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March 29th, 2020 Vol. 38 No. 34 St. Stephen’s Catholic Church 4601 Neely Avenue Midland, Texas 79707 (432) 520-7394 Fax (432) 520-7395
www.ststephensmidland.com
Rev. Rodney White, Pastor Assistant Pastor: Rev. Freddy Perez Deacons: Leonard Hendon, Luis Mata, Fidel Saldivar, Larry Salazar Director of Religious Education: Gretchen Lara Music Director: Gabriel Salgado Youth Director: Crystal Villareal Coronavirus Protocols for the Diocese of San Angelo March 17, 2020 Effective Immediately released by Bishop Michael J. Sis of the Diocese of San Angelo
Until further notice, and effective immediately, Catholics are dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays. For the 2-week period of March 17 to March 31: • Public Masses in churches and chapels are temporarily suspended during this time period. Priests will continue to celebrate the Mass in private.
• Any Church activities involving gatherings of 10 or more people in the same room at the same time are to be cancelled or held virtually from March 17 to 31.
• Church members may still gather in small groups of fewer than 10 for Eucharistic Adoration, Rosary, Stations of the Cross, etc., practicing social distancing.
Ongoing Plans: Other developments and subsequent instructions will come in the future, since the present situation is quite fluid and could change from day to day. For the Bishops full statement please visit our parish website. https://ststephensmidland.com Spiritual Communion Prayer Oración de comunión espiritual “My Jesus, "Jesús mío, I believe that You Yo creo que tu are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. están presentes en el Santísimo I love You above all things, Sacramento. and I desire to receive You into my soul. Te amo sobre todas las cosas y deseo Since I cannot at this moment recibirte en mi alma. receive You sacramentally, Como no puedo en este momento come at least spiritually into my heart. recibirte sacramentalmente, entra al I embrace You as if You were already there menos espiritualmente en mi corazón. and unite myself wholly to You. Te abrazo como si ya estuvieras allí y me Never permit me to be separated from You. uno completamente a ti. Amen.” Nunca permitas que me separe de ti. Amén.”
Daily Mass is Available everyday at Misa diaria está disponible todos los días https://ststephensmidland.com en https://ststephensmidland.com Page 3 Last Week’s Collection Regular Collection $6,955.00 Other Income $850.89 Mass Intentions Second Collection $6,654.62 ** Includes Contributions for: Helping For the week of March 29th, 2020 Hands, Catholic Relief Services, Parishes in Need, Lenten Mission-CRF Appeal*
ST. STEPHEN’S CONFESSION SCHEDULE
Monday - Tuesday - Thursday - Friday 6:45 am - 7:00 am & 5:00 - 5:30 pm Monday, March 30th Wednesday 6:45 a.m.-7 a.m.; 5-5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31st Saturday 7:45 am - 8:00 am; 4:00 - 4:45 pm
Sunday 8:15 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.; 11:15 a.m. - 11:45 Wednesday, April 1st a.m.; 4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Anytime by appointment.
Thursday, April 2nd– St. Francis of Paola, Hermit STILL LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO THIS LENT?? Would you consider doing a Holy First Friday, April 3rd Adoration hour once a week for the remaining of Lent during one of the 8 available opening hours?
First Saturday, April 4th– St. Isidore, Bishop & Doctor of the Some of these hours are easier than church others, some require a little more of a sacrifice... you will be greatly rewarded!
Sunday, April 5th – Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord AÚN BUSCANDO ALGO QUE OFRECER ESTA CUARESMA? Considere pasar una hora por semana acompañando al Señor durante una de las 8 horas disponibles durante el resto de la cuaresma. Unas horas son más fáciles que otras, algunas requieren un sacrificio más grande... seras grandemente recompensado.
