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: assumption@wiktel.com

St Rose Bulletin

December 10, 2023 — Second 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 Joe Caouette at 320-485-2202.

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. Please call Father Luis.

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, please 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 13, at 8:30 a.m. — Mass for †MaryAnn Chwialkowski by Ted & Juliet Rogus

Friday, December 15, at 8:30 a.m. — Mass for Margot Eliason by Linda Thompson

Sunday, December 17, at 10:30 a.m. — Mass for Tri-Parish Families of St. Stephen’s, St. Rose & Assumption Churches

(Rosary said beginning 10:00 a.m.)

Eucharistic Adoration – January 7 from 1-5 p.m.

Tri-Parish Mass Schedule for December, 2023

Saturday at 5:00 p.m. — St. Rose

Sunday at 8:30 a.m. — Assumption

Sunday at 10:30 a.m. — St. Stephen’s

Tuesday Mass at 5:00 p.m. — St. Rose

Wednesday and Friday Masses at 8:30 a.m. — St. Stephen’s

Thursday Mass at 6:00 p.m. — Assumption

Liturgical Ministry

Special Prayers For

Denise Nicholls, Peggy Riopelle, David Wesolowski & DeAnna Woinarowicz

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

December 3 Collection: $1,586.00 Adults: $1,505.00 Children: $1.00 Plate: $80.00

Thanksgiving: $855.00 Immaculate Conception: $25.00 Catholic Campaign for Human Development: $50.00

Children’s Altar Donations: $9.00

2023-2024 Budget for Sunday Offertory: $97,050 / 52 weeks = $1,866.35

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.

Flower Donations may be put in the collection basket or donation box. Extra envelopes are located in the vestibule.

Retirement Fund for Religious Support a lifetime of service. Women and men religious have spent their lives serving others in prayer, ministry, education and care for those in need — usually for little or no pay. Today, their religious communities do not have enough retirement savings. As they age, they require essential care and medications. Please support them by giving to the Retirement Fund for Religious. Your donation makes a difference for nearly 25,000 senior men and women religious. Please give generously.

Ladies Aid

Ladies Aid Advent Giving Project for Care and Share of Crookston Many items are needed by Care and Share of Crookston. Please check out the list by the Care and Share box in the vestibule, purchase an item or items, and return them to the box before December 20.

North Star Manor Birthday Party The Ladies Aid is hosting a birthday party at North Star Manor on Friday, December 15, at 2:00 p.m. for those residents who have December birthdays. Plan to join us for the festivities.

Ladies Aid Holiday Bake Sale will be held December 17 following 10:30 a.m. Mass. Ladies, bring your goodies or donation if you don’t bake.

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

Other Items and Future Events

Holiday Gift Baskets will be prepared by the Ladies Aid and Knights of Columbus. Anyone wishing to donate fruit, juices, jams, cookies, etc., please drop them off on the labeled table in the church basement. Baskets will be delivered December 17.

St. Stephen’s Parish Advent Giving Project is once again the St. Gianna & Pietro Molla Maternity Home in Minto, North Dakota. Please take a tag from the wall, pick up the item, and return it to the playpen in the vestibule before December 20. Any gift cards or monetary donations should be placed in a labeled envelope (St. Gianna’s) and put in the donations box located under the vestibule bulletin board.

Pastoral/Finance Council Meetings will be held on Thursday, December 21. Pastoral Council meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m. with Finance Council to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Star of the North Eucharistic Congress - save the dates May 17-19, 2024 Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, and Bishop Daniel J. Felton of the Diocese of Duluth welcome you to the Star of the North Eucharistic Congress, May 17 and 18 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, MN. The Congress is a collaboration between the Diocese of Crookston and the Diocese of Duluth, preceding the May 19 commencement of the Marian Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage at the headwaters of the great Mississippi River in Itasca State Park. Join Bishops and pilgrims from across the Midwest as we gather to celebrate and glorify Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. The Star of the North Eucharistic Congress will inspire pilgrims to increase their devotion in the Eucharist while learning ways to share the many graces of this great Sacrament through powerful talks and witness testimonies, panels, fellowship, praise and worship, Mass, adoration, confession, and a Eucharistic Procession. Featured Speakers include Bishop Robert Barron, Father Mike Schmitz, Jude Andrew Link, OP, Tanner Kalina of Saints Alive, Aly Aleigha and more speakers to be announced soon! The Star of the North Eucharistic Congress is for the entire family. All are welcome! Register soon as spaces are limited. For more information and to register visit CrookstonEucharist.org. To avoid extra registration processing fees, at this time tickets are available by calling Katrina Halfmann at 218-280-2388.

Advent/Christmas Schedule

*Tri-Parish Penance Service at St. Stephen’s on December 13 at 7:30 p.m.

*Christmas Program and Potluck: December 17 following 10:30 a.m. Mass

*Masses for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: December 23 – Mass at St. Rose at 5:00 p.m.; December 24 – Mass

at Assumption at 8:30 a.m.; Mass at St. Stephen’s at 10:30 a.m.

*Christmas Eve: December 24 – Mass at Assumption at 11:00 p.m.

*Christmas Day: December 25 – Mass at St. Stephen’s at 8:30 a.m.; Mass at St. Rose at 10:30 a.m.

*No daily Tri-Parish Masses December 26-29

Things to know about the Mass The Eucharistic Prayer “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that your Son may glorify you’” (John 17:1). Thanksgiving was the heart of the prayer of Christ to the Father. It was in giving thanks that he instituted the memorial of his Passion, blessing his Father in advance for the glory of the Cross and for the joy it would bring into the world. Lifted up on the Cross and raised to the Father in glory, Christ became our everlasting Thanksgiving. “It was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26).

The Eucharistic Prayer is the center and summit of the Mass. The Roman Missal contains four principal Eucharistic Prayers. The first of these, the venerable Roman Canon was for centuries, and until quite recently, the only Eucharistic Prayer of the Roman Church. The Second, Third, and Fourth Eucharistic Prayers were introduced in the Roman Missal of 1970. In addition to these, the Roman Missal contains six other Eucharistic Prayers; three of these are for Masses with children.

“Prepare the way of the Lord…” Mark 1:3

We are all called to live a holy life. We are all called to invite others to live holy lives. Living a stewardship lifestyle, being grateful and generous with our gifts, puts us on the path to holiness and is an example for others to be holy, too. We are responsible not only for our own lives, but for the lives of others as well. How are you helping others get to Heaven?

Mercy Hour with Bishop Cozzens: December 10 at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Crookston at 3:00 p.m.