About St. Elizabeth Seton · Ocean Springs, Mississippi
St. Elizabeth Seton is a Roman Catholic parish in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, in the Diocese of Biloxi. Founded in 1975 when it was carved from St. Alphonsus Parish, it has grown from roughly 150 families to more than 660 registered households and now serves the eastern side of Ocean Springs and surrounding communities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The parish worships at 4900 Riley Road in a brick church complex built in stages, beginning with a multi-purpose hall dedicated in 1978 and a permanent church dedicated by Bishop Joseph Lawson Howze on January 3, 1988. Today the parish is led by Reverend Donbosco Puthiyakunnel (Parochial Administrator), Deacons Michael Butler and Bill Oster, a parish council, and a large lay staff covering religious education, youth ministry, music, charity, and sacramental preparation.
- Established
- 1975
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
- Rector
- Reverend Donbosco Puthiyakunnel (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Biloxi
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth Seton offers a full Catholic life in a mid-size Gulf Coast parish: weekday and Sunday Mass in English (including a Saturday Vigil and three Sunday Masses), regular Eucharistic Adoration, and a clear sacramental schedule with Confession before Mass on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Families are served by a CCD program (K–11), an OCIA process for adults, a youth group, Marriage Prep and Marriage Ministry, and a robust sacramental team for Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick. Outward-facing ministries — St. Vincent de Paul, Community Food Assistance, Knights of Columbus Council #10499, Ladies Auxiliary, Home Bound, Nursing Home & Hospitals, and an Intercessory Prayer group — give parishioners concrete ways to serve the wider Ocean Springs community, while a parish-developed Discipleship Pathway (The 99 Experience, Discipleship Quad, Evangelization Retreat, and Youth Ministry) anchors ongoing formation.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth Seton
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:15 PM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM
- Or by appointment — call the parish office at (228) 875-0654
Adoration times
- Tuesday 7:00 AM – 6:15 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- Wednesday 3:00 PM – 5:45 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- First Thursday Adoration with youth
History of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish
St. Elizabeth Seton was carved from St. Alphonsus Parish in September 1975, with Hanley Road as the eastern boundary. Bishop Joseph B. Brunini of Natchez-Jackson appointed Rev. Noel Fannon, an Irish-born priest, as the first pastor; the first Mass of the new parish was celebrated October 12, 1975 in the former Wayside Furniture building on Highway 90. After itinerant years in Caesars' Palace and even Bud's Mobile Homes, the parish moved in 1978 to a brick multi-purpose building on a ten-acre site at 4900 Riley Road and in 1988 dedicated a permanent 463-seat brick church. In 1977 the parish became part of the newly created Diocese of Biloxi under Bishop Joseph Lawson Howze.
- 1975 — parish founded; first Mass October 12, 1975
- 1977 — joined new Diocese of Biloxi
- 1978 — multi-purpose building dedicated (8,008 sq ft, seating 350)
- 1988 — permanent church dedicated January 3, 1988 ($480,000, 9,180 sq ft, 463 seats)
- 1993 — 'Kitchin Addition' of five CCD classrooms
- 2001 — eleven adjoining acres with brick house purchased for KC / Ladies Auxiliary
- 2005 — Hurricane Katrina (Aug 29); new parking lots added 2006
- 2006 — Fr. Charles Nutter celebrated first Mass; 2007 — Fr. Khoa Vo celebrated first Mass
Parish Staff and Parish Council
The parish is currently led by Parochial Administrator Rev. Donbosco Puthiyakunnel, with Deacons Michael Butler and Bill Oster assisting, and is supported by a large lay staff and an elected Parish Council that advises on the business and affairs of the parish and develops short- and long-term plans.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Donbosco Puthiyakunnel
- Deacons: Michael Butler, Bill Oster
- Director of Religious Education: Jeanette Oster
- Parish Administrator: Shellie Mullen
- Parish Council President: Joe Goellner (term ends 2024); Vice President Scott Leslie (2025); Secretary Marilyn McDavid (2024)
- Council Members: Hannah Tramuta (2026), Stella Putt (2024), Joe McCormick (2025), Linda Holtorf (2024), Jason Harter (2026), Margaret Esposito (2025), Steve Diaz (2025), Dominic Barberi (2025), Allie Applewhite (2026)
- Ex-Officio: Richard Greenwold, Deacon William Oster, Deacon Michael Butler, Fr. Donbosco Puthiyakunnel
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at St. Elizabeth Seton is offered through the CCD program (K–11) and the parish-developed Discipleship Pathway, which draws on Bishop Louis Kihneman III's MISSIO NOSTRA publication. The parish describes the Pathway as 'the fruit of four years of prayer, discernment, and reflection about our spiritual journey as disciples of Jesus Christ.'
- CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine), grades K–11 — Director Jeanette Oster
- The 99 Experience
- Discipleship Quad
- Evangelization Retreat
- Youth Ministry (also listed as a Pathway program)
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
The parish welcomes adults who are unbaptized, baptized in another Christian tradition and interested in joining the Catholic Church, or baptized Catholics who were never confirmed. The OCIA process follows the diocesan and USCCB pattern, with a Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate preceding formal entry. Inquiries are coordinated by Amy Meadows.
- Who should attend: unbaptized adults, baptized Christians seeking full communion, uncatechized Catholics
- Coordinator: Amy Meadows — (228) 324-9406
- Parish contact for OCIA / OCIA Registration via the parish office
Sacramental Preparation
St. Elizabeth Seton prepares parishioners for each of the seven sacraments through dedicated lay coordinators and clergy. Baptism preparation, Marriage Prep, Marriage Ministry, Bereavement, Home Bound visits, and Nursing Home & Hospitals visits are all organized by named parish teams.
