December 2, 2021

Advent Morning of Reflection, Celebrating Our Lady of Lady of Guadalupe - December 11th, 8:30 - Noon

Join Fr. Ed White for a morning of reflection, prayer and sharing (free of charge). Includes morning Mass at 8:30. No food, but water will be provided. No RSVP required. This event can also be enjoyed via livestream at https://ststephenslife.com/holy-mass-live-stream

Advent - Christmas Calendar

Advent Mercy Nights - Adoration, Reconciliation, Healing Prayer Wednesdays; December 8,15, 22; following 6:30pm Mass; 7:30-9:00pm

Immaculate Conception Masses - Holy Day of Obligation, Wednesday, December 8th - 9:00am and 6:30pm

Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe Mass Saturday, December 11th; 8:30am Mass - with prayers in Spanish

Rosary with Roses - Saturday, December 11, 8:00 AM
Sunday, December 12, 9:45 AM
Bring a rose (some will be provided) to present to Our Holy Mother, as she brought to us through St. Juan Diego’s Tilma, and as a remembrance of all the babies lost to abortion.

Advent Morning of Reflection Celebrating our Lady of Guadalupe with Fr. Ed White. Saturday, December 11th, following 8:30am Mass; begins at 9:30am - Noon (Free of Charge, No RSVP). This event can also be enjoyed via livestream at https://ststephenslife.com/holy-mass-live-stream

Simbang Gabi Mass Saturday, December 18th--5pm

Christmas Masses

Christmas Eve Vigil 3:00pm and 5:00pm

Christmas Eve Midnight 12:00am

Christmas Morning 8:30 and 11:00am

Feast of the Holy Family Mass

Sunday, December 26th; 8:30am,11:00am and 5:00pm

Feast of Mary, Mother of God Mass

Saturday, January 1st -10:00am

Liturgy Matters

Immaculate Conception Masses on December 8th
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a holy day of obligation. Masses will be at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM on December 8th. At the 6:30 PM Mass, we will offer seating in the underground church and a livestream option for those who are homebound at https://ststephenslife.com/holy-mass-live-stream

Sunday Night Mass Returns on December 12th at 5:00 PM
With the lifting of the dispensation to attend Sunday Mass coming December 8th we warmly welcome you home to St. Stephens! We are increasing our overall seating capacity by offering a 5:00 PM Mass on Sunday evenings starting December 12th.

Seating Solutions at Weekend Masses

Did you know we offer a distanced seating section at every weekend Mass? If you are medically vulnerable make sure to arrive early to secure a spot in this section. Sunday at 11 o'clock is reliably our most crowded weekend Mass. If you desire a smaller Mass crowd consider attending one of our 5 PM Masses on Saturdays or Sundays (beginning December 12th), or check out the underground church seating at the 8:30 AM Mass.

Upcoming Funerals

The funeral for Deacon Marshall Denby will be Friday, December 10th at 11:00 AM. There will also be a 7:00 PM vigil service at the church on Thursday, December 9th followed by adoration and prayer throughout the night. Both are open to all parishioners. View the livestream of the funeral Mass at https://ststephenslife.com/funeral-mass-livestream
The funeral for Jerry Murphy, husband of Jane Murphy will be Saturday, December 11th at 1:30 PM.

Sunday Mass Obligation Reinstated December 8

The obligation for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Seattle to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation will be reinstated on December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne announced November 10.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have celebrated tens of thousands of Masses with only a handful of cases of coronavirus spread, the archbishop said in a letter to the people of the archdiocese. It’s an indication that the archdiocese’s COVID-19 protocols are effectively protecting people and providing a safe environment for worship, he said. It has been 20 months since the archbishop granted Catholics a dispensation from attending Mass because of the pandemic. Although public Masses resumed in late May of 2020, and Catholics began returning to the pews, the dispensation remained in place. Now, Archbishop Etienne is extending an invitation for all Catholics to come back to church. It is time to renew our faith through personal reception of the sacraments and rebuild the relationships and community life of our parishes, he said. Be a part of our family of faith. Make the Lord’s Day a true celebration of the Resurrection, and a great celebration of being renewed in his life, mercy and love.

To view Archbishop Etienne's video message click the image above.

To read Archbishop Etienne's letter click here.

For more information from the Archdiocese of Seattle click here.

Please note: Masses on Dec 8th will be at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM.

As has always been the case, those who have a serious reason are excused from attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2181). This includes those who are ill, have significant health risk factors or care for someone who is ill or immunocompromised, as well as those who have significant fear or anxiety about contracting COVID in a large group.

Special Collection December 11 & 12

The annual collection for the Catholic Community Services Appeal for the Poor will be December 11 & 12. This year 25% of all donations will return to the parish to finance our Terrific Tuesday Meals program. View the video below to learn more. To donate online click here.

Adult Confirmation

Are you a Baptized Catholic Who has Never Received Confirmation?
Wouldn’t it be a great blessing to receive the Supernatural GIFTS of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation?
Adult Confirmation Sessions Begin January 18th, 7:00-9:00 PM, in the Social Hall with safe social distancing and masks. Learn more about our Adult Confirmation Program (adults over the age of 19 years) OR if you are interested in Becoming a Catholic; call or email Anne Merklin, 253-480-7108, ext. 126, or at sstmassociate@gmail.com.

Donate to the Christmas Flower Fund

A collection will be taken for Christmas flowers at the weekend Masses December 18 & 19. You may also click on the image to make an online donation through our website.

