April 13, 2026 // Local

Community Spirit Helps St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School Thrive

Bethany Beebe

 

Pope St. John Paul II, paraphrasing St. Augustine, famously said, “We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song.”

Bishop Rhoades shared in that Easter joy as he celebrated Mass on the fifth day of the Octave of Easter during a pastoral visit to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School on Thursday, April 9.

Pointing to the painted image on the wall behind the altar that recounts the crucifixion of Jesus, Bishop Rhoades reminded those present that death was not the end of the story.

“On Sunday,” he said, “we celebrated the resurrection of Our Lord, the great event of Easter. The Church celebrates Our Lord’s resurrection not only on Easter Sunday but for eight days, which we call the Octave of Easter. During these eight days, at every Mass, we hear about appearances of the risen Jesus.”

During Christ’s visits to the disciples and others, and as a recurring theme in His ministry, He wanted to share peace with those who saw Him after Easter — and with us today, Bishop Rhoades said.

“Do you know what the first thing he said to them was?” Bishop Rhoades asked the students at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School. “‘Peace be with you,’ because they were so agitated and so worried and so sad … and Jesus wanted to give them peace. Peace be with you.”

Immediately making relevant to his modern audience how the invitation to peace is relevant, Bishop Rhoades asked how the disciples responded before answering the question himself.

“Well, we hear in the Gospel they were startled,” he said. “Imagine someone you love had died, and they appeared. You’d be startled, right? You’d be shocked.”

Bishop Rhoades asked the students how the people who encountered Jesus might know He was really alive and not a ghost. Responding to a student who raised her hand with the answer, he drew the students in by repeating her response.

“They could see the wounds of Jesus! A ghost doesn’t have this,” Bishop Rhoades said. “As if that wasn’t enough, He said, ‘Touch my body; it is real! I am not a ghost!’ And then they were filled with joy!”

The day’s Gospel reading from Luke said, “While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, He asked them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave Him a piece of baked fish; He took it and ate it in front of them.”

Bishop Rhoades said Jesus ate not because He was hungry but because it proved the reality of His physical existence, albeit different because it is a risen body that will never again feel pain, hunger, or thirst.

Bishop Rhoades also said those who live for Christ in this life will someday have risen bodies, as “Jesus promised that we will rise again like He did, so that means we will have bodies like that someday. … And our bodies will be perfect; they will never suffer anymore. … So that is our great hope.”

While the hope described during the Mass by Bishop Rhoades is eternal, those involved with the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School share a great deal of hope for the future, too, in the positive culture embodied in the school community.

“I think the primary reason we are successful is … the commitment of both parents and staff … to their faith and to their children/students,” said Father Terry Coonan, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. “They give time, talent, treasure to the cause of Catholic education, and it bears fruit. Our school helps create a tight-knit community that can be a leaven for the parish community, helping families to feel more deeply connected with the parish. The parish supports the school in making it so much easier to practice our faith than a stand-alone school.”

Parents who spoke to Today’s Catholic said the interactions of the priests are hard to miss.

“In addition to celebrating school Mass twice a week, they are often seen giving fist bumps and high fives in the halls, skateboarding through the parking lot at recess, popping into sporting events and waving goodbye to the vehicles at dismissal,” said Sarah Adams, school parent. “These everyday interactions make a lasting impression on our children and are truly beautiful to witness.”

Parent involvement and support is a clear driver of the life of the school.

“Our staff, families and priests make St. E’s what it is,” said Chris Schuler, assistant principal. “There is a true collaborative spirit within this campus. Everyone is so very willing to go above and beyond to help with whatever is needed. We have amazing priests who set aside time weekly to meet and talk with our students. Parents are willing to help with so many things around the school. Our teachers are so very dedicated and talented and see teaching as a vocation and not just a job.”

That collaborative nature of the school community was echoed by several who spoke to Today’s Catholic.

“Faith is woven into every part of daily life at SEAS,” Adams said. “From prayer and liturgy to the way students treat one another, it is clear that faith is not just taught but lived. Students are given many opportunities to grow in their relationship with God and to put their faith into action through service, kindness, and community involvement. Throughout the year, fundraisers support local Catholic organizations and charities. Many grade levels participate in community service projects within our community. Actively practicing the Catholic faith, both in and out of school, is part of the culture at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School.”

Teaching children that service is part of a lived faith begins early. Karen Tippmann’s kindergarten class, for example, is preparing notes of encouragement for other students at the school taking the ILEARN tests. Parents shared candy, and the students are attaching it to notes created for their older peers.

Kate Spong, a second-grade teacher, seconded the notion of positive culture.

“The parents are our partners,” she said. “I appreciate how I work with the parents, not around them. When that partnership works, your teaching becomes part of a bigger family mission.”

The mission to form strong Christian students appears to be embodied in a group of students who care.

“I appreciate the eagerness of my students,” Spong said. “They always are ready to lend a helping hand and let Jesus’ light shine through them.”