th graders a similar rhythm of small groups, service, prayer, and fellowship. Encounter is the parish's Confirmation preparation program for juniors and seniors, running October through May with twice-monthly Sunday sessions, sponsor meetings, and a retreat. Dwell gathers confirmed 12th graders in a high schooler-led group that meets at varying times and locations.
Young Adults
Seton's Young Adult Small Group, for ages 18 to 29, meets for Bible studies, dinners, ice cream outings, and other activities. The group offers a casual place to ask hard questions about faith and to find support from peers navigating the same life stage.
Adults
Adult formation at Seton takes several forms. Faith Sharing and Bible Study small groups meet weekly in homes, at the parish, or in the community, led by trained facilitators. The Women's LIFE Night gathers women for conversation about faith and Scripture. The Monday Morning Book Club meets on the fourth Monday of the month from 10:00 to 11:30 AM in the Reflection Room off the Gathering Space, reading spiritual books chosen by the group.
The Women's Morning of Reflection is an annual retreat typically held the second Saturday of November, planned in collaboration with St. Luke Parish and Holy Apostles. The morning includes a presenter speaking on a scriptural theme and a collection for an outreach cause. A planning committee meets three times a year, beginning in mid-August, and welcomes women of all ages.
The Adult Enrichment Speaker Series runs from September through May on the second Sunday (9:30 AM) or second Monday (6:15 PM) of each month, with presentations lasting about an hour. Recent topics have included practical discipleship, the Synod on Synodality, parish vitality, and the lives of young saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. Past speakers include Talia Westerby, Sister Marie-Kolbe Zamora, Dr. Sue Switalski, and Al McCauley.
Kitchen Floor Theology
Ann Ryan also produces Kitchen Floor Theology, a video series aimed at toddlers and preschoolers. Each episode includes a retelling of a Bible story, an action song, and a snack idea. Past episodes have covered Noah's Ark, God's promise to Abraham, Joseph's colorful coat, Moses, the Battle of Jericho, Samuel listening to God, Ruth and Naomi, and David and Goliath.
Music and Worship
The parish describes itself as a singing congregation. Music at weekend Masses blends contemporary and traditional Catholic music, accompanied mostly by piano and a variety of other instruments, and led by an enthusiastic choir and cantors. Linda Halverson serves as Director of Liturgy and Music and oversees the Music Ministry. Ushers, greeters, lectors, acolytes, and Eucharistic Ministers all play roles in the Sunday liturgies, and the parish encourages parent-child teams to serve together as acolytes.
Caring for God's Creation
The Caring for God's Creation ministry, part of the parish's Human Concerns Commission, has committed to Pope Francis's Laudato Si' Action Platform and its seven goals: responding to the cry of the Earth, responding to the cry of the poor, practicing ecological economics, adopting sustainable lifestyles, practicing ecological spirituality, providing ecological education, and building community resilience and empowerment.
The ministry has organized a wildflower garden of native Wisconsin plants near the parish's retention pond, which a priest blessed after the first plantings. Volunteers gather educational resources on eco-friendly cleaning, winter de-icing, and biodegradable trash bags, and the ministry circulates calls to action on issues such as PFAS drinking water standards.
Outreach and Human Concerns
Human Concerns is one of three parish commissions, alongside Disciple Formation, Parish Life and Stewardship, and Spiritual Life and Worship. The Human Concerns Commission oversees more than a dozen outreach ministries. Father Gene's Help Center in West Allis provides clothing to those in need; parishioners can donate clothing in Seton's Gathering Area or volunteer at the center Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to noon. The Hope Center Meal Program and the St. Vincent de Paul Meal Program prepare and serve meals to those experiencing hunger, while Holiday Meal Boxes deliver food during major holidays and the Sandwich Ministry makes bag lunches for distribution. Giving Tree supports families in need at Christmas, and Migrant Ministry accompanies seasonal workers in the area.
Communion to the Homebound brings the Eucharist to those unable to attend Mass. Blood Drives are held five times a year in cooperation with Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin. Caring Connection coordinates meal trains through Meal Train for parishioners facing unexpected life challenges. Bereavement and Grief Support offers "Companions on the Journey" grief groups in collaboration with Holy Apostles Parish, meeting on the second Monday evening at Holy Apostles and the second Wednesday afternoon at Seton's Sippel Hall, along with a Mass of Remembrance on November 2 and ongoing funeral follow-up. The Seton Seamers craft items for those in need, and the parish also offers Fair Trade Coffee Sales benefiting farmers in El Salvador.
Parishioner-Involved Charities and Outreach Grants direct a portion of parish giving to local organizations. The Social Justice Committee helps parishioners engage with broader issues of human dignity and care for creation.
Pastoral Council and Lay Leadership
The Pastoral Council is the parish's advisory body, meeting monthly from August through June on the first Thursday of the month in consultation with the pastor. Twelve parishioners serve three-year terms, with four new members discerned each year. The council discusses what is working in the parish, how leadership can better serve parishioners, and how the parish can grow, then makes recommendations to Father Joy. Pastoral Council Chairperson Paula Lucey invites anyone interested to attend a meeting.
Day-to-day operations are led by Father Joy and a staff that includes Deacon Dick Winkowski, Pastoral Associates Christopher McAtee and Sue Switalski, Director of Administrative Services Rita McGann, Director of Communications Kathy Stawicki, Director of Liturgy and Music Linda Halverson, and the Disciple Formation team. The Ministry Support Team, made up of the pastor, the Pastoral Associate, the Pastoral Council Chair, the three commission leads, and the Rebuilding Disciples ministry lead, meets four times a year to coordinate the parish's many ministries.
Joining the Parish and Connecting Online
Newcomers can register online at any time or in person at the parish office during weekday hours. New member packets are also available at the Information Desk after any weekend Mass. The parish encourages those interested to fill out a New Member Welcome Form so staff and ministries can follow up.
Mass is livestreamed on Sundays at 8:30 AM, and weekly homilies by Father Joy are posted online afterward, often within the same week. Online giving is available through the parish's giving platform, with options for one-time or recurring gifts; the parish also accepts automatic withdrawals on the 20th of each month and mailed offerings (checks only). Parishioners can keep up through a weekly email newsletter, the parish bulletin, and the parish's social media channels on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X. The parish calendar lists all weekly Masses, formation meetings, outreach events, and speaker series dates throughout the year.