Monday/lunes 2 PM Tuesday/martes 12 noon Thursday/jueves 3 AM, 11 AM, 12 noon, Faith in the time of coronavirus Friday/viernes 12 AM (midnight- medianoche)
Please visit our parish website for daily mass Contact Linda Foster at 432-559-8888 each day at 1pm: Comunicarse con Linda Foster (habla https://ststephensmidland.com español) at Know you are in our prayers during these 432-559-8888 concerning and challenging times. Page 4 Byron Macchietto & Family, Wilma Sision, Angel Jesus Navarrette, Paula Lucero & Family, Megan & Cody Anthony, Larry, Kayla and Pat White, Bob Breeze, Brenda Angela Mata March 29 VladyKo, Mona, Fran, Gerry & others , Chelsea Pena Gabriel Alexander Noah Garcia, Yulisa Garcia, Crystal Garcia, Alyce Rayos Cardenas Emma Valdez, Yolanda Rodriguez & Garcia Jose Rene Rayos Gavena Monique Family, Joe Munoz lll, Terisa Garza, Jesus Corralez Urbono Rios Nasario Rosas Munoz, Ana Morin, Julio Rodriguez, Mingo Lujan, Stephanie Mendoza, Nancy Garcia Anna Marie Lunsford, Ignacio (Jr.) Villegas, Zaman Kachir, Raquel Jennifer Ude Anzhi Jacquez Ramirez, Katherine Kirwan, Elia Sauceda, Goyo Valeriano, Selena Cristal Longoria April 3 Jaquez, Enzo Villa, Michelle Franco, Denisse Feregrino, Juan Miguel Jenessa Lopez Virginia Benavidez Flores, Lisa Esther Punete, Olivia Anzures, Maria Esther Estrada,Felix Matthew Moreno Valeria Butanda Munoz ll, Jose Martinez Jr.,Precious Medires, Julian Rodriguez, Ruth Joe Rivera Andrew Campos Alvardo, Burdette Family, Vasquez Family, Isaiah V., Carlota V., Rod T., Navaeh Rodriguez Amy Franco Judy D., Mary Helen Smith, Candace Rosas. A.J Garrett, Dolores Aneth Villarreal Cassidy Gonzales Higgins, Alexia Aguirre, Larry White, Arthur Garcia, Domingo Zayda Wakley Maria Guajardo Carrizales,Colter Marcum, Joe Teagarden, Raul Lujan, Adamari Rosas, Jim White Jerry Lee Gloria K, Magdalena Mendoza, Stella Torres, Alma Garcia, Joe March 30 Robert Lopez Teagarden, Dayton Martinez, Natalie Gamboa, Ruby Morales, Alfonso Temitope Abobade Alia Maldonado Marquez, Avery King Jr., Dora Lopez. Ricardo Natividad Cindy Adams Email [email protected] or call the office at 520-7394 to be added to the Izaak Avena Aryanna Ramirez prayer list! If someone needs to be removed from prayer list please contact the John Eikenbary Brissa Rubio office to remove request. Thank you! Juan Hernadez Lauren Schwalbach Kambree Houston Envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected] o llame a la oficina al April 4 520-7394 para ser incluido en la lista de oración! Si alguien necesita ser Dawn Pistulka Dalila Araujo removido de la lista de oración, por favor comuníquese con la oficina. Gracias! John Sotelo Julie Crosby March 31 Clinton Hartman Adrian Campos Eliyana Hernandez Gloria Dagdag Felix Martinez RCIA News RCIA will be put off until further notice. Elias Villa Cory Naiman by Bill Berry It's free, childcare is provided, we have Alyssa Brianna Waugh Kathrine Prementine a lot of fun as we learn our wonderful April 1 Sandra Sauceda Maria Baeza Joe Schwalbach Catholic faith, and we always have something good to Michael Anthony Zayles Whitehurst eat. RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Bryan April 5 Adults and it’s a journey of exploration and initiation Tiffany Calixto Mary M. Carre Alexandra Starr Fernando Espino into the Catholic Church RCIA is a fun, safe, faith- Escamilla Maria Griselda building discovery of Jesus Christ and the Church He Lorri Flores Galindo started. RCIA will change your life. It will bring you Itza Hernandez Maria Garza closer to Jesus. Is God calling you? The Catholic Ivan Leyva Roy Guerra Violet Maldonado Michael Hernandez Church welcomes you! If you are interested in RCIA, Adrian Molinar Hector Itzaguirre all you have to do is send an email to me at Tayler Montano William T. Lentner [email protected] for more information. Denise Schrader Ramona Meraz Diana Ramos Robert Villarreal Jr. Your Ongoing Giving is Deeply Appreciated