St. Stephen's Catholic Church Stephen, Mn
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Website Contact: ststephens@wiktel.com
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.
Tri-Parish Mass Schedule for December, 2024
Saturday at 5:00 p.m. — St. Stephen’s (Exception: December 8 – Mass at 8:30 a.m.)
Sunday at 8:30 a.m. — St. Rose (Exception: December 7 – Mass at 5:00 p.m.)
Sunday at 10:30 a.m. — Assumption
Tuesday and Friday Masses at 5:00 p.m. — St. Rose
Wednesday Mass at 8:30 a.m. — St. Stephen’s
Thursday Mass at 6:00 p.m. — Assumption
Liturgical Ministry
Sunday, December 8, at 8:30 a.m.
Lector — Wendell P.
Altar Servers — Amaya K. & Austin A.
Eucharistic Ministers — Gary A. & Wendell P.
Greeters — Kevin & Brittney K.
Rosary Leader for December — Theresa Kuznia
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.
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.