October 12, 2025 — Twenty-eighth 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)
Pastoral
Council: Kristin Gajeski, Katrina
Halfmann, Autumn Schindele, and Danika Sundby
Finance
Council: Alex Anderson, Daniel
Gerszewski, and Darrin Kowalski
Trustees: Todd Chwialkowski and Paul Rogus
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
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 call a priest 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, October 15, at 8:30 a.m. — Mass
for †MaryAnn Chwialkowski by Ted & Juliet Rogus
Sunday, October 19, at 8:30 a.m. — Mass for †Jeff
Schindele by Rita Chwialkowski
(Rosary at 8:00 a.m.)
Eucharistic Adoration: November 2 from 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Liturgical Ministry
Sunday, October 19,
at 8:30 a.m.
Lectors — Marilyn K.
Altar Servers — Michael M. & Charles M.
Eucharistic Ministers — Jerry & Marilyn K.
Greeters — Ted & Juliet R.
Rosary Leader for October — Jerry K.
Tri-Parish Mass Schedule for October,
November & December, 2025
Weekends
Saturday
at 5:00 p.m. — Assumption
Sunday at 8:30 a.m. — St. Stephen’s
Sunday
at 10:30 a.m. — St. Rose
Weekdays
Tuesday
Mass at 5:00 p.m. — St. Rose
Wednesday Mass at 8:30 a.m. — St. Stephen’s
Thursday
and Friday Masses at 6:00 p.m. — Assumption
Special Prayers For
Bev Bolduc, Father
Xavier Illango, David Wesolowski, and reposed soul of Father Rick Lambert
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
October 5: $1,549.00 Adults:
$1,420.00 Youth: $3.00
Plate: $126.00
Church in Latin
America: $15.00
2025-2026 Budget for
Sunday Offertory: $101,630 / 52 weeks = $1,954.42
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.
2024-2025 Financials are
available in the vestibule for parishioners.
Propagation of Faith Collection (World
Mission Sunday) — October 19, 2025 — World Mission Sunday
(WMS) is a special day celebrated by the Catholic Church around the world to
recognize and support the Church’s missionary work. Each year, the Pope chooses a theme for World
Mission Sunday. For 2025, the theme is: "Missionaries of Hope Among the
Peoples". This theme calls all
Catholics — young and old — to be messengers of hope, just as missionaries
bring Christ’s love to people around the world.
Please give generously to this collection.
2025 DAA as of October 1 St. Stephen’s Goal: $9,730
Committed: $10,755 (110.53% of
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 the Diocese of Crookston reach their
goal. Thank you!
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.
Other Items and
Future Events
St. Stephen’s
Choir will sing at Mass
on Sunday, October 19. Practice will follow
the Rosary.
2026 Lector Books are now located in the vestibule. Lectors, please pick your copy up today!
NEEDED! A
few individuals to volunteer their time to count the weekend collections.
October is Respect
Life Month Join Catholics nationwide in celebrating
Respect Life Month. Visit respectlife.org/celebrate.
Area Food Shelf is
open every second Tuesday each month from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at St. Rose Church in
Argyle.
A Biblical Walk
Through the Mass
[Liturgy
is] the privileged setting in which God speaks to us in the midst of our lives;
he speaks today to his people, who hear and respond. Every liturgical action is by its very nature
steeped in sacred Scripture. ...From Scripture the petitions, prayers and
liturgical hymns receive their inspiration and substance. From Scripture the liturgical actions and
signs draw their meaning. – Pope Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, 52.
Join us at St. Stephen’s Church for a
study by Dr. Edward Sri titled A Biblical Walk Through the Mass. It is a scriptural tour through the prayers,
hymns, and rituals of the Liturgy. Practically
every part of the Mass finds its inspiration in Scripture, as Pope Benedict
XVI has noted. After providing a general
overview of the Mass, this study devotes a session to each of the major
sections of the Mass: the Introductory
Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the
Concluding Rites. Readings from the
Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) draw participants into the
meaning and background of the prayers and other elements of the Mass.
We will meet at 9:00 a.m. following
8:30 a.m. Mass in the St. Stephen’s Church basement on five Wednesdays, October
15, 22 & 29; November 12 &19. The format will follow past studies with
prayer, video, and small group discussion. Refreshments will be served! All are welcome to attend one, some, or all
the sessions.
Please contact Tammi Anderson
(218-478-4217) or Marilyn Kuznia (218-478-4273) if you have any questions.
October Day of Reflection
(St. Francis Retreat & Conference Center in Hankinson, ND) You are invited to join us on Saturday,
October 18, for a Day of Reflection (in-person or online). This month's
theme, as we continue our Franciscan Spiritual Pilgrimage, will be "The
Leper Hospital." The event lasts from 10 a.m.-3
p.m. Register online at https://forms.office.com/r/qvVtezHnt9 or
contact Sr. Mary Ruth with questions at srmaryruth@sfcretreats.org / 701-242-7195.
Parish
Harvest Festival at the Cathedral Church — October 19 from 11:00 a.m.-2:00
p.m. You are invited to join them for a
meal, fellowship, and Fall fun! Choice
for dinner: Knights of Columbus fish fry
or Ham Steak Dinner. All meals are
served with baked potato, vegetable, coleslaw, and dessert for $20. Extra filets are offered for $7.00; Kids
Dinner is $10 (age 12 and under). Dine
in or drive through. Raffles, silent
auction, free indoor games for kids in the gymnasium. Booths open at 10:00 a.m.