Amy Wiesman Sara Torres We recognize suspending our weekly Masses is a massive change for all of April 2 James Zertuche us. We are recording our daily mass and Sunday Mass each week during Jahir Acosta this time, available through our website. IlliaAportela While we are suspending our in-person services for now, much of our Amber Arredondo operations must continue to sustain and care for the Church. Your giving still Ryan Bosworth matters. Over 90% of our operating budget comes from your donations. We Zavannah Lujan as a parish need your support. For many of you, your weekly donations traveled with you as you attended Sunday Mass. We encourage you to either mail in your weekly donation or You know you want to... click on the link available on our home page under the donate section to Don’t be afraid sign up for recurring giving online. I realize we live in difficult times. Join the choir now, you are needed!! However, I ask you to continue your generous support of St. Stephen's Catholic Church. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings from Please prayerfully consider making a donation today to support your Parish. 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. To sign up please call Always remember – You are the Church. You are the Body of Christ. or text Gabriel Salgado at 432-638-5127 or With profound gratitude, email him at: [email protected] Fr. Rodney, Fr. Freddy & The St. Stephen's Administration Page 5 Due to the Covid-19 and shortage of supplies, Young Adults/ regretfully our Annual Parish Fish Fry that is scheduled for April 3, 2020, HAS BEEN Jovenes Adultos CANCELLED.
We invite everyone to Pray the Rosary from your If you had bought a ticket already, we will be glad to home every Monday at 7:30pm. With the COVID- reimburse you AFTER mid-April; please see Gladys 19 going on we are supposed to be practicing at the Parish office. social distancing but that doesn't mean you can’t continue to Pray the Rosary where ever you are. YOU MUST SHOW AND TURN IN A TICKET TO GET A REFUND.
We apologize for any inconvenience we may have cause you.
Our Lady, Health of the Sick, I look to you for the comfort of a mother's love, I pray to you on behalf of those who are suffering and for my own healing needs. Mary, your love strengthens me and brings me peace. The Catholic Student Association of Midland Our Lady, Health of the Sick, embrace all who are emotionally and (CSAM) at Midland College would like to physically ill that they may return to invite college students attending MC to join good health under your tender care. And us. please intercede for my very special needs. (mention your needs here). We will meet at Midland College every other Tuesday in the Student Club Room or Mary, your love strengthens me and brings Internet Café at 12pm. Food is served. me peace.
Our Lady, Health of the Sick, pray for For more information please call 432-215- us. Amen. 8169 or contact Anita Montez at [email protected] Youth News
PEEK AT THE MONTH… ALL TEENS INVITE Munch-N-Lunch Tuesday’s!
March: Munch-N-Lunch has been • NO CLASSES TILL FURTHER NOTICE postponed until further notice. Crystal Villareal : Ph: (432)-520-7394
Page 6 “Lent is a time of going very deeply into ourselves… What is it that stands between us and God? Between us and our brothers and sisters? Between us and life, the life of the Spirit? Whatever it is, let us relentlessly tear it out, without a moment’s hesitation.” -Catherine Doherty
PRINCIPAL, St. Mary’s Central Catholic School in Odessa, Texas is accepting applications for the position of principal for grades PreK-8 grades for the 2020-2021 school year.
Qualifications: The applicant must have a Master’s degree in education and 3-5 years teaching experience. The applicant should have integrity, vision, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and experience with budget disbursement. The applicant must be an active, and practicing Catholic.
