Worship Commission

The mission of the Worship Commission is to provide meaningful, communal prayer experiences. It promotes continuous liturgical and spiritual renewal of the parish community. The Commission is to pray, affirm, educate and build a spiritual community with the Parish.

Liturgical Ministries

Altar Servers: St. Elizabeth Seton’s altar servers are comprised of youth who take part in a very special way assisting the Priest and Deacon in celebrating and presenting the rich treasures of the Mass’s sacred ceremonies. A server must have received the Sacraments of Baptism and 1st Communion, 5th grade student and/or beyond and the family be registered Parishioners. Training is provided.

Art and Environment Ministry: Our Art and Environment ministry is a group of creative people who use their talents to enhance and support the worship space. Our goal is to provide a hospitable environment of prayerful participation. This is done to create appropriate surroundings and rich symbolic representation in keeping with the liturgical season. We are responsible for seasonal environment, flowers, furnishings and objects used in liturgical celebrations. Art and environment work is often sporadic and seasonal, but the committee is always interested in recruiting artists, seamstresses, crafters, interior and floral designers.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word: Small group leaders for children’s “Liturgy of the Word” facilitate understanding of the scripture for grades Kindergarten through pre-Communion Second Grade during the 10:00 A.M. Mass. The children are dismissed during the Mass as the rest of the assembly prepares to listen to the Word of God. The children and facilitators break open the Word of God in one of the lower level rooms and return to the church immediately after the homily. Small group leaders are needed to teach the lessons each week. Materials are provided.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Extraordinary Ministers are called to assist with the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ at parish liturgies. Extraordinary Ministers are practicing Catholics who have received the sacrament of Confirmation. Each minister is scheduled three to four times in a three month period. Training is provided. Appropriate dress is required for all Ministers (i.e., no shorts or flip-flops during the summer months).

Greeters: A greeter is someone who can reach out to others with ease, have a presence of warmth and truly care about the assembly being at home in the worship space. Greeters are called to the task of hospitality as the assembly gathers for worship, especially reaching out to newcomers. They maintain comfort and order, tending to those who need special attention. Training is provided.

Lectors/Commentators: Lectors proclaim the Word of God by reading the Scriptures at Mass and related services. They might be better termed “communicators.” For a few brief moments, lectors bring alive the scripture passage to the assembly. While our lectors’ readings are not theatrical, and they are careful not to bring attention to themselves, they help the assembly connect with the day’s readings. They use tone of voice and cadence to appropriately reflect the intent of the passage-whether it is the vision of a prophet, a stern warning, a message of joy or of profound sadness. Lectors are provided workbooks each year with the readings for each Mass, along with helpful context and explanation, as well as pronunciation tips. Lectors use these workbooks to familiarize themselves with their readings to properly prepare for this important ministry.  Lectors proclaim the Scriptures and welcome the assembly at all the Masses. They will typically proclaim at one Mass every three to four weeks.

Music Ministry: Liturgical music plays a vital role in the prayer life of the parish community of St. Elizabeth Seton. Music ministers help to create and enhance the spirit of prayerful celebration as Choir Members, Cantors, and Instrumentalists. Parishioners are invited to participate in the:

• Adult Choir (college age and older) as a choir member or instrumentalist
• Instrumental Ensemble (college age and older-guitar, violin, flute, oboe, trumpet, trombone, cello, string bass, percussion, timpani)
• High School Choir (grades 7 through 12) as a choir member or instrumentalist
• Youth Choir (grades 3 through 6)
• Cantor Program

All parishioners are strongly encouraged to consider sharing their musical gifts and joining our Music Ministry. For more information, please contact Allen & Patti Stock, Music Directors, at 630-701-4036 or ses.music.naperville@gmail.com.

Sacrament Laundry Ministry: The Sacrament Laundry Ministry involves washing and ironing of the various sacramental linens. This ministry is made up of a group of ladies who, behind the scenes, reverently launder and iron the purificators and corporals used on the altar at Mass. We follow a rotating schedule, with the goal of having everyone commit to the ministry one weekend every month or two. The work is done in your own home at a time that is convenient to you. The linens are collected after the Sunday Masses and then returned to the sacristy by mid-week. Training will be provided on how to properly care for the linens and the overall process only takes 2-3 hours. If you enjoy or have a talent for laundry, please consider becoming a member of this important team! To volunteer for the Sacrament Laundry  Ministry, please contact the Parish Office.

