The Church has always considered catechesis one of her primary tasks, for, before Christ ascended to his Father after his Resurrection, he gave the Apostles a final command – to make disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all that he had commanded.  He thus entrusted them with the mission and power to proclaim to humanity what they had heard, what they had seen with their eyes, what they had looked upon and touched with their hands, concerning the Word of Life.  He also entrusted them with the mission and power to explain with authority what he had taught them, his words and actions, his signs and commandments.  And he gave them the Spirit to fulfill this mission. 

Very soon the name of catechesis was given to the whole of the efforts within the Church to make disciples, to help people to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, so that believing they might have life in his name, and to educate and instruct them in this life and thus build up the Body of Christ.  The Church has not ceased to devote her energy to this task.

“At the heart of catechesis, we find, in essence, a Person, the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, the only Son from the Father … who suffered and died for us and who now, after rising, is living with us forever. To catechize is to reveal in the Person of Christ the whole of God’s eternal design reaching fulfillment in that Person. It is to seek to understand the meaning of Christ’s actions and words and of the signs worked by him. Catechesis aims at putting people … in communion … with Jesus Christ: only he can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 426)

With this in mind the faith formation program at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church is dedicated to continuing the mission that Christ gave to his disciples – to make disciples of all nations. As witnesses to the hope found in the person of Jesus Christ and his Church, the people of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, both young and old, will be effective apostles in the world, living strong sacramental lives of service to God and neighbor.