Catholic
Daughters Court #2107 of St Rose Church will be celebrating CDA Sunday on October
19. We have been established as a court for 50 years, and we are inviting
all Catholic women aged 18 and older to join our court. We have members
from Assumption Church and Stes. Peter and Paul in Warren, but we would love to
have many more women join our court.
Our motto is "Unity and
Charity"; Catholic Daughters was founded in 1903 by the Knights of
Columbus and we are striving to increase membership at the local, state and
national level. Please prayerfully consider joining as we, as we in
Christ, assist others in difficult times; support our priests, seminarians, and
women's religious; minister to the homeless; provide grants to help build
Habitat for Humanity homes; contribute to food shelves and clothing drives;
support our youth; promote Respect for Life and provide disaster relief.
Mostly consider joining Catholic Daughters to support each other in Fellowship,
Prayer and FUN.
Contact Patsy Whitlow if you have any
questions at 218-201-0207 or patsy@wiktel.com.
Fall
Festival at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church — October 26 from 12:00-5:00 p.m. Turkey & Ham Dinner: Adults $15.00; Kids (6-12 years) $8.00 St. Rose Raffle: Grand Prize - $500; 2nd Prize -
$200; 3rd Prize - $100. Need
not be present to win. Make plans to join
them at the Mall, 701 Pacific Ave., from 12:30-5:00 p.m. for bingo, baked goods
and raffle items. Drawings will be held
at 5:00 p.m.
Pope Leo’s Prayer Intention for October For collaboration between different
religious traditions. Let us
pray that believers in different religious traditions might work together to
defend and promote peace, justice, and human fraternity.
Ladies Aid
October
Ladies Aid Leaders – Tammi
Anderson, Renee Borowicz, Rita Chwialkowski, Kim Clark, Marilyn Hanson,
Gerri Kuznia, Julie Kuznia, Sandra Kuznia (Duane), Theresa Kuznia,
Juliet Rogus, Aggie Schindele, Autumn Schindele & Danika Sundby
Diocese of
Crookston
Mercy
Hour for Individuals and Families
Join Bishop Andrew Cozzens for this hour of adoration and prayer,
culminating in an intimate moment of Eucharistic encounter offered for you as
an individual, a couple, or as a family.
All are welcome. Next Mercy Hour
with Bishop Cozzens: November 16,
2025, at 3:00 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Lake Park,
Minnesota.
Mercy Hour for Young Adults: October 15, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at St.
Joseph’s Catholic Church in Moorhead, Minnesota.
Would you like to
deepen your faith and let Jesus become more involved in your life? Let
the Spirit lead you on a Cursillo. The
Diocese of Crookston is offering a Men’s Cursillo on the weekend of
October 23-26 at the Crookston Pastoral Center. Applications are available at https://crookstoncursillo.weebly.com/.
9th Annual Parish Musician’s Workshop (hosted by
Diocese of Fargo)
All parish musicians are invited to the 9th Annual Parish Musician’s
Workshop, hosted by the Diocese of Fargo Liturgy Office. This year’s theme is “Salvation through
Song: Meeting the Mystery of God in
Music” with keynote speaker Christopher Carstens. Location:
St. Paul’s Newman Center, Fargo, ND Dates: Friday, October 24 – Saturday, October 25,
2025
The workshop includes keynote talks,
breakout sessions, Lectio divina, Eucharistic Adoration, the Liturgy of the
Hours, and singing in choirs matched to ability and interest. Each choir will help lead music for the
Saturday evening Mass with Bishop Folda.
For full details and registration, visit: www.fargodiocese.org/sacredmusic
Undone: Freedom
for the Feminine Heart (Women’s Healing Retreat), November 20-22, 2025 The
Dioceses of Fargo and Crookston are sponsoring the Undone Women’s retreat
offered by the John Paul II Healing Center.
This two evening (Thursday, Friday) and Saturday retreat will provide
women with an authentic encounter with Mary’s model of radical receptivity to the
Lord and will be an experience of truth, beauty, and transformation. Bring yourself, your mother, your sister,
your adult daughters and friends. This
is a weekend you won’t want to miss!
Presented by the John Paul II Healing Center, and sponsored by the
Diocese of Fargo and Diocese of Crookston, this event will be held at Sts. Anne
and Joachim Catholic Church in Fargo.
The retreat is being offered in person OR virtually via livestream! Register online for either experience at https://fargodiocese.net/undone. Registration opens August 18th. Scholarships, student and missionary
discounts available. Contact JPIIretreatFargoND@gmail.com
for more information.
Has none but this foreigner returned to give
thanks to God?” Luke 17:18
Most of us live relatively “easy” lives. We have food, shelter, clothing, and
money. We go on vacation every year and
own a car or two. Most of us take this all for granted. Did you ever notice that people with the
least amounts of possessions are usually the most grateful? Shouldn’t this be the other way around? Take time every day and thank God for all He
has
given you and discern how He is calling you
to share your gifts.