Page 2 St. Stephen’s Catholic Church April 19, 2015 Vol. 33 No. 36 4601 Neely Avenue Midland, Texas 79707 (432) 520-7394 www.ststephensmidland.com Fax (432) 520-7395 Monsignor James P. Bridges, Pastor Assistant Pastors: Fr. Gilberto Rodriguez & Fr. Anthony Bala Deacons: Leonard Hendon, Luis Mata, Fidel Saldivar, Larry Salazar Co-Directors of Religious Education: Gretchen Lara & Patty Chick Youth Director: Carlos Garcia Music Director: Gabriel Salgado From Our Pastor Dearly Beloved, Some thirty years ago from my concern that Odessa Catholics needed to do more for the needy came Catholic Charities. I hired Sister Mary Thomas as our first Director. Blessed by her deep compassion for the poor and marvelous organizational skills soon Catholic Charities became a leading benevolent organization. Then Director Sister Mary Thomas called Fred George, Barbara Johnson, Joanne Flynn and me to a brainstorm session on how we could develop new and better ways to serve the local poor? From that luncheon came the idea of establishing a Food Bank for the Permian Basin. Fred provided the needed trucks, Joanne and Barbara undertook the tireless task of obtaining a charter and forming the Food Bank into an actual organization, and I raised tons of money and acquired the use of the old Gibson storage building as our first Food Bank location. All of us were stanch Catholics. Sister cautioned us to be sure our Food Bank was completely non-sectarian. From the start it has always been a community project supported by everyone who wanted to help provide food for the hungry. When the territory served grew to nineteen counties extending all the way to El Paso the name was changed to the West Texas Food Bank. In hiding our Catholic identity we also hid ourselves as founders. We have been called out of hiding to thank all of you who have and are sacrificing to make West Texas Food Bank the number one in the nation in getting food to the hungry. Let us pray! God our Father, open our eyes to see your hand at work in the splendor of creation especially in the beauty of human life. Touched by your hand our world is holy. Bless in a special way those who express their gratitude by sharing your goodness to them with our hungry brothers and sisters so that when the battle of life is over they may all reassemble, without the loss of anyone, to experience the joy of life in the kingdom of your love and glory. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Joyfully yours in the Lord, Msgr. James P. Bridges On the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Midland facility of the West Texas Food Bank I was asked to write the above concerning the foundation of our Food Bank. CHANGE OF DATE FOR FIRST COMMUNION: Please be advised that the First Communion date and times has changed to the following: English — Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. Mass instead of 11:00 a.m. Mass Spanish — Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. Mass instead of 1:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday For any questions, please contact DREs Gretchen Lara or Patty Chick at the Parish office 520-7394. Page 3 ST. STEPHEN’S MASS SCHEDULE AND INTENTIONS APRIL 19-26 LAST WEEK’S COLLECTION: $48,980.57 Regular ........................................ $ 48,923.57 Building Fund ............................. $ 57.00 Financial reports are available in the parish office The Catholic Home Missions Appeal will take place next week. One way that this appeal works to strengthen home mission dioceses in the United States is by funding seminarian formation in poor dioceses. The blessing of seminarians places a financial burden on these dioceses, where educating each seminarian costs $35-40K per year. Your support is needed for these young men so that they might go back and serve their parishes. Please strengthen the Church at home by making a generous gift to next week’s appeal. Blanca Morales, Luis Raul Torres, Lucia Palomino, Irene Jakl, Cynthia Lujan, Cynthia Acosta, Ruben Martin, Guadalupe Marquez, Alexandrina Hernandez, Avelardo Aguilar II, Connie Holloway, Pricilla Ann LeBlanc, Ruben Belloc, Dominga Belloc, Luis Aranda, Ricardo Valadez, Manuel Molinar, Dora Perches, Roberto Gomez, Jesus Jaquez, Maria Mendoza, Melanny Huerta, Larry White, Daniel Kirwan, Isaac Sabedeg, Alonzo Rios, Dayton Martinez, Bonifacia Marquez, Joven Luis Anaya, Gabriel Beltran, Lucia Nevarez, Familia Munoz, Teresa Kiser, Lupita & baby Yamilet Pinon, Alexia Aguirre, Lee McMullin, Paula Molina, Eva