About St. Elizabeth Ann Seton · Swoyersville, Pennsylvania
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Scranton, serving the Wyoming Valley borough of Swoyersville in Luzerne County. Formed in 2012 through the merger of Holy Trinity Church (a Slovak heritage parish dating to 1895) and Holy Name–St. Mary's (a Polish and Irish heritage parish), the parish continues to worship in the historic Holy Trinity church building on Hughes Street. Under the current pastor, Rev. John J. Chmil, the parish offers daily and weekend Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a faith formation program, Vacation Bible School, and a robust calendar of ministries, devotions, and community events including the annual Seton Festival and Christian Mothers Rummage Sale.
- Established
- 2012
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
- Rector
- Reverend John J. Chmil
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish is a welcoming Wyoming Valley parish rooted in more than a century of Catholic immigrant heritage — Slovak, Polish, and Irish — that today comes together as one family under the patronage of America's first native-born saint. Parishioners are sustained by daily and weekend Mass, Friday morning Eucharistic Adoration, regular confession on Saturday afternoons, lively faith formation from kindergarten through Confirmation, Vacation Bible School, and a Pro-Life Ministry that prays the Rosary monthly to end abortion. Active lay societies — the Holy Name Society, the Confraternity of Christian Mothers (marking 75 years in 2017), Knights of Columbus Council #12976, and the Social Concerns Committee — keep the community engaged through fundraisers, the Seton Festival, rummage sales, cash bingo, and outreach to those in need.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30pm – 3:45pm (or as noted in the bulletin; otherwise by appointment with Fr. Chmil)
- Lent Mondays 5:30pm – 7:00pm ('The Light Is On for You')
Adoration times
- Friday mornings, 8:30am – 10:00am (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, following the 8:00am Mass)
About St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish is the Catholic parish serving the borough of Swoyersville in the Wyoming Valley of northeastern Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Scranton. Created in 2012 by uniting two older Swoyersville parishes — Holy Trinity (Slovak) and Holy Name–St. Mary's (Polish and Irish) — the parish now worships at the historic Holy Trinity church on Hughes Street and continues the immigrant-era Catholic legacy of the community. The parish is named for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native-born American to be canonized, whose liturgical feast is celebrated on January 4.
History of the Parish
The parish as currently constituted dates to June 2012, when the Diocese of Scranton merged Holy Name–St. Mary's into Holy Trinity on Hughes Street, with the consolidated community taking the name St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. The roots of both predecessor parishes stretch back to the 1890s, when waves of Slovak, Polish, and Irish Catholic immigrants organized churches in and around the Wyoming Valley coal towns.
Holy Trinity (1895–2012) — The Slovak Heritage Parish
Holy Trinity was founded in 1895 as Swoyersville's Slovak national parish. Its earliest shepherd was Rev. Matthew Jankola, pastor of St. John the Baptist in Pittston, who also helped organize the Sisters of SS. Cyril and Methodius. The first Holy Trinity church was destroyed by fire in November 1915; a larger brick-and-stone replacement seating 800 was built in 1916 and dedicated May 31, 1917. A second fire gutted the church on February 7, 1934. A parish school with ten classrooms, an auditorium seating 1,000, and a recreation hall with bowling alleys was added in 1927, and a new convent followed in 1957. The Holy Trinity Cemetery, located between Hughes and Warsaw Streets, has been part of the parish since 1902.
- 1895 — Holy Trinity organized; land purchased August 1895 for $450
- 1895–1902 — Rev. Matthew Jankola directs parish from Pittston
- 1906 — Rev. Stephen Pavolcik becomes first resident pastor
- 1915 — First church destroyed by fire (loss ~$20,000)
- 1916 — Second brick-and-stone church built; dedicated 1917
- 1927 — Parish school and new rectory built; Sisters of SS. Cyril and Methodius serve
- 1934 — Second church gutted by fire (loss $11,000–$25,000)
- 1957 — New convent built
Holy Name–St. Mary's (1890–2012) — Polish and Irish Roots
Our Lady of Czestochowa, the Polish church, was officially established June 20, 1890; its church on Shoemaker Street was built in 1925. Holy Name of Jesus was established in 1899 for the primarily Irish community and opened its church in April 1905. The two merged in 1992; the original Holy Name of Jesus church was closed in November 1996 and later demolished due to structural deterioration, and the combined parish was headquartered in the St. Mary's of Czestochowa building. In June 2012 the community processed from Shoemaker Street to Hughes Street to be received into Holy Trinity and form the new St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish.
- 1890 — Our Lady of Czestochowa (Polish) established
- 1899 — Holy Name of Jesus (Irish) established; church opened 1905
- 1925 — St. Mary's of Czestochowa church built
- 1992 — Two parishes merge as Holy Name–St. Mary's
- 1996 — Final Mass at Holy Name of Jesus; building later demolished
- June 2012 — Final Mass at Holy Name–St. Mary's; merger into St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
The 2012 Merger
On June 10, 2012, the Diocese of Scranton's recommendation of 2008 became reality as Holy Name–St. Mary's parishioners processed from Shoemaker Street to Holy Trinity on Hughes Street. Pastor Rev. Joseph Pisaneschi — a Swoyersville native who had once served as organist at Holy Name–St. Mary's — preached the farewell homily, urging the community, 'Please, don't let this be the end of our story.' The Mass closed with the Polish hymn 'Serdeczna Matko' (Beloved Mother), and 97-year-old lifelong parishioner Helen Kopetchny ceremonially locked the door of the church for the last time.
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. John J. Chmil, with Rev. Anthony Urban serving as Assisting Celebrant. Two permanent deacons — Deacon John Bankus and Deacon John (Jack) Ziegler — assist at Mass and with parish ministry. Lori Raymond serves as Pastoral Associate and Director of Religious Education, Sr. Mary Beth Makuch, SS.C.M., directs Pastoral Outreach, and Marge Semanek leads the Music Ministry with accompanists Joseph Sabol and Scott Coates.
