26th Sunday In Ordinary Time...

St. Stephen Catholic Church

Spreading the Light of Jesus Christ

The Cornerstone

Prayer to St. Joseph

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

40 Days for Life

September 22 to October 31, 2021

40 Days for Life starts on September 22 and lasts until October 31. Please pray for the unborn and for an end to abortion. St. Stephen Catholic Church will host Pro-Life Rosary Decades every Sunday in October at the 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Masses. Please show up fifteen minutes prior to the morning Masses on the Sundays in October. Further, you can participate by joining the Life Chain on October 3 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. We will be on the sidewalk in front of the church property on Boyette Road. Please wear a pink or blue t-shirt and signs will be provided. You can also participate by participating in the prayer vigil which will happen on October 9 at 2010 E. Fletcher Avenue in Tampa, FL from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact respect_life@ststephencatholic.org.

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Blessing of Animals

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Blessing of Animals will take place on October 2 at 10:00 a.m. The blessing will take place outside of the chapel. Bring your family and your pet(s)! Your animal will receive a blessing and you will receive a blessed metal and prayer card!

Underwear Sunday

Did you know many parents of children in Eastern Hillsborough County have to choose between buying underwear/socks or food for their children? At the weekend Masses on October 2 and 3, please donate/place kids’ socks or underwear (all new in package) in the giant basket in the narthex of the church. Gift cards to Target or Walmart may also be donated. If you donate a gift card, please designate and place in a donation envelope and place in one of the collection boxes at the main church entrance. The Community for Women will sort and deliver the donations to over a dozen local schools in the county who serve needy families. If you are unable to drop off during weekend masses, the church office will also take your donations during normal office hours. So that we have even distribution of sizes please follow the following guidelines when you make your purchases:

Last Name w/ Letters Underwear Size

A-C 4-5

D-H 6

I-N 8

0-T 10

U-Z 12

THANK YOU

28th Annual Men's Club Golf Scramble

Click here for more information, to register or to become a sponsor!

Extraordinary Ministries of Holy Communion

We invite you to pray about becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion reflect the entire parish community. For further information regarding requirements and training, please contact Marty Diebold at (813) 695-2145 or mdfl3303@yahoo.com. Our next training session will be October 2 following the 8:30 a.m. Mass. Please pray and discern if Our Lord is calling you to serve His people.

Community for Women BINGO

Join us for BINGO on the last Tuesday of each month! Our next Bingo Night is September 28. Come to the Family Life Center. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the games start at 6:30 p.m. It is $20 to play and you have the chance to win cash prizes. The proceeds go towards those in need in our parish and the surrounding community.

Nativity Catholic Church Bereavement Support Group

A new six-week session of the Bereavement Support Group will begin on Tuesday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m. at Nativity Catholic Church in Brandon, FL. This group will meet at the Pastoral Care Building. This group is led by JoAnn Buffinton, LMHC, LLC and Howard Baum, LMHC. For more information, please contact Bonnie at Nativity Pastoral Care Office at (813) 681-4608.

Diocese of St. Petersburg

Volunteer for Coffee and Donuts?

Would you like coffee and donuts to return?

Yes

Select

We would love to bring back coffee and donuts to our Sunday morning Masses. Would you like to enjoy a coffee and donut while you engage with fellow parishioners? We could use your help! We are in need of volunteers to serve coffee and donuts at the Sunday morning Masses. If you, or your ministry, are interested please email Tom Doyle at tom@ststephencatholic.org.

Parish Finance

Help your parish serve in Christ’s name by donating.

"Meet one another doing good." Pope Francis

You can make an online donation by clicking here!

Click here to download the

St. Stephen Parish Financial Scorecard

as of June 30, 2021.

Clergy Calendar

The clergy calendar for September is posted on the St. Stephen Catholic Church website.

Click this link!

Click here to download the clergy calendar for September 2021

Last Week At St. Stephen

Knights of Columbus go to see the Buccaneers!

The Knights of Columbus, Saint Stephen Council 14084 'kicked off' their 2021-2022 RJS Fundraising effort at Buccaneers' season opener at Raymond James Stadium Thursday night , September 19th, versus the Dallas Cowboys. 14 Volunteers made up the roster for this event, a part of a Council-wide program which has served as the major fundraising effort and primary source of funding for programs and charitable donations that directly support the needs of our families, Parish and Community at large. This was a particularly challenging event as it was the first time the stadium was at full capacity since the start of 2020; however, the experience of the Team, built over 14 years as a Non-Profit Volunteer group at the stadium, ensured a highly successful event which produced the highest revenue achieved for an opening event at the stadium. A highlight for the Team was being joined by our Brother Knight - Father Izzie Hernandez, who enthusiastically volunteered for this event and was one of the hardest working volunteers on the Team - we were happy he 'survived' the non-stop evening. We have been truly Blessed with such an awesome fundraising opportunity over the years, and the best part of our RJS experience is working side by side with amazing individuals all with the common goal of working together to help raise the funds that help us 'make a difference' to those in need; exemplifying our first principle as Knights of Columbus - Charity!

Julio Alvarez Jr.