October 5, 2025 — Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. Stephen’s Church, Stephen

515 Fifth Street, P.O. Box 507, Stephen, MN 56757

Phone: 218-478-2231 ststephens@wiktel.com www.wiktel.net/ststephens

Pastor: Father Luis Buitron lbuitron@wiktel.com Phone: 218-242-5689

Parish Secretary: Priscilla Steinke

Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday — 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. & 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

(closed all holy days of obligation and holidays)

Pastoral Council: Kristin Gajeski, Katrina Halfmann, Autumn Schindele, and Danika Sundby

Finance Council: Alex Anderson, Daniel Gerszewski, and Darrin Kowalski

Trustees: Todd Chwialkowski and Paul Rogus

Diocesan Victim Assistance If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual misconduct on the part of a priest, deacon, or individual representing the Diocese of Crookston, its parishes, or its schools, your first call should be to law enforcement. In addition, the diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator is available at 218-281-7895 (24-hour confidential number).

Project Rachel Ministry: Healing After Abortion The Project Rachel ministry is offered to women and men who have had a past experience with abortion and wish to seek healing and reconciliation. A trained counselor can be reached through this confidential phone number (218‑470‑0112) on Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-Noon.

New to the area? Please contact the parish office to register. Change of address/phone number. Please contact the parish office.

Knights of Columbus members: If you have insurance questions, please contact Field Agent Aaron Kaiser at 218-280-4707 or by email at Aaron.kaiser@kofc.org.

Mission Statement of St. Stephen’s Church

We the community of St Stephen’s are believers in Jesus Christ; striving to proclaim His Gospel in word and in deed. Through worship, evangelization, formation and service we invite our brothers and sisters to know the Lord.

The Sacramental Life

Baptism: Pre-baptism class is required for parents.

Reconciliation: available before Saturday evening Mass: 4:30-5:00 p.m.; before Sunday 8:30 a.m. Mass: 8:00-8:30 a.m.; or call a priest for an appointment. No Reconciliation before 10:30 a.m. Mass. If you are homebound or handicapped, call Father Luis for an in-home appointment.

Marriage: All Catholics who have made a decision to enter into marriage must meet with a priest six months before the proposed wedding date. If a Catholic is contemplating marriage to a non-Catholic, the Catholic must still contact a priest to fill the requirements of the Catholic Church for the marriage to be validly recognized by the Catholic Church.

Pastoral Visit/Anointing of the Sick: If you or a family member would like to receive a home visit, the Holy Eucharist for the homebound, or the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, please call Father Luis.

St. Stephen’s Church Mass Schedule

Wednesday, October 8, at 8:30 a.m. — Mass for †Ruth Albertson by Vern & Bev Smith

Sunday, October 12, at 8:30 a.m. — Mass for †Pauline Kalis by John & Denise Grandstrand

(Rosary at 8:00 a.m.)

Eucharistic Adoration: October 5 from 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Liturgical Ministry

Special Prayers For

Bev Bolduc, David Wesolowski, and reposed soul of Father Rick Lambert

To add a name to the prayer list — ask their permission first, then contact the parish office. Names are left on the list for four weeks. If you want a name kept on the prayer list, call the parish office for an additional four weeks.

Prayer Chain Please call the parish office with prayer requests.

Prayer Blankets Please contact Theresa Kuznia if you know of anyone who needs comfort and prayers and would like a prayer blanket from the Ladies Aid.

Stewardship of Treasure

September 28: $1,371.00 Adults: $1,335.00 Youth: $3.00 Plate: $33.00

Assumption: $10.00 Church in Latin America: $10.00

September Direct Deposits: $515.00

2025-2026 Budget for Sunday Offertory: $101,630 / 52 weeks = $1,954.42

Donations while away for the weekend When you are away from Stephen for weekend Mass you can still give to your home parish by dropping your donation envelope in the collection basket at the church where you are attending Mass and it will be mailed back to St. Stephen’s. OR Did you know that St. Stephen’s Church has the option for automatic debit from a checking or savings account? Contact the parish office at 218‑478‑2231 to set this up.

2024-2025 Financials are available in the vestibule for parishioners.

