Christ the King - St. Stephen Parish

Parish Newsletter

"Staying Connected"

March 27, 2024

Dear Friends,

Happy Easter! I am so grateful to see all of you this Easter. Because we are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.

We have been through a lot these past few years. We are still living through Covid even though we know how to manage it better. The war in Ukraine and the Middle East is looming over the world. There is so much uncertainty about the hostages still living through their nightmare in the dungeons of Palestine or beyond, and the fear of famine and disease in war-stricken areas of our world. I am sure there are things going on in our lives that are beyond our control. Death has cast its shadow over us in unexpected ways. Can faith still sustain us in the face of such challenges?

Why do you seek the risen one among the dead? He is not here. He has been raised” (Lk.24:6). These women were shaken by recent events. All the disciples were shaken by the happenings of the last three days. The same was true of the men on the Emmaus Road. Ironically, so-called current events had them locked in the past and unaware of the future. 

We can be like that, too. All we see is what has happened lately. We start to sound like Janet Jackson, saying to God, “What have you done for me lately?” But then comes God’s question back to us: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”  It’s a question that reorients us from current events to God’s providence.

Providence teaches us that history is not a blind, aimless march into nothingness and meaninglessness. Looking to His providence reminds us that current events and history are going somewhere. God is up to something good! The greatest proof of that is Jesus is alive not dead! Because Jesus Christ has conquered death in our human flesh, we have hope that we will share his victory through faith.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” It’s a question that reorients and redirects everything. It redirects us from grief to joy. If Jesus is alive and is not dead, then all who trust in Him have the supreme reason to rejoice. As Peter 1: 3-4 states:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead….”

I invite you back to the church every week to continue celebrating the

New Life of Easter during this season. God loves you.

~ Fr. Paulson

Holy Thursday - March 28

   7pm Mass (also livestreamed)

 St. Stephen Church - 7pm Mass

Good Friday - March 29

12pm - Taize Prayer Around the Cross

1pm - Preaching on the Passion

1:10pm - Stations of the Cross

1:45pm - Preaching on the Passion

2pm - Liturgy of the Lord's Passion

(also livestreamed)

6pm - Liturgy of the Lord's Passion

(repeat of the 2pm)

St. Stephen Church - Stations of the Cross - 6pm

      Easter Vigil - Saturday, March 30

7:30pm Mass

St. Stephen Church - 7:30pm Mass

      Easter Sunday Masses - March 31

                                7:30am, 9:00am, 10:30am, 12 noon - In the church

               9am & 10:30am - Children/Family Mass - In the GYM

         No 4pm Mass

(CTK 10:30am Indoor Mass will be livestreamed)

St. Stephen Church - 9:30am

Updated Daily Mass Schedule During Holy Week

Christ the King Church

No 9am Mass on Thursday, Friday & Saturday

March 28-30

No 4pm Mass on Holy Saturday

St. Stephen Church

No 8am Mass on Thursday, Friday & Saturday

March 28-30

No 5pm Mass on Holy Saturday

Our Parish Offices will be closed on

Monday, April 1st

and will resume normal business hours

on Tuesday, April 2.

Please Return Your

CRS Rice Bowls!

You can drop off your CRS Rice Bowls in the baskets located in the back of the church at both CTK and SS.

Or you can bring them to the

parish office through Holy Week.

Please do not drop them off on Easter Sunday.

Thank you for your support!

If you would like to bring Easter flowers in memory of a loved one we would appreciate Calla lilies and Hydrangeas. 

(No Easter lily plants please, as people have allergies.)

Please drop off your flowers at CTK on

Holy Saturday morning.

Please pray for those who will receive the Sacraments of Initiation, (Baptism/Eucharist/Confirmation)

at the Easter Vigil and we welcome all of you!

Amber Balestrieri, Maria Brady, Alexa Castillo, Antonio Castillo, Patricia Castillo, Valentina Castillo, Clara Chan, Megan Denny, Jayme Gayer, Ava Hempfling, Kristy Keilen, Ian Keough, Payton Locatelli, Shaye Locatelli, Erikka Marchiano, Janay Mora, Mauricio Munoz, Tyler O’Neill, Sean Overman, and Sean Ryan.

