Donna Eschenauer was born in New York City and raised on Long Island where she attended St. Martha’s Elementary School in Uniondale . She graduated from St. Joseph’s Mountain High School, located in upstate NY, owned and operated by the Amityville Dominican Sisters. Following graduation from St. Joseph’s she attended Hofstra University where she studied Elementary Education and Music; received a B.A in Fine Arts from Empire State College, Old Westbury; An Advanced Certificate in Pastoral Liturgy and an M.A. in Theology from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington. Donna is currently pursuing a Ph. D. in Religious Education from Fordham University.  

As the Director of Religious Education Donna is responsible for the Religion curriculum, Catechist Training, Family Faith Formation, and sacramental preparation for children in grades 1 through 8 who do not attend our parish school. Her goal is to work with parents, assisting them in their responsibility of forming their children in the Catholic Faith into which they have been baptized. She also teaches in the Adult Formation Program and is a member of the Parish Liturgy Committee. As a Pastoral Staff member she collaborates with the parish priests and other staff members to implement the broader vision of the Church here at St. Agnes.  

Prior to becoming the Director of Religious Education at St. Agnes in 1990, Donna worked primarily with adults as the Director of the Catechumenate at St. Patrick’s Parish in Glen Cove , where she also served on the Liturgy Committee. Donna had been involved in Music Ministry since grammar school and for many years worked as a cantor in several parishes on Long Island.  

In addition to her duties at St. Agnes, Donna is an instructor for the Pastoral Formation Institute, a facilitator for the Virtus, Protecting God’s Children Program, has given workshops both on the local and regional level on Faith Formation, Liturgy with Children, RCIA and Catholic Human Sexuality Education. She has served on the Catechetical Leaders Executive Board, the Sub Committee for Family Liturgy and the Committee for Catholic Human Sexuality Education for our diocese. She is a member of the National Catholic Educators Association and has worked with the Graduate Association in Leadership and Service, Seminary of the Immaculate Conception. 

Donna is married to Paul who has served the Church as a Pastoral Musician for 40 years. They have three grown children.  In here spare time she enjoys gardening, knitting, sewing, tennis, music, research and writing in the field of Religious Education.