May 4, 2025 — Third Sunday of Easter

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 Ethan Marquis

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

Please contact Father Luis at 218-242-5689 to schedule an appointment.

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 by calling Father Luis 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, May 7, at 8:30 a.m. — No Mass

Friday, May 9, at 8:30 a.m. — †Mass for Kathryn Earnest by Al & Dalene Doeror

Sunday, May 11, at 10:30 a.m. — Mass for Tri-Parish Families of St. Stephen’s, St. Rose & Assumption Churches

(Rosary at 10:00 a.m.)

Eucharistic Adoration at St. Stephen’s – May 4 from 1-5 p.m.

Tri-Parish Mass Schedule for April, May & June, 2025

Special Prayers For

Pope Francis

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

April 27: $551.00 Adults: $525.00 Children: $.00 Plate: $26.00

Easter: $100.00 Catholic Home Missions: $172.00

2024-2025 Budget for Sunday Offertory: $101,450 / 52 weeks = $1,950.96

2025 DAA as of April 23: St. Stephen’s Goal: $9,730 Committed by 22 donors: $6,630 (68.14% of our goal) $3,100 from 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 us reach our goal. Thank you!

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.

Food for the Poor Today’s bulletin insert tells how you can help to end the suffering of impoverished children and their families in the Caribbean and Latin America. Any donation is greatly appreciated.

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.

Ladies Aid

May Ladies Aid Leaders – Donna Nelson, Doris Nelson, Georgie Nelson, Sheila Peterson & Lenore Pietruszewski

Other Items and Future Events

Congratulations to our First Eucharist students! On this special day may you feel the joy and blessings of Christ in your faith journey. Congratulations!

NEEDED The Ladies Aid is in need of a President (or with a friend as Co-Presidents) for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1. If you are willing to fill this position and have any questions about it, please contact Amy Kowalski as soon as possible at

218-478-4177. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

North Star Manor Pancake Feed Fundraiser to be held on Sunday, May 4 — serving from 10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Warren Senior Center, 110 West Johnson Ave., Warren, MN. Free-will donation.

Real Presence Radio’s Spring Live Drive is happening May 6–8! Join us as we broadcast LIVE from across our five-state listening area, sharing powerful stories of faith and hope, and the impact of Real Presence Radio. Call 877-795-0122 or support us on-line during the drive, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for some amazing prizes! The phone lines will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CT each day.

RPR is 100% listener supported — our mission thrives because of your generosity. Take us with you wherever you go by downloading the RPR mobile app from the Apple or Google Play Store. Want to learn more? Scan the QR code below or visit RealPresenceRadio.com.

Summer Mother Daughter Days Mother and their daughters are invited to join the Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen in Hankinson, ND, this summer for a time of fun and faith while also having a glimpse into life as a Sister. Our theme this year is “Come, Follow Me.” We offer two sessions of “Mother Daughter Days,” each beginning Thursday evening at 7 p.m. and concluding around noon on Saturday. The dates are June 12-14 and July 10-12. To register, visit ndfranciscans.org/vocation-events or contact Sr. Mary Ruth for more information at (701) 242-7195 / srmaryruth@sfcretreats.org.

Come & See Do you sometimes wonder: What is it like in Convent? Am I called to Religious Life? What is the Franciscan charism? Come & See with the Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen in Hankinson, ND. This year’s theme is “Come, Follow Me,” and our first weekend experience will be June 27-29. Visit ndfranciscans.org/vocation-events or contact Sr. Mary Ruth at srmaryruth@sfcretreats.org / (701) 242-7195.

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention for May For working conditions Let us pray that through work, each person might find fulfillment, families might be sustained in dignity, and that society might be humanized.

Prayer Cards for Pope Francis and the College of Cardinals are available in the vestibule. Please take one home and pray for Pope Francis and those who will embark on their sacred duty to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

Novena in Memory of Pope Francis Copies are available in the vestibule. Feel free to take a copy home.

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

May 4 from 1-5 p.m.

Diocese of Crookston Announcements

Mercy Hour with Bishop Cozzens today, May 4, at 3:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Warroad.

ALL ARE INVITED! Fr. John Riccardo to speak at St. Philip’s, Bemidji on May 6 Fr. John Riccardo of ACTS XXIX ministry will be speaking to our priests during their annual Spring Priests Convocation May 5-8. He will also present an evening address for the lay faithful on Tuesday, May 6, from 7:00-8:15 at St. Philip’s Catholic Church in Bemidji. Fr. Riccardo's “Living the Church’s Mission” will provide insight into the “Created, Captured, Rescued, Respond” proclamation of the faith.

Fr. Riccardo’s You Were Born For This, and From the Trailer podcasts are listened to by thousands every week and his Rescue Live! conference is presented to sold-out audiences across the United States. No RSVP necessary.

“…Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you

know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” John 21:17
How often do you actually say the words “I love you” to Jesus, to family members, or to friends? We are made to be in relationship with God and each other. Sincerely telling someone that you love them is the best gift you can give them because it comes from your heart. You are giving them the gift of yourself. We all were made by love and for love. Tell someone you love them every day.