- Pastor: Rev. John J. Chmil
- Assisting Celebrant: Rev. Anthony Urban
- Deacon John Bankus
- Deacon John (Jack) Ziegler
- Pastoral Associate / Director of Religious Education: Lori Raymond (570-287-6624)
- Pastoral Outreach: Sr. Mary Beth Makuch, SS.C.M.
- Director of Liturgical Music: Marge Semanek
- Accompanists: Joseph Sabol, Scott Coates
- Office Assistant: Pat Quinn
- Director of Maintenance: Christopher Calore (with John Sartin, Trudy Brown, Pat Quinn, Betsy Evanoski, Phil Bosha)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, including preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation, is coordinated by Lori Raymond, Director of Religious Education (570-287-6624). Vacation Bible School is held each summer; in 2026 the program 'Snowball Mountain Challenge — Find Your Strength in God!' runs July 27–31, 9:30am–12:00pm, for students who have completed pre-K through Grade 5, with a $10 fee and adult and teen volunteers welcomed. Registration is handled through the Religious Education Office ([email protected]).
- Religious Education for K–Grade 8, including Confirmation preparation
- Annual Vacation Bible School (summer program)
- Sacramental preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation
Music and Liturgy
Music ministry at the parish is led by Director of Liturgical Music Marge Semanek, with accompanists Joseph Sabol and Scott Coates. The Art & Environment Committee tends to the church's seasonal décor throughout the year and welcomes volunteers for planning and decorating sessions announced in the bulletin.
- Director of Liturgical Music: Marge Semanek
- Accompanists: Joseph Sabol, Scott Coates
- Art & Environment Committee for seasonal church decoration
Parish Societies and Ministries
Lay societies and ministries are the heartbeat of parish life at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. The Holy Name Society hosts the annual children's Easter Egg Hunt and a Mardi Gras Dance. The Confraternity of Christian Mothers — which celebrated its 75th anniversary in May 2017 — runs the popular spring rummage sale held in the school gymnasium. Knights of Columbus Council #12976 sponsors chicken barbeque fundraisers. The Pro-Life Ministry meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm and gathers to pray the rosary beforehand for an end to abortion.
- Holy Name Society — Easter Egg Hunt for ages 1–8; Mardi Gras Dance
- Confraternity of Christian Mothers — Spring rummage sale; bake sale
- Knights of Columbus Council #12976 — Chicken Barbeque fundraisers
- Pro-Life Ministry — 3rd Tuesday, 7:00pm in the church hall
- Social Concerns Committee — Cash Bingo, food drives, Advent Giving Tree
- Pastoral Outreach Ministry — Sr. Mary Beth Makuch, SS.C.M.
- Safety and Security Committee
Outreach and Social Concerns
The parish Social Concerns Committee organizes a major Cash Bingo each spring (April) in the school gymnasium with 15 regular games, special games, a $500 coverall, bake sale, and basket raffles, plus the Advent Giving Tree to provide Christmas gifts and food to local families in need. Proceeds have historically supported youth scholarships, St. Joseph's Center, Little League team sponsorship, Feed a Friend, and Valley Santa.
- Annual Cash Bingo (April)
- Advent Giving Tree
- Food pantry drives
- Support of St. Joseph's Center, Valley Santa, Feed a Friend
Holy Trinity Cemetery
Holy Trinity Cemetery, located between Hughes and Warsaw Streets, has been part of the parish since 1902, when the old Rodgers apple orchard on Hughes Street hill was purchased for use as a parish cemetery. It remains the resting place of generations of Swoyersville Catholic families.
- Located between Hughes and Warsaw Streets, Swoyersville
- Established 1902 from the Rodgers apple orchard parcel
Parish School and Facilities
The parish school building, constructed in 1927 of steel and brick with stone trim, remains the active hub of parish social life. Its gymnasium, accessible from the Hughes Street parking lot, hosts the Christian Mothers' rummage sale, Vacation Bible School, Nite at the Races, the Social Concerns Cash Bingo, and other community events. The site is 250 feet deep on Hughes Street.
- Steel-and-brick school built 1927
- Ten classrooms, 1,000-seat auditorium, basement bowling alleys
- Gymnasium used for rummage sale, VBS, bingo, and parish events
Online Presence and Live-Streaming
The parish live-streams its Vigil Mass every Saturday at 4:00pm on Facebook, and the recordings are also published on the parish YouTube channel @SEASVideoNEPA for viewing on smart TVs and mobile devices. Online giving is available through the parish website at setonpa.com.
- Facebook Live Vigil Mass — facebook.com/setonpa
- YouTube channel — @SEASVideoNEPA
- Online giving at setonpa.com
Visit, Contact, and Office Hours
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30am to 3:00pm, and is closed on Fridays (weekends and evenings by appointment). The parish mailing address is 116 Hughes Street, Swoyersville, PA 18704, with phone (570) 287-6624, fax (570) 287-4704, and email [email protected].
- Office: 116 Hughes Street, Swoyersville, PA 18704
- Phone: (570) 287-6624
- Fax: (570) 287-4704
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:30am–3:00pm; closed Friday
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph J. Pisaneschi2012–c.2024
Founding pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish; presided at the final Masses at Holy Name–St. Mary's in June 2012 and led the merger into Holy Trinity. Swoyersville native and former church organist; later assigned to St. Therese Parish in Shavertown. Parishioners celebrated his 25th priestly anniversary in 2025.
- Rev. John J. Chmilpresent
Current pastor; oversees liturgical, formation, and outreach ministries including Pro-Life, Social Concerns, and the Seton Festival.