St. Mary’s Central Catholic School is committed to quality and excellence in developing the whole child in a faith environment. Applications are available on the SMCCS Odessa, TX website: Careers, Employment
Altar Server Training and Events For Spanish and English Mass Servers/Entrenamiento y Bible study is currently Eventos de Monaguillos(as) para todos postponed per the Servidores de Misa en español e inglés
If you have received your first holy communion and feel a Bishops Announcements calling to join our altar server community we invite you to come to the trainings. Parents, we encourage you to attend released on 3/17/2020 as well. Please contact Anne Hobbs at 432-934-3192 or [email protected] and we will resume at a
Altar Server Training Dates: Monday, April 6th from 6pm to 8:30pm later date when more
Si has recibido tu primera comunión y sientes el llamado a information about COVID- unirte a nuestra comunidad de monaguillos, te invitamos a venir a los entrenamientos. Padres, se les invita a asistir 19 and social distancing también. Por favor contacte a Anne Hobbs al 432-934-3192 o [email protected] recommendations are Dias de Entrenamiento para Monaguillo: Lunes, 6 de Abril de 6pm a 8:30pm updated. Instead of having one seminarian for the month. We ask that you pray for all of our seminarians at this time, as the seminaries have shut down campuses and classes until further notice. So please keep all of our seminarians in your prayers. Page 7
Helping Hands of Midland 1301 Brinson Lane (432) 520-8900
www.helpinghandsmidland.com
We reported earlier this week that a very generous, anonymous donor offered to help us with dollar for dollar matching funds up to a total of $100,000. That request could not have come at a better time! With our thrift store closed temporarily we are no longer receiving that funding. Our top donor, St. Stephen’s, is not offering Mass at the moment, so that money too is gone. We are relying solely on donations from individuals.
And yet the calls for help are flooding in. The closer we get to April 1 when rent is again due, the more calls we will get. Most affected are those who have temporarily lost their jobs due to COVID-19 shutdowns. Restaurant and retail workers are most heavily affected. Unemployment aid, even though expedited, still takes at least one week.
The Texas Supreme Court has asked landlords to be forgiving during this difficult time. So far, we have seen our locally owed apartment owners who have waived late fees for their tenants, and are working with them to allow them to pay their rent when their jobs return, with no late fees. And we applaud them. We are working with these people and helping them as much as we can to pay their rent so that when they do get their jobs back, they are not burdened by owing back rent on top of whatever their current rent will be. There are other complexes, owned mostly by out of state corporations, that will have nothing to do with that, and they continue to charge late fees. It is not the fault of the family living in those complexes.
We are in for very difficult times, and it will be a long time before our economy is healthy once again. We ask that you prayerfully consider donating to our matching grant offer. If the goal is reached, we would have $200,000 to help these people stay in their homes. As of last Thursday morning, we had $42,000 already pledged. If you would consider helping, please mail your check to Helping Hands, 1301 Brinson Lane, Midland, TX 79703. Thanks and God bless!
If you are working with our youth, going to youth retreats, doing Vacation Bible School, CCD classes, homebound ministries, you are required to do a background check with the San Angelo Diocese and go to an ethics class. To obtain a background check form, either see Gladys at the Parish Office or you can download from https:// www.sanangelodiocese.org/background-checks.
Sr. Elsa Garcia’s Ethics Classes for 2020 All classes below are at St. Ann’s Catholic Church *April 11 Saturday Spanish 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Annex) *September 12 Saturday Spanish 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Parlor) *May 16 Saturday English 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Annex) *October 3 Saturday English 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Parlor) *June 13 Saturday Spanish 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Annex) *November 7 Saturday Spanish 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Parlor) *July 11 Saturday English 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Annex) *December 5 Saturday English 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Parlor) *August 22 Saturday Spanish 2:00 to 4:30 pm (Annex) You have to pre register either by calling Gladys at our parish office (432)520-7394 or email at [email protected]