27th 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

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.

Communion Services

On October 5, 6 and 7 we will not celebrate daily Mass because our priests will be at the Annual Convocation of Priestly Renewal. Instead of daily Mass, Communion Services will take place at 8:30 a.m. Further, there will be no confession time on Tuesday, October 5. Adoration on Wednesday, October 6, will still take place from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Daily Mass will continue on October 8 at 8:30 a.m.

Rite of Ordination of Deacons

With the joy and thanksgiving, The Diocese of St. Petersburg cordially invites you to the Ordination of Francis Averill, Guillermo Caceres, Geoffrey D’Angelo (our fellow parishioner) and James Riveiro to the Sacred Order of the Deacon by the Most Reverenc Gregory L. Parkes. Ordination will take place on October 16 at 11:00 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle. The address is 5815 Fifth Avenue North, St. Petersburg. A reception is planned in the Cathedral Center immediately following Ordination. Please plan to arrive in advance as seats cannot be saved. If you are unable to attend in person, the celebration will be livestreamed at www.dosp.org. Deacon Geoff will celebrate his first Mass here at St. Stephen on October 17 at 11:30 a.m.

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!

Community for Women 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. 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

Community for Women Father Daughter Dance

Save the date for a special evening just for dads and daughters to hang out and dance the night away! Join us in the St. Stephen Family Life Center dressed in your most fancy attire for a fall gala on October 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served. St. Stephen’s own, DJ Mr. Medina, will be providing music for the evening. Please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the SVdP food pantry.

Lector Training

Would you like to become a lector and read at the Masses at St. Stephen Catholic Church? We could use your help! Join us for training on October 9 and October 16. Training begins with the 8:30 a.m. daily Mass. If you have any questions, please contact Peggy Augensen at pegaugensen@verizon.net.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Training

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.

Diocese of St. Petersburg

Misa Hispana Diocesana

Monseñor Gregory Parkes te invita a la Misa Hispana Diocesana anual en honor a Nuestra Señora de la Presentación del Quinche, patrona de Ecuador. La Misa será el sábado, 9 de octubre de 2021 a las 11:00 a.m. en la Catedral de St. Jude the Apostle, 5815 5th Ave. North, St. Petersburg. Nor reuniremos antes de la Misa, a las 10:30 am, para rezar el santo Rosario.

Para obtener más información, visita el siguiente enlace o llama a

Mercedes Cedeño al 727-344-1611 ext. 5471.

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.