Talamantez, Tyler Keeton, Martha Ross, Janice Cozart, Fran Thetford, & Joan Midkiff. Email [email protected] or call the office at 520-7394 to be added to the prayer line The St. Stephen's Guadalupanas are inviting you to have breakfast / brunch after the 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Masses every last Sunday of the month in the Parish Hall/Gym. Sunday, April 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter 8:00 am Anna Noble ~by Margarette Robson 10:30 am Jeff Leggett ~by Leggett Family 12:30 pm Matt Meloni ~by Family Spanish Mass 5:00 pm Manuela Armendariz de Gonzales ~by Husband & Kids 6:30 pm Raymond Haag ~by Joanna Haag Spanish Mass Monday, April 20 7:00 am Jeff Leggett ~by Leggett Family 12:15 pm Jim Clements ~by Helen Smith Milo & Venicio Gonzales ~by Grandparents & Family 5:30 pm Johnny Suarez ~by Family Romulo Dagdag ~by Gloria Dagdag Tuesday, April 21 - St. Anselm 7:00 am Jeff Leggett ~by Leggett Family 12:15 pm Remie Ramos ~by Family 5:30 pm Mary Kenny ~by Family Wednesday, April 22 7:00 am Jonathan Foster & Tammy Tanko ~by Linda Foster 12:15 pm Priscilla Ann LeBlanc ~by Family 5:30 pm Nicholas Ryan Gutierrez ~by Parents Thursday, April 23 - St. George; St. Adalbert 7:00 am Frank Hernandez ~by Kiro 12:15 pm John Martinez ~by Family Jonah Carabellow (Happy Birthday) ~by Smith Family 5:30 pm Tony Contreras (Happy Birthday) ~by Parents Tina Bautista (Happy Birthday) ~by Parents Friday, April 24 - St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen 7:00 am Rose De Cicco 12:15 pm Jane & James McNally ~by Susan 5:30 pm Cynthia Acosta ~by Delma Chavez Stephanie McDaniel ~by Sonia Belcher Saturday, April 25 - St. Mark 8:00 am Camilo Chavez, Sr. ~by Fr. Frank Chavez 5:00 pm Paul Campbell & Lew Schaefer ~by Phyllis Schaefer Roy Parson ~by Grace Parson & Family Sunday, April 26 - 4th Sunday of Easter 8:00 am Charles Dobbs ~by Kiowski Family Florence Romero ~by Mr. & Mrs. P. Flores 10:30 am Isabel M. Granado ~by Family 12:30 pm Camilo Chavez, Sr. ~by Frank Chavez Spanish Mass Vacation Bible School June 8th-12th ~~ 8 a.m.-noon! Registration will be held after all Masses this weekend! 5:00 pm John Paul Dagdag (Happy Birthday) ~by Gloria Dagdag 6:30 pm Daniel Weeks Spanish Mass 12:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Sunday Masses are in Spanish Page 4 Del Padre Rodriguez FELICIDADES - A los niños que van a hacer su Primera Comunión el sábado 2 de Mayo, ‘Felicidades” también a los papas que han tenido a bien, traer a sus hijos a que conozcan más de Dios en la doctrina. A todas las mamitas que durante el año han estado viniendo a las Clases de Biblia… en lo que a mí respecta, me han hecho sentir verdadero sacerdote impartiéndoles esta clase. LOS MATRIMONIOS - Que celebran Aniversarios, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 etc. Nuestro Obispo Miguel Sis, desea celebrar con ustedes sus respectivos aniversarios, celebrando la Eucaristía en la Catedral de San Ángelo, Texas. Cuándo? Mayo 17 (domingo) 2015 ¿a qué horas? 3:00 p.m. Hagan planes, para mayor información, llame a nuestra oficina (432) 520-7394. El Obispo desea que ustedes se registren, porque les tiene una sorpresa para dicho día. CURSILLO DE CRISTIANDAD - Para mujeres. ¿Cuándo? Del 14 al 17 de mayo. ¿Dónde? Parroquia de San Miguel, en Midland, Texas. Pida su aplicación hoy mismo al Señor Juan José Álvarez al tel. 599-0794 o pídala directamente a nuestra oficina al 520-7394. ULTRELLA CURSILLISTA - Todos los que han vivido un Cursillo, vengan los lunes a las 7:00 p.m. Recuerden, la Ultrella es el termómetro de todo buen Cursillista. VENGAN, los esperamos. GRUPO DE ORACIÓN - “El Buen Pastor” los invita a todos a las juntas de Oración que están teniendo todo los viernes a las 7:00 p.m. Leemos la Biblia, la comentamos y cada viernes tenemos personas autorizadas que nos hablan de Dios. Además oramos por personas necesitadas de Oración. VENGAN. NUEVA MISA EN ESPAÑOL - Todos los domingos a las 6:30 p.m. Gracias a Dios, cada día están viniendo mas familias. Pero también estamos necesitados de Ministros de la Eucaristía, Lectores y monaguillos. Para mayor información, favor de comunicarse con Verónica Jaquez después de Misa. Q108 FM RADIO - Todos los Sábados, a las 8:45 a.m. Escuche el mensaje Divino en la voz de nuestro Obispo, Miguel Sis, sucesor de los Apóstoles, durante el programa del Padre Gilberto, de las 5:00 a las 10:00 a.m. April 19 Morgan Callendar Juan Contreras Juan Martinez Marguerite Miller Katherine Moreno Sebastian Navarrete Jaime C. Ramirez