- Baptism — Melissa Rivera
- Marriage Prep — Dr. Paul and Theresa Pavlov; Chris and Emma Diaz
- Marriage Ministry — Gina & Chris Cazaubon
- Anointing / Home Bound — Tom Denny
- Nursing Home & Hospitals — Linda Pasquini; Dominic & Maribel Barberi
- Bereavement — Linda Holtorf and Amy Meadows
Music Ministry and Liturgy
Music is led by a team of directors coordinating a traditional choir, a guitar choir, and a youth choir that accompany the various weekend Masses, with volunteers and a guitarist for the Saturday Vigil. The parish also has a Liturgy Committee chaired by Richard Greenwold that coordinates altar servers, lectors, ushers, and extraordinary ministers.
- Traditional Choir — directed by Allan Cahela (organ/piano), sings at the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Guitar Choir — sings at the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass
- Youth Choir — guitars and drums, sings at the 5:00 PM Sunday Mass (in earlier listings)
- Saturday Vigil — volunteer singers accompanied by guitar
- Choir directors (per current staff page): Israel Valenzuela, Edgar Hernandez, KC Arnold
- Altar Servers — Shellie Mullen; Lectors — Ashley Fayard; Ushers — weekly volunteers; Extraordinary Ministers — Stella Putt
Parish Organizations
Long-running parish societies give parishioners structured ways to serve, socialize, and raise funds. The Altar Society was founded in 1979 and keeps the church clean; the Knights of Columbus Msgr. Gregory Kennedy Council #10499 was chartered November 6, 1990; the Ladies Auxiliary was formally organized March 5, 1991; and the St. Vincent de Paul Society has been assisting local families in need since around the parish's founding in 1975.
- Altar Society (1979) — President Kathy Ordahl
- Knights of Columbus Council #10499 (chartered Nov 6, 1990) — Grand Knight Paul Esposito; Deacon Martin Finnegan was the founding chaplain
- Ladies Auxiliary (organized March 5, 1991)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — President Tammy Thomas; provides Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas Wal-Mart gift cards, utility and gasoline assistance
Outreach and Charity
Outreach at St. Elizabeth Seton runs through both parish staff and member organizations, with a strong emphasis on food assistance, hospital and home visits, and prayer support for those in need.
- Community Food Assistance — Kristin Stephens
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — Tammy Thomas
- Home Bound Ministry — Tom Denny
- Nursing Home & Hospitals — Linda Pasquini; Dominic & Maribel Barberi
- Bereavement Ministry — Linda Holtorf and Amy Meadows
- Intercessory Prayer Group — Linda Denehie
Youth Ministry
Youth ministry at St. Elizabeth Seton traces back to the parish's Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) of the 1970s and the later Life Teen program introduced by Youth Minister Jeff Vitelli in 1999. Today the parish's youth programs are volunteer-led and form one of the four pillars of the parish's Discipleship Pathway.
- Youth Group (grades 6–12) — Directors Millie Hill and Allison Hill
- Discipleship Pathway Youth Ministry track
- Life Teen — historically active under Jeff Vitelli (1999)
- CCD K–11 — Jeanette Oster
Buildings, Campus, and Facilities
The 4900 Riley Road campus has grown from ten acres in 1978 to about 21 acres today, with Fannon Hall (the 1978 multi-purpose building), the 1988 brick church, the 1993 'Kitchin Addition' of CCD classrooms, and an adjoining brick house purchased in 2001 that now houses the Knights of Columbus and Ladies Auxiliary. The parish hall and adjoining parking lots have been repeatedly upgraded and expanded.
- Fannon Hall — 1978 multi-purpose building (8,008 sq ft, 350 seats)
- 1988 brick church (9,180 sq ft, 463 seats, $480,000)
- Kitchin Addition — 1993 (five classrooms)
- KC House — brick house purchased 2001 with the 11 adjoining acres
- Concrete parking lot installed 1997; resurfaced 2004; expanded 2006 after Hurricane Katrina
- Office hours: Mon–Thu, 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Getting Involved
The parish welcomes new members and provides a structured registration process, plus a wide range of ministries. The parish-developed Discipleship Pathway explicitly invites parishioners to walk through The 99 Experience, the Discipleship Quad, the Evangelization Retreat, and Youth Ministry as a four-year spiritual journey.
- Online 'Join Our Parish — New Member Registration' form on the website
- Vocations section on the parish website (developed using Bishop Kihneman III's MISSIO NOSTRA)
- Discipleship Pathway — The 99 Experience, Discipleship Quad, Evangelization Retreat, Youth Ministry
- Social Media Team — Millie Hill
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Noel Fannon1975–1988
First pastor; Irish-born; appointed by Bishop Joseph B. Brunini of Natchez-Jackson. Celebrated first Mass of the new parish on October 12, 1975 in the former Wayside Furniture building on Highway 90. Left for St. Clare in Waveland in early 1988.
- Rev. George Kitchin1988–2002
Second pastor; native of Greenwood, MS; installed March 26, 1988 in the newly dedicated church. The 1993 'Kitchin Addition' of five CCD classrooms is named for him.
- Rev. Bernard Farrell2002–2014
Third pastor; Irish-born; came from St. Alphonsus in Ocean Springs; appointed February 1, 2002 by Bishop Howze; retired February 2014.
- Rev. Sergio Balderasafter 2014
Listed as pastor on third-party parish directories (JoinMyChurch, Seton Shrine parish directory) and earlier local listings; succeeded Fr. Farrell after his retirement.
- Rev. Donbosco Puthiyakunnelcurrent
Current Parochial Administrator, listed on the parish's official website staff block.