Wedding Hostess Ministry: The Wedding Hostesses main focus is to guide the Bride and Groom and their families through the rehearsal and to assure the wedding runs smoothly. The Wedding Hostess should not consider herself to be a consultant. The hostess should avoid suggesting ideas or changes to the wedding arrangements that do not follow the guidelines that have been determined by SES. If changes to a wedding are requested by the Bride and Groom, they need to be approved by the presider or current pastor before they can be agreed to. SES is open to requests that do not compromise the liturgical essence of the ceremony. A Wedding Hostess is representing the community of St. Elizabeth Seton Church and therefore shows hospitality, helpfulness, compassion, and the ability to deal with any situation that may arise.

Prayer Experiences

Martha’s Ministry: This ministry is responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the Adoration Chapel. Depending on the number of volunteers for this ministry you may be asked to help only once per month or less.

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration:  The closest thing to heaven on earth-that’s what Mother Teresa said of visiting Jesus in Adoration. You will experience this heaven on earth in our John Paul II Eucharistic Adoration chapel 24 hours a day/7 days a week. We invite you to sign up for an hour-long visit with Jesus each week, at your convenience, or stop in to see Him whenever you are able. An offering of $10 for 7-day candles can be obtained at the Parish Office. Our chapel is located on the southwest corner of the front parking lot; enter between the 2 garages in the parking lot, or through the door on Lisson, just south of the driveway. To become an adorer or sub at ANY hour, or for more information, email pjpchapel@gmail.com.

Prayer Chain: There is a prayer chain available within St. Elizabeth Seton for all parishioners who may be in need of prayer or know of someone in need of prayer. Call us if you would like a particular intention offered for prayer. If you would like to be a part of this prayer chain, please feel free to call us at the parish office. Parishioners are also welcome to come and add petitions to the book of prayer at the Perpetual Adoration Chapel for all adorers to include in their prayers.

Rosary Prayer Group: Meets weekdays at 7:45 A.M. before the 8:15 A.M. Mass to pray for the needs of the parish family especially our Holy Father’s intentions, for all clergy, for our ill parishioners, for an end to abortion, world peace and the safe return of our troops, and for all who are in need of prayer.

St. Monica Intercession: Prayers for fallen away Catholics are offered every Thursday morning immediately following 8:15am Mass. We ask for St. Monica’s intercession with the first name of those who have fallen away from our faith.

St. Joseph Prayers: Prayers are offered every Tuesday morning immediately following the 8:15 A.M. Mass for those seeking work or who are underemployed.

St. Peregrine/St. Dymphna Prayers: Prayers are offered every Wednesday morning immediately following the 8:15 a.m. Daily Mass for those with mental illness or cancer. Join us for prayers asking intercession from St. Dymphna and St. Peregrine. 

Vocations Ministry: Vocations Awareness Ministry works with the diocesan vocations director to share information through the parish bulletin and Parish Faith Formation about upcoming diocesan vocation events. DRE’s are given information about vocation/discernment events in the diocese that could be of interest to young men & women. We pray daily for vocations at Mass and with our rosary before daily Mass.

Sacramental Preparation

Baptism Preparation: Baptism is the invitation our Church offers to its newest members. A monthly Baptism workshop is provided to new parents before the sacrament is celebrated. This is an invitation to those parents to take part in the new life they are bringing into the Church. The pre-baptismal time is one of welcome for the child and their parents. It is also a time of discernment for parents as they come forward to the Church requesting Baptism for their child. Such sacramental preparation is one of the ways our Church continually reaches out to its members. This workshop is a must for new parents and those couples new to our parish.

Marriage Preparation Program: The focus for the Marriage Preparation Program is to provide engaged couples being married from our parish with an opportunity to discuss issues that are important to a healthy loving relationship. FOCCUS (Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding and Study) is taken by the engaged couple and the results are then used as a discussion tool during four meetings with a married sponsor couple. Topics covered in the discussion include expectations of marriage, communication, marriage as a sacrament and finally growth and change in marriage. Married couples from our parish serve as the sponsor couples for this ministry. New couples interested in joining our ministry are welcome.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.): RCIA 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 RCIA 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 RCIA 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.