Salvador Ramirez Cristian Vasquez April 20 Dianna Armendariz Jay Blanco Sofia Carrasco Timothy Dzida Paul Garza Andrea Trujillo April 21 Everardo Fierro Tony Graham Bella Lara Lilliana Marquez Richard Mast, Jr. Arian Mendoza Melanie Ronquillo Lupe Sainz Rebecca Sorzla Irene Torres Ronald Wallin April 23 Jorge Dominguez Tom Heiting Rose Ornelas Erik Villalobos April 24 Roberto Franca Mariah Franco John Pallanes Shirley Stephenson Angela Wiesman Thomas Williams April 25 Gloria Anchondo Jose Baeza Jesus Benavidez Christie Carrasco Sandra Garcia Michael Naydock Cindy Pfile Christine True April 26 William Bernreuther Paul Breithaupt Kristin Paz Arturo Ponce Brian Williams April 22 Brenda Garcia Meagan Navarrete Aimee Nolen Cruz O. Rubio ELECCIONES—PARROQUIA COUNCIL St. Stephen necesita unas buenas hombres y mujeres para server en el Consejo Parroquial. Tenemos cuatro 4 posiciones de apertura. Si te sientes llaman a server, por favor Ilene un formulario sobre la mesa en la La próxima semana realizaremos el Llamado para las Misiones parte trasera de la iglesia y Católicas. Una manera en que este llamado funciona para colocarlo en el cuadro fortalecer a las diócesis misioneras en Estados Unidos es correspondiente. otorgando fondos para la formación de seminaristas en las diócesis pobres. La bendición de los seminaristas pone una carga financiera en estas diócesis en donde la educación de cada seminarista cuesta entre $35 a 40 mil dólares al año. Su apoyo es necesario para que estos jóvenes puedan regresar y servir en sus parroquias. Por favor, fortalezca la Iglesia en casa dando una generosa donación al llamado de la próxima semana. Si usted no se siente llamado, pero conoce a alguien que podría ser genial en el Consejo. Por favor envié su nombre (después de conseguir su permiso). Page 5 Mother’s Day Corsages The St. Stephens Women’s Organization Is taking orders for Mother’s Day Corsages After all Masses in the Foyer Cost for a single Orchid is $10.00 each Deadline to order is 4 PM on Monday, May 4th Corsages are to be picked up on Saturday, May 9th From 9 AM to 12 Noon in the Foyer After that, corsages will be placed in the refrigerator in the little kitchen For any questions, please contact Chairperson, Gladys at 934-7927 or at Parish office at 520-7394 Club Dance Friday, April 24, 2015 7:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, 4601 Neely Gloria Denman Ballroom Cost / Attire: $25.00 per person / Casual Dress Band: “CPR” (Country, Pop, & Rock) Caterer: Felix with Catering Express Menu: Breakfast Buffet: Lasagna al Forno, Chicken Fettuccine Primavera, Italian Blend Vegetables, Spinach Salad, Garlic Bread, Red Velvet Cake, Lemon Cream Cake, Pistachio Ice Cream, Tea and Water. Reservation Deadline: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 Reservations may be mailed to: CLUB DANCE, P.O. Box 7421, Midland, TX 79708-7421 Or contact Deborah Magness at 432-703-6673 or [email protected] ***NOTE - All Club Dance functions at the Gloria Denman Ballroom are BYOB*** Please indicate if you are a St. Stephen’s member or a Club Dance member Registration for the 2015-2016 Religious Education School Year will be taking place in the Parish Hall after all Masses this this weekend! Please help stock the Baby Crib that is located in the church foyer for the Life Center CONFIRMATION NEWS “My Lord and My God!” CONFIRMATION Retreat is scheduled for Friday May 8th and Saturday May 9th. Confirmation students will be notified via regular class time. YOUTH NEWS EDGE Youth Night (7th- 8th Grade) Every Tuesday Food, Fellowship, Fun – Bring a friend, we begin at 7:30pm and go to 9:00pm. LIFETEEN Youth Night (9th-12th grade) Every Wednesday Speakers, games, food, fellowship. Bring a friend, we begin at 7:30pm and go to 9:00pm. YOUNG ADULTS Join us every Monday in the youth building beginning at 7:30 pm, for faith study, fellowship and food! We are planning a trip in early June to Guadalupe Mountains. Contact office for details! High School Seniors! All graduating High school seniors and college graduates the date for the graduation Mass has been set for Sunday May 24th at 10:30am. Also we have a planned Senior Trip 2015 to a great location for a weekend getaway of fun and relaxation. If you attend St. Stephen’s then you can join us for the trip planned for May 15th – 17th. In order to be eligible for the trip you must sign up or contact the parish office by May 6th. Contact Carlos for more details. TEEN ACTS! We will be holding our second TEEN ACTS at the CIRCLE 6 