On the Road to Sainthood: Leaders of African Descent

We continue to celebrate the contributions of black Catholics to the Roman Catholic tradition. In observance of Black Catholic History Month, we look into the lives of six men and women of African descent on the road to sainthood.

Julia Greeley (1833 and 1848-1914) Servant of God Julia Greeley was born into slavery in Hannibal, Missouri

sometime between 1833 and 1848. Freed by Missouri's Emancipation Act in 1865, Julia subsequently earned her keep by serving white families in Missouri, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico—though mostly in the Denver area. Julia entered the Catholic Church at Sacred Heart Parish in Denver in 1880 and was an outstanding supporter of all the parish. The Jesuits who ran the parish considered her the most enthusiastic promoter of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus they had ever seen. Every month she visited on foot every fire station in Denver and delivered literature of the Sacred Heart League to the firemen, Catholics and non-Catholics alike. A daily communicant, Julia had a rich devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin and continued her prayers while working. She joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1901 and was active in it till her death in 1918. As part of the Cause for Canonization, Julia's mortal remains were transferred to Denver's Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on June 7, 2017.

Adult Bible Study Winter 2022

Our winter study called Romans: The Gospel of Salvation begins January 11, 2022. We have two sessions meeting Tuesday morning at 9:20 am, one on Zoom and one at church. We also have one session meeting Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm at church. Each session lasts approximately two hours. Registration opens December 1, 2021. Register online between December 1, 2021 and January 2, 2022 and the cost is $35.00. If you register late between January 3-5, 2022, the cost is $40.00. (We cannot guarantee a book by January 11 if you register late). Registration is closed after January 5, 2022. To access the online registration form, go to https://ststephenslife.com/bible-study. For more information, contact: Karen Buchert at kasbuchert@comcast.net or the Faith Formation office at 253-631-6175.

Covid-19 Update

This month there have been many exposures at parishes around Western Washington. In many of these cases the individual came to Mass when they weren't feeling well. Sometimes people may believe a symptom is from a cold or allergy. Please, if you have any symptom of illness please do not come to church. To help distinguish what your symptoms could be, here is a chart from the Washington State Department of Health:

Masks Are Required at all Masses and Throughout Church Buildings.

This universal indoor mask mandate is now in effect. This means:

All employees, volunteers and visitors must wear a mask while inside any building on a parish campus.
All teachers, staff, volunteers, students, and visitors must wear a mask while inside any school building.
All parishioners must wear a mask during all indoor Masses.
- Please note, anyone with a medical exemption will not be turned away.

Please keep in mind that some people are exempt from wearing a mask due to a medical condition.

For more information on COVID-19 guidance and other pandemic related topics, please see our website at https://ststephenslife.com/covid-screening

Stewardship of Treasure

Everything we have is a gift from God and we’re called to share these gifts with others. This is stewardship.

Thank you for turning in your Stewardship of Treasure form. If you haven't turned it in yet, it can be dropped off at the Welcome Table. Please pick up a copy of the Annual Fiscal Report in the Narthex or view the online version here.

If you haven’t already decided on your parish stewardship commitment, please prayerfully consider God’s gifts to you and make your pledge.

Please return your parish stewardship commitment card today in the collection basket, at the Welcome Table, to the parish office, or through the mail.

You can also make your commitment online here:https://www.ststephenslife.com/stewardship-of-treasure

Thank you for your continued support.

Gabriel Project - PREPARES Ministry

Thank you to all who help our mission.
Currently our Diaper supply is doing great. With Christmas coming, we want to provide gift/gas cards from Fred Meyer, Target, Ross, Chevron/Texaco so families can purchase gas, personal hygiene products, underwear, umbrellas, etc. Please leave in labeled envelope in collection basket or Office door mail box.

DIAPER DONORS: Andrea Devers is our NEW Diaper Coordinator, email her at amdevers@gmail.com if you wish to help with 2000 diapers used monthly.

MORE Angel-Companions (guide, mentor, friend) volunteers always needed. Can you supply frequent contact with Moms giving advice, listening, sharing resources and essential needs? To register for Training via zoom: Contact Aleah Patulot, PREPARES Director Prepares@ccsww.org or RobertaJorgensen@comcast.net

HOLIDAYS & WINTER COMING: We are providing a new toy/gift and warm outdoor wear for each family by December 10. Call Kathleen 253-653-6074 to gift.

How to Receive Holy Communion

Did you ever ask yourself, "Am I doing it right?" Catholics of all ages will enjoy this entertaining and informative video that answers common questions about receiving Holy Communion in the hand and on the tongue. The video is under 5 minutes and you just might learn something new! Click the image above or visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdGkTdv4Dt4

Family Fun August 8

Records Update!

It has become evident that our parish database is in dire need of an update! So many folks have changed their contact information or had children that our records are now inaccurate or incomplete. Please click the image to go directly to our online update form.

St Stephen's Now Livestreaming on Vimeo!

Our livestream broadcasts have recently been upgraded with the addition of the video hosting service, Vimeo. Click the image or visit https://www.ststephenslife.com/holy-mass-live-stream where you can enjoy Mass and devotions live, within a media player right on our parish website (yes, you can expand to full screen). Want to watch yesterday's Mass? In our new Vimeo player the liturgy won't be interrupted with commercials! Still a big Facebook or Youtube fan? No worries; our liturgies will continue to be simulcast to those platforms as well.

Want to Learn More?

Click the image on the left to see our weekly bulletins