2025 DAA as of September 24 St. Stephen’s Goal: $9,730 Committed: $10,755 (110.53% of our goal)! Have you made a commitment to the 2025 DAA? If you have, thank you! If not, you can make a donation by placing it in a DAA envelope located in the vestibule and dropping it in the mail or in the Sunday collection, or you can donate online at www.crookston.org/DAA. Help the Diocese of Crookston reach their goal. Thank you!

Building Repair Fund If you wish to make a donation or memorial, we have the Building Repair Fund. Funds are used to maintain and make repairs and updates in the church, rectory and grounds.

Other Items and Future Events

Thank you to Ethan Marquis for his service as Trustee over the past six years and to Paul Rogus who has volunteered to be the new Trustee. These services as a Trustee are very much appreciated by Fr. Luis, our parish, and the Diocese. Thank you.

October is Respect Life Month Every October, the Church in the U.S. celebrates Respect Life Month. We reflect on the gift of every human life and how to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. For more info, go to respectlife.org/celebrate.

2026 Lector Books are now located in the vestibule. Lectors, please pick your copy up today!

NEEDED! A few individuals to volunteer their time to count the weekend collections.

Area Food Shelf is open every second Tuesday each month from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at St. Rose Church in Argyle.

Marriage Encounter A “perfect marriage” is simply to imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other! As Fall begins, plan to attend the October 11-12 Marriage Encounter in order to fall deeper in love. Weekends are held at Mt. Olivet Retreat Center in Farmington. Register at: www.marriages.org. If you have any questions, please call Mary Jackson at: 651-454-3238.

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass

[Liturgy is] the privileged setting in which God speaks to us in the midst of our lives; he speaks today to his people, who hear and respond. Every liturgical action is by its very nature steeped in sacred Scripture. ...From Scripture the petitions, prayers and liturgical hymns receive their inspiration and substance. From Scripture the liturgical actions and signs draw their meaning. – Pope Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, 52.

Join us at St. Stephen’s Church for a study by Dr. Edward Sri titled A Biblical Walk Through the Mass. It is a scriptural tour through the prayers, hymns, and rituals of the Liturgy. Practically every part of the Mass finds its inspiration in Scripture, as Pope Benedict XVI has noted. After providing a general overview of the Mass, this study devotes a session to each of the major sections of the Mass: the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Concluding Rites. Readings from the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) draw participants into the meaning and background of the prayers and other elements of the Mass.

We will meet at 9:00 a.m. following 8:30 a.m. Mass in the St. Stephen’s Church basement on five Wednesdays, October 15, 22 & 29; November 12 &19. The format will follow past studies with prayer, video, and small group discussion. Refreshments will be served! All are welcome to attend one, some, or all the sessions.

Please contact Tammi Anderson (218-478-4217) or Marilyn Kuznia (218-478-4273) if you have any questions.

October Day of Reflection (St. Francis Retreat & Conference Center in Hankinson, ND) You are invited to join us on Saturday, October 18, for a Day of Reflection (in-person or online). This month's theme, as we continue our Franciscan Spiritual Pilgrimage, will be "The Leper Hospital." The event lasts from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Register online at https://forms.office.com/r/qvVtezHnt9 or contact Sr. Mary Ruth with questions at srmaryruth@sfcretreats.org / 701-242-7195.

Parish Harvest Festival at the Cathedral Church — October 19 from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. You are invited to join them for a meal, fellowship, and Fall fun! Choice for dinner: Knights of Columbus fish fry or Ham Steak Dinner. All meals are served with baked potatoes, vegetable, coleslaw, and dessert for $20. Extra filets are offered for $7.00; Kids Dinner is $10 (age 12 and under). Dine in or drive through. Raffles, silent auction, free indoor games for kids in the gymnasium. Booths open at 10:00 a.m.

Catholic Daughters Court #2107 of St Rose Church will be celebrating CDA Sunday on October 19. We have been established as a court for 50 years, and we are inviting all Catholic women aged 18 and older to join our court. We have members from Assumption Church and St Peter and Paul in Warren, but we would love to have many more women join our court.