ENCAMPMENT in Stanton, Texas. This youth retreat will take place on July 30 –August 2nd. It will be for those students entering the 9th grade thru 12th grade. It is a co-ed retreat and is limited to the first 25, teens that sign up, cost is $ 180.00 per student. Some scholarships are available. Please contact the office for more details. Steubenville West Youth Conference We are again planning on attending a Catholic youth conference in Tucson, Arizona! The conference will take place on the campus of the University of Arizona and will be July 10th -12th. The conference includes talks from dynamic catholic speakers, and music, Mass, Adoration of Blessed Sacrament and Confession during the retreat. The cost is $225.00 per Adult/youth. If you are an adult and willing to be a chaperone for this great weekend please contact Carlos for details! We would love to take a bus full to this great weekend! Page 6 Two weeks ago, we celebrated the by Rite of Initiation at the Easter Vigil Bill Berry Mass. It was such a special time for our parish. We had 80 adults qualify for full initiation into the catholic faith through Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. Praise God! They are now called Neophytes for one year. RCIA News Eucharistic Adoration Openings Tuesday: 2:00 a.m. & 11:00 p.m. Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. Thursday: 4:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. Friday: 3:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. Head Coordinator Linda Foster: 432-559-8888 Hour Coordinators Angela Gonzales: 432-889-2619 (8 a.m. to Noon) Veronica Jaquez: 432-634-7457 (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) Linda Foster: 432-559-8888 (6 p.m. to 5 a.m.) The Sunday morning Bible study will meet this Sunday for our study on the 4th chapter of James and our lessons on Mystagogy. This class is for EVERYONE. Please come join us from 9:15-10:15 a.m. in the Church parlor for coffee and snacks as we learn our wonderful Catholic faith. ELECTIONS — PARISH COUNCIL St. Stephen’s needs a few good men / women to serve on the Parish Council. We have four (4) positions openings. If you feel called to serve, please fill out a form on the table in the back of the Church and place it in the box provided. If you do not feel called, but you know someone who could be great on the Council. Please submit their name (after getting their permission). ST. STEPHEN’S CONFESSION SCHEDULE Mon.-Fri. 6:45 a.m.-7 a.m.; 12 noon-12:15 p.m.; & 5-5:30 p.m. Saturday 7:45 a.m.-8 a.m.; 4-4:45 p.m. Sunday ~ 20 minutes prior to each Mass And anytime, by appointment The members of Team RCIA devoted a considerable amount of prayer, time, talent, patience, love, grace, and elbow grease for nine months to serve our Lord through Team RCIA. Please take a minute to thank these folks for their service when you see them: Thank-You's: Monsignor Bridges & Father Anthony for their leadership, guidance and weekly participation in RCIA. Gladys Qualls and the St. Stephen's Women's Organization for preparing dinner for over 400 RCIA participants before the Easter Vigil. It was wonderful! Team RCIA: Bill and Lisa Berry (RCIA Directors), Suzette Doria, Fernando Espino, Gayle Fincher, Billy and Kim Foster, Linda Foster, Crystal Huerta, Anne Hobbs, Harry Hopkins, Rosa & Fino Martinez, Juana Mesa, Robin Parsley, Arnold Perez, Selina Reeve, Bobby & Elsa Torres, Tom VanVranken, Marcos & Gina Ybarra, and Jesse and Gail Zertuche RCIA Teachers: Monsignor Bridges, Bill Berry, Tom Van Vranken, Dcn Luis Mata, Dcn Larry Salazar and Mike Sweeney. Childcare Team: Rosa Pena, Perla Carreon, Julie Gomez and Debbie Sanchez. Office Team: Gladys Qualls, Kathy Wells, Nikki Sanchez, Patty Chick and Gretchen Lara. Special Thank-You's: Lisa Berry for doing whatever it took to get the job done, Linda Foster for everything, Anne Hobbs & Kim Foster for service above self, Harry Hopkins for always arriving early and staying late to help with preparations and clean up, Arnold Perez & Fernando Espino for volunteering to do the job no one else wanted to do, Gladys Qualls for all she does, Tom Van Vranken & Billy & Jennifer Foster for helping to clean up each week, Rosa & Fino Martinez for the salsa, Gail and Jesse Zertuche for all their years of faithful service Special Recognition: Cristin Hobbs for her positive example of suffering with joy and perseverance. As always, we dedicate each RCIA year to our dear friend in the Lord, Denis Robson. RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. RCIA