The Annual Easter Egg Hunt is back again this year

Holy Saturday, March 30 - CTK's Lawn

The Easter Bunny will be arriving at 10am and the Easter Egg Hunt will follow our usual schedule: 

   10:15 am for 1-4 years old

 10:45am, for 5-7 years old

 11:15am for 8-10 years old

Dear CTK Religious Education Families,

A beautiful CTK RE Easter tradition is the flowered cross. It is displayed at outdoor Easter masses, and then inside the church for as long as the flowers last. The best part about the cross is that it is created by YOU! RE CTK families provide multi-colored roses, Gerber daisies and sunflowers that reflect the beauty of God’s entire creation. (Please bring only these varieties, as thicker stems are needed for proper attachment to the cross.)

This beautiful activity lends itself to the involvement of children, who bring and attach their favorite flowers to the cross. When children proudly show others the flowers that they have attached, it is a moment of joy and of prayer for all.

Please bring your flowers, multi colored roses, Gerber daisies or sunflowers on Holy Saturday, March 30^th, from 9:00-10:00 AM. The “bare” cross will be on the patio in front of the church, waiting for you to attach your floral contributions.



See you on Holy Saturday morning!

Congratulations to Carter Alexander on your baptism!

We welcome you to

Christ the King - St. Stephen Family.

Parents: Jen & Chris

Baby: Carter Alexander

Easter Sunday

Welcome to our weekly reflections on

the Sunday Scriptures.



Each gospel writer offered his own literary variations of the Easter event. In John’s version, we see Mary of Magdala—called by many the “apostle to the apostles”—arriving first. She cannot believe her eyes when she discovers that Jesus’ body is missing. As she silently contemplates the empty tomb, her first thought is… grave robbery  Read More

Presentation of “Our Father”

By: Fr. Paulson

In this presentation Fr. Paulson examines the

six petitions of the Lord’s Prayer.

This series is specifically designed for the Catholic community and will provide a deeper understanding and appreciation of this important prayer. 

On Thursdays:

April 18, 25, May 2, 9 and 16.

St. Stephen Parish Hall - 10am and

 CTK Church - 7pm

No Registration Required

Join us for a discussion of Raymond E. Brown's "A Once and Coming Spirit at Pentecost: Essays on the Liturgical Readings

between Easter and Pentecost".

 Mondays: 10:30am -11:30am. April 8, Chapters 1& 2,

April 15, Chapters 3 & 4, and April 22, Chapter 5.

Beautiful Eucharist, the free Dynamic Catholic book given at Christmas, will be discussed on Monday, April 29, 10:30am - 11:30am.

Reflections on the upcoming Sunday readings will begin on

Monday, April 8, 9:45am - 10:30am.

In May we will discuss Pope Francis's The Joy of the Gospel.

All will be held in the CTK Ministry Center Chapel.

You believe in Christ, you are worthy to serve Him!

Eucharistic ministry is a way to serve the community during your attendance at Mass. You choose how often

you’d like to serve and at which Masses.

Please consider joining us on

Monday, April 15, 7 pm in the Church at CTK.



Questions - Kieran Chan, kierankc@pacbell.net, 925-212-9035

Come join us for our annual

Cinco De Mayo celebration!

Sunday, May 5th on CTK's Lawn

Mexican Cuisine, Margaritas and a

Live Mariachi Band!

5:00pm to 8:00pm

All profits from this event will be donated to Christ the King - St. Stephen Youth Ministry in support of their summer service trip to Cincinnati, Ohio in July.

Each ticket comes with

• Entry to event, Mexican cuisine,1 Margarita ticket, Free bottled water
• Live entertainment from a mariachi band

Cost is $30 for Adults and $15 ages 3-12. To purchase tickets click here

Please see the latest information from our school.

Weekly School Newsletter Link here

Readings for Sunday Mass Here Year B.

Links to our services (livestreamed or archived) can be found at ctkph.org

or by clicking the Facebook or YouTube images below.

Ongoing Services at CTK & St. Stephen

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Private Confessions every Saturday from 3pm to 3:30pm at CTK and Saturday before the 5pm mass at St. Stephen.

CTK Thursday Morning Mass - 9am - Honoring our Mother of Perpetual Help, Worship Aide Here (Also livestreamed).

Easter Sunday

On Easter Sunday the Church celebrates the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the dead, the greatest feast of the liturgical year. For this purpose Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent into the world. Through the celebration of this feast Christians also anticipate the resurrection of their own glorified bodies at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It is customary for Christians to joyfully proclaim to one another, “He is risen!” with the response, “He is risen, indeed!”