On June 12, we welcome Fr. Louie Floeder to St. Stephen! In case you missed his note in the June 9 bulletin, here’s his message to the parishioners of St. Stephen:

Hello everyone!
My name is Father Louie Floeder and I’m so happy to have my first assignment be St. Stephen’s! I grew up with my six brothers and three sisters in Shoreview, Minnesota. After graduating from Mounds View High School in 2011, I immediately joined the seminary. Seminary was a great time, and I’m so thankful for all the people I met and growth that occurred. God uses all things. I am half Peruvian (my mother being 100%) and do my best to speak Spanish. I like to watch WWE and play basketball. And although it has only been a short while since ordination – I love being a priest! I look forward to meeting you and serving you. A final thought, if I can shamelessly throw it out there…I would love to visit with you in your homes! It really helps me get to know you. May God bless you!
– Father Louie
P.S. My uncle, Fr. John Floeder, was assigned to St. Stephen’s as an associate around ten years ago. I’m happy to follow in his footsteps!

Applications are now being accepted for the St. Stephen School Graduate Scholarship program. The deadline for returning applications is August 1, 2019.  Download the guidelines and application . (Please note that the application is two pages.) Forms are also available in the wall organizer outside of the parish office, and the kiosk in the Gathering Place.

The applicant may be a current eighth grade student at the Church of St. Stephen School who has applied for admission at a Catholic High School for the subsequent fall, and who eventually graduates in good standing. Or, the applicant must be an eighth grade graduate of the Church of St. Stephen School. The applicant’s family must be currently registered parishioners. The applicant must be currently enrolled in a Catholic high school, or any Catholic college or graduate program.

The amount of the scholarship award will depend on the financial need of the applicant and the dollar amount available from the scholarship fund.

Interested applicants must complete an application form and write a brief essay to explain their need. Completed applications should be returned to the parish office, attention Lynne Pinewski.

Save the dates of July 29 – August 2, 2019, 9:00 a.m. to noon!
Every day at Roar Totally Catholic VBS, kids will learn simple Bible points and be immersed in new adventures as they travel through field-tested rotations. Together we will explore God’s goodness and celebrate a ferocious faith that powers us all through this “wild” life. Just as our church and school buildings will be transformed into an African savanna full of vibrant colors and untamed grasslands, so too will the lives of all who join us be transformed as we learn to follow Jesus more closely!

Register for VBS 2019 online by June 30.

Download the VBS 2019 registration form (PDF) , print, and return to the parish office by June 30.

We look forward to a faith-filled week of fun this summer!

Please contact Maredith Toweh or call 763-712-7439 with questions.

Thank you to the following business sponsors who contributed to the Festival of Flowers!

Gold Level ($2,000) – Thurston-Lindberg-DeShaw Funeral Home

Bronze Level ($500) – Main Motor Chevrolet

In the fall of 2016 a team was formed to develop a Strategic Plan that flowed from and supported our mission statement to “Seek, Love, and Serve Jesus Christ”. In the late winter/early spring of 2017 the Strategic Planning Committee held three listening sessions and posted a survey online to allow them to gather the valuable feedback of parishioners.

St. Stephen’s Church is happy to present the strategic plan document to guide the parish as we move into the future.

Strategic Plan Document (printable PDF)

We are listening and responding to the input of our parishioners and want to keep you informed of the parish’s implementation progress.

The weekend of February 16/17, 2019, John Seibert, one of the parish trustees, gave an update on the implementation of the Strategic Plan. The presentation has been posted on St. Stephen’s Facebook page

We are committed to updating parishioners about the implementation process through bulletin articles, the e-newsletter, Facebook, and parish website.

Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda announced May 31, 2018 that the Archdiocese had reached an agreement with survivors of sexual abuse to resolve the bankruptcy that had been filed in January of 2015. The agreement both provides compensation to survivors and resolution of all related claims against individual parishes.

Read the letter from the Archbishop (PDF).
Bankruptcy Settlement Question and Answer sheet (PDF).

From Thomas J. Abood, Chair, Archdiocesan Reorganization Task Force and Archdiocesan Finance Council:  On Thursday, June 28, 2018, the Archdiocese and the Unsecured Creditors Committee filed a joint Plan of Reorganization which marks an important step in effectuating the recently announced $210 million settlement. The key element of this plan is that it is a consensual agreement among all parties working to resolve the bankruptcy and bring a measure of financial justice to those who have been harmed while also allowing this local Church to continue in its mission.

Read the full statement on the archdiocesan website.

Regular Mass Schedules: Mondays – Saturdays: 8:00 a.m. (with some exceptions for Holy Days or Holidays), Saturdays: 5:00 p.m. (except the Easter Vigil), Sundays: 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. (en español) and 6:00 p.m. (No 6:00 p.m. Mass for Easter, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve/Day).

Visit the Mass times page for special liturgy schedules for holidays and Holy Days.

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter: Saturday: 5:00 p.m.

Low Gluten Hosts: For those sensitive to wheat, St. Stephen’s offers low-gluten hosts. The gluten content of the low-gluten hosts is 10 ppm. To receive a low-gluten host, please check in with the Sacristan or Communion Team Leader before Mass, and they will direct you on where and how to receive a low-gluten host during Communion.

La Misa en Español: Domingo a las 12:30 p.m.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturdays 3:30-4:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. (except holidays and Holy Days and June 19, 2019)

Televised: QCTV Comcast cable channel 15 (Recorded Mass of the previous weekend) Sundays: 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.

For those who do not have cable, there is a Mass that is televised on “antenna” TV at 11:00 a.m. on Channel 45 or 5.2.  That particular Mass comes from the Diocese of St. Cloud.

OFFICE HOURS:

Academic Year:  Monday and Thursday – 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.;  Tuesday and Wednesday – 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. when Faith Formation is in session, otherwise closing at 5:00 p.m.;
Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.;  Saturday – 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.;  Sunday – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Summer:  Monday through Thursday – 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.;  Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Saturday – 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sunday – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.