Our motto is "Unity and Charity"; Catholic Daughters was founded in 1903 by the Knights of Columbus and we are striving to increase membership at the local, state and national level. Please prayerfully consider joining as we, as we in Christ, assist others in difficult times; support our priests, seminarians, and women's religious; minister to the homeless; provide grants to help build Habitat for Humanity homes; contribute to food shelves and clothing drives; support our youth; promote Respect for Life and provide disaster relief. Mostly consider joining Catholic Daughters to support each other in Fellowship, Prayer and FUN.

Contact Patsy Whitlow if you have any questions at 218-201-0207 or patsy@wiktel.com.

Fall Festival at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church — October 26 from 12:00-5:00 p.m. Turkey & Ham Dinner: Adults $15.00; Kids (6-12 years) $8.00 St. Rose Raffle: Grand Prize - $500; 2^nd Prize - $200; 3^rd Prize - $100. Need not be present to win. Make plans to join them at the Mall, 701 Pacific Ave., from 12:30-5:00 p.m. for bingo, baked goods and raffle items. Drawings will be held at 5:00 p.m.

Pope Leo’s Prayer Intention for October For collaboration between different religious traditions. Let us pray that believers in different religious traditions might work together to defend and promote peace, justice, and human fraternity.

Ladies Aid

October Ladies Aid Leaders – Tammi Anderson, Renee Borowicz, Rita Chwialkowski, Kim Clark, Marilyn Hanson, Gerri Kuznia, Julie Kuznia, Sandra Kuznia (Duane), Theresa Kuznia, Juliet Rogus, Aggie Schindele, Autumn Schindele & Danika Sundby

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

October 5 from 1-5 p.m.

Diocese of Crookston

Mercy Hour Join Bishop Andrew Cozzens for this hour of adoration and prayer, culminating in an intimate moment of Eucharistic encounter offered for you as an individual, a couple, or as a family. All are welcome. Next Mercy Hour with Bishop Cozzens: October 5, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Ada, Minnesota.

Opening Mass for the Cause of Sister Annella Zervas, OSB will be held on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 702 Summit Ave. N., Crookston, MN. Activities start at 4:00 p.m.; Opening Mass at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at sisterannella.org/mass.

Would you like to deepen your faith and let Jesus become more involved in your life? Let the Spirit lead you on a Cursillo. The Diocese of Crookston is offering a Men’s Cursillo on the weekend of October 23-26 at the Crookston Pastoral Center. Applications are available at https://crookstoncursillo.weebly.com/.

9th Annual Parish Musician’s Workshop (hosted by Diocese of Fargo) All parish musicians are invited to the 9th Annual Parish Musician’s Workshop, hosted by the Diocese of Fargo Liturgy Office. This year’s theme is “Salvation through Song: Meeting the Mystery of God in Music” with keynote speaker Christopher Carstens. Location: St. Paul’s Newman Center, Fargo, ND Dates: Friday, October 24 – Saturday, October 25, 2025

The workshop includes keynote talks, breakout sessions, Lectio divina, Eucharistic Adoration, the Liturgy of the Hours, and singing in choirs matched to ability and interest. Each choir will help lead music for the Saturday evening Mass with Bishop Folda. For full details and registration, visit: www.fargodiocese.org/sacredmusic

Undone: Freedom for the Feminine Heart (Women’s Healing Retreat), November 20-22, 2025 The Dioceses of Fargo and Crookston are sponsoring the Undone Women’s retreat offered by the John Paul II Healing Center. This two evening (Thursday, Friday) and Saturday retreat will provide women with an authentic encounter with Mary’s model of radical receptivity to the Lord and will be an experience of truth, beauty, and transformation. Bring yourself, your mother, your sister, your adult daughters and friends. This is a weekend you won’t want to miss! Presented by the John Paul II Healing Center, and sponsored by the Diocese of Fargo and Diocese of Crookston, this event will be held at Sts. Anne and Joachim Catholic Church in Fargo. The retreat is being offered in person OR virtually via livestream! Register online for either experience at https://fargodiocese.net/undone. Registration opens August 18th. Scholarships, student and missionary discounts available. Contact JPIIretreatFargoND@gmail.com for more information.

“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7
Many of us compartmentalize our Faith, we bring it out only when we attend Mass or when we attend a parish event. Being a good steward requires discipline and striving to put God first in everything - all the time. The next time you are at a neighborhood party or at work or out shopping, would your words and actions signal to others that you are a good and faithful servant of our Lord?