My name is Caleb Malec. I was the 4th of 5 children born in New Jersey. I only lived there 4 years before moving down here to Florida. I attended St. Stephen Catholic middle school, Tampa Preparatory High School for two years and I graduated from Riverview High School in 2018. Growing up I loved to hang out and go on adventures with friends and family as well as play sports, especially mountain biking, motocross, and lacrosse. Right out of high school I became a full-time missionary with NET Ministries. The following year I became another full-time missionary for Life Teen, living at Camp Covecrest.
Thankfully, Catholicism has always been a part of my life. I began taking the faith much more seriously in high school. I began attending Life Teen(our youth group) more regularly during my sophomore year. I was still living life trying to
satisfy myself and I wasn’t truly happy. There was still something missing.
Something much deeper than a sports victory or successful adventure. Something so deep, yet simple and profound!
Click HERE to continue reading.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” - Philippians 4:13
|
|
Meals on Wheels
Continues to be a Blessing
|
|
We have served 43 meals for each of the past three weeks. Our total for the month of July is 212 meals. All of our volunteers are doing well and we are still following the guidelines from Greater Brandon MOW - drivers lining up in the driveway with runners taking them their meals, limited number of volunteers in our prep area, and of course, all volunteers are wearing face masks and gloves.
We truly are blessed to have such dedicated volunteers!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Terrific News!
In the last two weeks, we've had
10 more families
donate to APA!!!
With the help of the 579 families
who have donated thus far,
we have almost reached
84%
of our goal!
Thank you all for your generosity!
|
|
It's Probably Time For Gutters! |
|
- The plan to install gutters began 18 months ago.
- Parishioners have contributed to the project.
- As seen in the attached photo, the lower section of walls is protected by gutters, but the upper section is not, thereby showing the layers of filth that have accumulated in the past 3 years.
- As this is our spiritual home, where Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament, we have a responsibility for upkeep of both the inside and outside so that generations from now, the faithful will be able to continue to worship here.
|
|
Shoe and Sock Drive
St. Stephen Parishioners
Every summer St. Stephen volunteers (last years are pictured above)and youth visit the San Jose Mission and host a VBS for the children who live there. Usually we spend a week at the mission serving the children and families and sharing the love of Christ. Unfortunately, this year we are unable to host VBS at the Mission. Although, we are restricted from visiting the residents need our help more than ever.
Back to school can be stressful for families, and even more so this year.! The Mission families also face financial hardship and struggle to buy basic supplies for their children. This is where we can help and serve these families.
A pair of shoes and socks that fit correctly are simple items that we often take for granted. Many of the children at the mission wear shoes to school that do not fit or are falling apart. With students playing, walking, and moving around school daily, a new pair of tennis shoes and new socks can make a big difference in a child's day. Parishioners can bring in new pairs of shoes and/or socks for school age K-12 and we will distribute them to the families at the mission.
During these times, serving others is more important than ever. Even though we physically cannot serve our brothers and sisters at the mission this year, this
shoe and sock drive will allow us to share Christ's love with our neighbors.
Please drop off new shoes/socks
Faith Formation Office
10428 Saint Stephen Circle
August 10-13 and 17-20 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Gift cards are accepted.
|
|
We want to hear from you!! Please take a moment to complete this short survey and let us know how we can best help your youth deepen their faith in the year ahead. Please click HERE to taken to the survey page.
|
|
|
|
Faith Formation Catechist Needed! |
Are you a fully initiated and faith-filled Catholic eager to share you faith with others?
We are in need of Catechists and Assistants to help in our K-7 Faith Formation program. For more information how you can help, please contact the Office of Faith Formation at 813-671-4434.
|
|
|
|
Faith Formation Supply List |
Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year we will be asking children to bring in their own art supplies for use during In-Person Faith Formation classes. If it is your intention to have your child attend classes in person, we kindly ask that you have them bring in the following supplies in a Ziploc style storage bag or container:
Crayons
Glue Stick
Scissors
Markers
Colored Pencils
Hand Sanitizer
Tissues
Thank you so much for your support. We look forward to resuming classes in the fall. God Bless!
|
|
Have You Considered Catholic Education? |
|
Click on the button below to learn more about our AMAZING school. |
|
Request for Substitute Teachers
St. Stephen Catholic School is seeking experienced substitute teachers for the 2020-2021 school year.
or contact Gina Robles at 813-741-9203 ext. 1206.
|
|
Friday, August 7
8:30 am Pray for Agnes & John Sturtevant (RIP)
Confession(Chapel)
After 8:30 am Mass
3:00 pm
|
|
Saturday, August 8
St. Dominic
Saint Dominic received the Rosary from Our Lady. Mary asked him to promote it particularly in response to a heresy that included the belief that our bodies are bad. Click to Pray the Rosary with U.S.C.C.B. for human life to be protected and cherished!
|
|
Deacon Joshua Bertrand, Deacon Connor Penn and Deacon Drew Woodke will share their journey to the priesthood during this Facebook Live.
Listen to their vocation stories and participate in a live Q&A.
This event will be moderated by Father Chuck Dornquast, the Director of Vocations
|
|
Children's Mass Prep
Click on the photo to download
|
|
Monday, August 10
Confession (Chapel)
After 8:30 am Mass
|
|
Tuesday, August 11
St. Claire
St. Claire was born into a rich and important family in Italy who had great plans for her life. When Clare met St. Francis and heard him preach, she felt that she, too, wanted to give her heart to Jesus also. Because her family didn't want her to join the convent, Clare ran away from home and met Francis in a Chapel outside Assisi where he and his brothers were living. After giving up all of her riches, Clare started an order called Poor Clare Sisters who followed the example of St. Francis of Assisi who lived a poor, simple life. Clare and her sisters were known to say that one could never be poor as long as they had God in their hearts.
|
|
Wednesday, August 12
Eucharistic Adoration (Chapel)
After 8:30 Mass-6:00 pm
|
|
Prayer and Reconciliation |
|
Private Prayer
Chapel
Monday-Saturday
After 8:30 am Mass-3:00 pm
Reconciliation
Chapel
Friday and Monday after 8:30 am Mass
Saturday 2:45 pm
|
|
|
|
In Loving Memory
of
Addison Grace Cook
|
|
Ordinations to the Priesthood
August 15, 2020
Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle
Livestreamed 11:00 am
PLEASE NOTE: Due to spacing limitations resulting from the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Ordination Mass will be a ticketed event. Only priests and guests of the ordinandi will attend the Ordination Mass in person. However, all are invited to view the Mass via livestream on our diocesan website: http://www.dosp.org/livestream/.
If you are available to attend the Vespers Service, on Friday, August 14, 2020, 7:00 p.m., at Christ the King Catholic Church, 821 S. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, all are welcome, as social distancing permits. Tickets for the Vespers Service are not required, however we ask that you use a face covering if you plan on attending in person. The Vesper Service will also be livestreamed on Christ the King’s website: https://ctk-tampa.org/live-mass/.
Please keep Deacons Bertrand, Penn and Woodke in prayer, as they await the day of their ordination to the Sacred Priesthood on the Solemnity of Our Lady’s Assumption!
|
|
Bishop Gregory Parkes
A View From the Top
Podcast
In this episode of A View From the Top, we present “the best of” Bishop Gregory Parkes podcasts and you will hear how Bishop Parkes discusses the role of the Church in the upcoming elections, Encuentro, Focus 11 and his personal call to the priesthood.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
