Theresa Frassetto, the new coordinator of religious education in St. Luke Parish, Toms River, began her mission as a catechist there 22 years ago.

That was in 1992 when her daughter, Alyssa, the youngest of four children born to Frassetto and husband, John, was entering kindergarten. With all of the children – Gina, John, Vincent and Alyssa – in school, she had the time to devote to youngsters in the program.

Reflecting on what kept her involved over all those years, Frassetto said: “I loved it. I just loved what I was doing. I loved being a catechist.”

So fulfilling did she find her role as a catechist that Frassetto, a graduate of Pascak Hills High School, Montvale, completed a diocesan certification class in 2008 with the aim of continuing her mission far into the future.

Always important to her, bringing religious education to young people became especially important after her son Vincent was killed in Iraq in 2006, she said.

She devoted herself to the program, striving for the day when she might become coordinator of religious education. “I just waited and finally, the chance came. I was hired this year.”

Since her July 1 appointment, she and the other catechists have been working to get the program, which begins Sept. 22, ready to deal with all of the changes the St. Luke campus will experience in the coming year.

Major expansion of the faith formation wing was set to begin in early September. “It’s rebuilding in every sense of the word,” she said, adding that among the changes for the program of 700 young people, were re-structuring exiting and entering the building by way of one set of doors.

But Frassetto was focusing on the positive effect that might have.

“The parents will no longer have the lobby to wait in for them,” she said. They’ll have to come in through the parish center where she’s setting up a prayer box for their intentions to the Blessed Mother, just one of the ideas she has to involve the whole family in catechesis.