is the method by which adults enter the Church. The meetings are free and childcare is provided. Our next RCIA year will start in August. Contact me at [email protected] if you are interested in receiving the Sacraments of Initiation or if you would like to learn more about our wonderful Catholic faith. We would love to have you join u Page 7 Helping Hands of Midland 1301 Brinson Lane (432) 520-8900 Because we feel it is important that you know how and where your donations to Helping Hands are spent, here is what was done in the past week: Electricity 3 families $ 963.35 Gas 5 families $ 649.65 Water 3 families $ 571.20 Rent 15 families $25,531.75 Medical 1 family $ 84.98 Misc. 2 people $ 32.00 TOTAL $27,832.93 The recent rains that we experienced brought back memories of a young boy that we met a few years ago at Helping Hands. We would like to share that experience with you again: Oftentimes God gives us blessings in multiple ways. While our store is only open three days each week (Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.), there are so many donations coming in to us (thank You, Lord!) that we must have a crew at Helping hands every single day of the week – even on Sundays and holidays! The majority of the work is done by men and women performing community service, either to gain credit for college tuition assistance through the Abell-Hanger Foundation, or people who have had minor skirmishes with the law and have the opportunity to make good through performing good works. These people are the lifeblood of our organization, and we are truly grateful to have them as part of our family. We could not operate without them, and we thank God every day for sending them our way. Some of the people performing community service are young parents. If their children are well behaved we have no problem with letting them come with mom or dad, and many times they do a great job of helping out as well. This past Sunday, when the work was over and we were checking the community service workers out for the day, a young boy of perhaps 4 or 5 years of age came to us excitedly holding a pair of rubber boots. “Please, please, please…can my mom buy these for me? They fit me just perfect! Pleeeease?” He held the rubber boot up to his shoe to show it was the correct size. How eager he was to have them! We jokingly asked him if he was going to wear them in the bathtub, because rain in West Texas had pretty much become a thing of the past. But then we looked outside at the clouds in the sky. Maybe, we told him, he might get lucky and get a few drops to test out his new boots. We told him that we would pray that it would rain just for him and his new boots. And lo and behold! Just a few hours after we had closed down for the day the heavens opened and the rains came! Streets were flooded. While we were all thankful for the gift of rain that day, those of us at Helping Hands were especially joyful for that little boy who had the blessed opportunity to try out those new rubber boots in the most magnificent way! Yes, God is good. Good to Helping Hands for the men and women who choose to do their community service with us; good to all of us here in West Texas for the gift of that much needed rain; good for the loving mom who takes such wonderful care of her happy child; and especially good for the opportunity that little boy had to spend his Sunday splashing around in those much cherished new boots. Thank You, Lord….You are good indeed! www.helpinghandsmidland.com Young Professionals Ministry Adults only mid 20's - 39 Join us every first Friday of the month in the Conference Room at St. Stephens at 7 p.m. for an opportunity to grow in your Catholic Faith and Christian friendship with other young professionals. Activities vary monthly. For more information contact Mary at 432-269-9698 or email [email protected] Marriage Jubilee 2015—All couples who are celebrating their 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and above sacramental wedding anniversaries in the calendar year of 2015 are invited to the Diocesan Marriage Jubilee celebration on May 17, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Angelo. Families and friends are invited to accompany our jubilarians to this celebration. Renewal of vows will take place within the Mass. This celebration ill conclude with a reception in the cathedral gymnasium to which are all invited. For registration information, please contact St. Stephen’s Parish Office.
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