St Stephens Catholic Church Stephen, Mn

St. Stephen's Catholic Church Stephen, Mn

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Website Contact: ststephens@wiktel.co m

Assumption Bulletin Website Contact: assumptionchurch@wiktel.com

December 1, 2024 — First Sunday of Advent

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)

Youth Minister: Ethan Marquis

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, December 4, at 8:30 a.m. — Mass for †Linda Lovelace by Tom Silewski

Sunday, December 8, at 8:30 a.m. — Mass for †Richard Delaney by David & Carol Sunsdahl

(Rosary said at 8:00 a.m. before Sunday Mass)

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

Special Prayers For

Linda Thompson

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

November 24: $1,639.00 Adults: $1,585.00 Children: $.00 Plate: $54.00

Campaign for Human Development: $225.00

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

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.

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.

St. Mary’s Mission Appeal Today is the day to Make St. Mary’s Your Mission! Your generosity changes the lives of 60+ children enrolled in St. Mary’s Mission School, Red Lake. Invest in students’ hopes and dreams once again with a gift of $20 to provide snow pants or $50 to purchase student portraits. Thank you for responding to the appeal in your mailbox, giving during Mass, or by using your camera and scanning the code below. Watch the SMMA video and donate online at www.crookston.org/smma.

Retirement for Religious Collection – December 8 Aging religious need your help. “Your support acknowledges that we continue the mission of Christ even in our retirement,” says Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart Sister Celeste Burgos, 80. Donations provide for the care, medicine, and daily needs of over 24,000 senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests who have dedicated their lives to service. Please give to the Retirement Fund for Religious.

Ladies Aid

December Ladies Aid Leaders – Sue Anderson, Brooke Grochowski, Amy Kowalski, Holly Kowalski, Mary Kowalski, Brittney Kuznia, Marilyn Kuznia & Sarah Marquis

Other Items and Future Events

Thank you to Lenore Pietruszewski and Tammi Anderson for heading up the lefse fundraiser and to all who helped in preparing and rolling. Thank you to the November group leaders and ladies who prepared and served the delicious food for Community Sunday and the Dorothy Woinarowicz funeral. Also, thanks to those who cleaned up following the events. Your service to God and our community is very much appreciated.

St. Stephen’s Choir will sing for 8:30 a.m. Mass on December 8. Please come at 8:15 a.m. for practice. Also plan to stay to practice Advent and Christmas music after Mass.

St. Stephen’s Church Advent Giving Project The parish Advent giving project is once again the St. Gianna & Pietro Molla Maternity Home. Please take a tag from the wall, pick up the item, and return it to the playpen in the vestibule.

2025 Church Calendars and Envelopes are now available. Pick yours up today.

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention for December For pilgrims of hope — We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

Christmas Cantata at Assumption Church Florian The Greater Middle River Community Choir will be performing its Cantata entitled “Carols” by Heather Sorenson on Sunday, December 8, at 11:30 a.m. (following Mass) at Assumption Catholic Church in Florian. All are welcome to come and enjoy this presentation and celebrate the season. Refreshments served following the performance.

Real Presence Radio invites you to attend the fundraising banquet in Crookston, MN, on Tuesday, December 10, at the Crookston Convention Center. This year's keynote speaker is Joe Heschmeyer.

Kansas City native Joe Heschmeyer is a staff apologist for Catholic Answers. Joe is a popular author, speaker, blogger, and podcaster, located at Overland Park, Kansas. He has a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., a philosophy degree from Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, and a theology degree from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

A regular contributor to Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers Focus, and Catholic Answers Magazine, Joe has blogged at his “Shameless Popery” website and co-hosted a weekly show called “The Catholic Podcast.” To date, he has authored three books.

Joe and his wife and children reside in the Kansas City area. In his free time, Joe enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, and tormenting his loved ones with terrible puns.

For more information about the event or to register as a guest, visit our website or scan the QR code. To become a table host or event sponsor call Sunshine Diem at 701-960-0453 or email sunshine@realpresenceradio.com.

Marriage Encounter Give the best gift possible this CHRISTmas, an awesome marriage! Make plans today to attend the December 14-15 Marriage Encounter. Weekends are held at Mt Olivet Retreat Center in Farmington. Information and register at: www.marriages.org. Questions? Call: Mary Jackson at 651.454.3238 or email: mary@marriages.org

Holiday Schedule

December 17 – Tri-Parish Advent Penance Service at Assumption at 7:00 p.m.

December 21 – Christmas Program and Potluck

December 24 (Christmas Eve) – St. Stephen’s at 5:00 p.m.; St. Rose at 7:00 p.m.; and Assumption at 9:30 p.m.

December 25 (Christmas Day) – Assumption at 10:00 a.m.

December 26 (Feast of St. Stephen) – St. Stephen’s at 8:30 a.m.

December 31 (Eve of Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God) – Assumption at 6:00 p.m.

January 1 (Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God) – St. Stephen’s at 8:30 a.m.; St. Rose at 7:00 p.m.

Diocese of Crookston Announcements

Mercy Hour Services Throughout the year, Bishop Andrew Cozzens will lead monthly Mercy Hour services across the Diocese of Crookston. Mercy Hours are services of Eucharistic healing for individuals, couples and families. Join Bishop Cozzens for this hour of adoration and prayer, culminating in an intimate moment of Eucharistic encounter. All are welcome! Next Mercy Hour: December 15 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Peter the Apostle in Park Rapids, MN.

Serra Club YOU ARE INVITED! Serra is an organization of Catholic men and women dedicated to the purpose of encouraging and fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The Diocese of Crookston’s Serra Club is an affiliate of Serra International. There are over six hundred individual, chartered clubs in thirty-six countries.

Our club members invite you to join and learn more about the Diocese of Crookston’s Serra Club. We meet over Zoom on the second Monday of each month at 8:00 p.m. Our next meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 13, 2025.

Access Serra Ministry for more details about the club. Contact Shawn Erickson, Crookston Diocese Serra Club President, at serickson@stjoesmhd.com for information and to be able to join our Zoom meetings.

“But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” Luke 21:28

We celebrate Advent each year in preparation for the birth of Jesus, His first coming, as we await His second coming. What will you do differently this Advent season to grow in friendship and love with Jesus? How will you inspire others to do the same? Start by sharing your God story with others, especially those that are closest to you. Invite and accompany them on their faith journey this Advent.