St. Stephen's Catholic Church    Stephen, Mn

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Website Contact:  ststephens@wiktel.com

Assumption Bulletin         Website Contact:  assumptionchurch@wiktel.com

 

July 28, 2024 — Seventeenth 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)

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 Aaron Kaiser at 218-280-4707 or 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

 

WHILE FATHER LUIS IS AWAY ON SABBATICAL, PLEASE CONTACT FR. XAVIER ILANGO AT STES. PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WARREN, MN, OR FATHER JOSHY MATHEW AT ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH IN HALLOCK, MN, FOR ANY SACRAMENTAL EMERGENCY.

 

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

 

Sunday, August 4, at 10:30 a.m. — Mass for Tri-Parish Families of St. Stephen’s, St. Rose & Assumption Churches

(Rosary said at 10:00 a.m. before Sunday Mass)

 

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

 

Tri-Parish Mass Schedule for July, August & September, 2024

 

Saturday at 5:00 p.m. — St. Rose

Sunday at 8:30 a.m. — Assumption

Sunday at 10:30 a.m. — St. Stephen’s

 


 


Liturgical Ministry


 


Sunday, August 4, at 10:30 a.m.

Lector — Katrina H.

Altar Servers — Jacob S. & Avery S.

Eucharistic Ministers — Shaun B. & Katrina H.

Greeters — Ted & Juliet R.


Rosary Leader for August — Rita C.

 


Special Prayers For

 

Eugene Kuznia, Denese Nicholls & Roger Troska

 

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

 

July 14:  $1,691.00      Adults:  $1,635.00      Children:  $.00      Plate:  $56.00

Peter’s Pence:  $110.00

 

July 21:  $989.00      Adults:  $950.00      Children:  $.00      Plate:  $39.00

Peter’s Pence:  $10.00

 

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.

 

Diocesan Annual Appeal   As your pastor, I’m grateful for your generous support for the Diocesan Annual Appeal.  We have made our parish goal.  Being part of the diocesan family, I’m inviting those who have not participated, made one gift, and even our guests to help those parishes less fortunate than ours to raise $100,000 more dollars.  Your gifts to the DAA provide young people opportunities to participate in camps, pilgrimages, and mission trips this summer!  Thank you for your generosity!  Extra envelopes are in the vestibule or you can donate online at www.crookston.org/DAA.  Thank you!

 

 

Ladies Aid

 

2024-2025 Booklets are now out.  Pick yours up today!

 

Pans and Bowls   There are many pans and bowls from past events in the vestibule.  Please pick yours up today!

 

July Ladies Aid Leaders – Julie Bolduc, Arnette Borowicz, Britni Gajeski, Kim Gajeski & Nan Nelson

August Ladies Aid Leaders – Karen Knutson, Amy Kowalski, Patsy Kuznia, Sandy Kuznia (KC) & Bev Smith

 


 

Other Items and Future Events

 

Sabbatical   Father Luis left on May 19 for a sabbatical.  He will return for the holy day Masses on August 15.  There will be no Tri‑Parish weekday Masses held during this time.  Monsignor Daniel Pilon and Father Pat Sullivan will be the substitute priests for the weekend Masses.  Father Xavier Ilango of Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Warren and Father Joshy Mathew of St. Patrick’s Church in Hallock will be available in case of a sacramental emergency.

 

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention for July   For the pastoral care of the sick   We pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick confer to those who receive it and their loved ones the power of the Lord and become ever more a visible sign of compassion and hope for all.

 


Red River Mission Cemetery   We continue to make improvements at the church, rectory, and of the grounds at the church and cemeteries we maintain.  One of the projects our parish has been working on is the restoration and painting of the crucifix at the Red River Mission Cemetery a/k/a St. Joseph’s Cemetery.  Dennis Narlock has now finished the restoration process.  Here is a photo of the completed project.  If you get a chance, take a drive out to the cemetery and take a look.  Thank you to Jerry Kuznia for his heading up of this project, and thank you to all of those who have made this project possible through donations to the Cemetery Fund.  It is greatly appreciated.

 


 

WIDOWED, DIVORCED, SEPARATED?  Grand Forks Beginning Experience will begin “Coping with Life Alone” for widowed, divorced or separated persons on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – for ten Tuesdays in a row.  It will be held in the basement of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 524 5th Ave N.   Persons of any faith are welcome.  There is a one-time fee of $45 for workbooks and other supplies.  Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the fee.  For information and/or to register, text or call Msgr. Daniel Pilon at 701-361-2051 or email daniel.pilon@fargodiocese.org.

 


Diocese of Crookston Announcements

 

Natural Family Planning Introductory Session Date Change   Due to instructor availability the July Natural Family Planning Introductory Session date has been rescheduled.  There will no longer be a session on July 23, however one will be offered on July 30.  All individuals and couples that were previously registered for the July 23 date were notified of the change.  The Diocese of Crookston website is up-to-date with the new registration link at https://www.crookston.org/offices/discipleship/marriagefam. 

RESCHEDULED TO JULY 30, 2024, 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Where: Online Zoom Registration:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkdumhrzsoE9xQ1KXWsz-LKDXC3UPmcRja

 

Marriage Encounter Weekend   Looking for a way to increase the love and romance in your marriage?  A Marriage Encounter Weekend allows a husband and wife to get away together and focus on each other.  The next available weekends are and August 17‑18, 2024, in Oakdale, MN; October 12-13, 2024, in Alexandria, MN; and November 22-24, 2024, in Windom, MN.  Early registration is highly recommended.  For more information visit:  northmnwwme.org or contact Miki at applications@northmnwwme.org or 507‑227-8229.

 

Fall Cursillos   Are you looking for a way to walk more closely with God?  Cursillo may be what you are looking for.  The Diocese of Crookston is offering a Women’s Cursillo on September 26-29 and a Men’s Cursillo on October 24-27 at the beautiful Pastoral Center in Crookston.  For more information contact Heidi Huus at (701) 866-5350.  Applications are available at crookstoncursillo.weebly.com

 

 

 

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?”      John 6:9

The miracle of the Loaves and Fishes carries two important messages.  First, no matter how little we have, we always have enough to share.  Second, Christ can take our humble gifts and do great things with them if we are just willing to let Him.  Nothing is impossible with God.  All of our gifts, big or small, were given to us for a reason.  No gift is too small or insignificant!