ST. STEPHEN PROTOMARTYR PARISH May 24, 2020 The Ascension of Our Lord If you are new to St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish or just visiting — WELCOME! Visitors, please sign the Guest Book found near the main entrance to the church. If you would like to register in the parish, please call or email the parish office. Welcome to the neighborhood and parish community! PARISH Father Ron Hopmeir, Pastor 3949 Wilmington Avenue [email protected] St. Louis, MO 63116 314-481-1133 … 314-481-6036 fax Mrs. Mary Regan, Pastoral Associate [email protected] [email protected] www.saintstephenstl.org @sspstl Mr. Stephen E. Jones, Music Director ststephenprotomartyr.flocknote.com [email protected] youtube.com/StStephenProtomartyr Mrs. June Tessin, Office Manager / Bookkeeper [email protected] Chapel of Sts. Mary and Joseph 6304 Minnesota, St. Louis, MO 63111 Mrs. Michel Wendell, Principal @stsmaryandjosephchapel [email protected] SCHOOL Mrs. Mary Paule, Child Safety Coordinator / Secretary 3929 Wilmington Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 [email protected] 314-752-4700 … 314-752-5165 fax [email protected] Ms. Stephanie Oehler Wobbe, Communications Coordinator @SSPCatholicSchool [email protected] St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish www.saintstephenstl.org STEWARDSHIP: SHARING TIME, TALENT, TREASURE, and PRAYER “I am praying for them…” (John 17:9) Prayer is the foundation of our Faith and the foundation of Stewardship. Pray in good times and in bad. Prayer is always the first best option in any situation, not just the last resort. Pray for friends and family and for those who don’t treat you very well. Pray to give praise, to thank, and to ask God for help. Pray to see what God wants you to do with the gifts He has given you. SUNDAY CONTRIBUTION A NOTE FROM FR. RON: PUBLIC MASSES May 17 Contribution $ 3,763.95 After the recent release of guidelines from the Online giving contribution $ 3,117.00 Archdiocese in reference to resuming public Masses, I Total weekly contribution $ 6,880.95 met with our parish Liturgy Committee (representative lectors, cantors, ushers, and Eucharistic ministers) to R & I $ 231.00 outline a safe and prayerful way to go forward. Tuition Assistance $ 1,069.00 The Archdiocesan guidelines are understandably Catholic Communications $ 81.00 thorough and stringent. It is no small task to determine Seminary $ 25.00 how they will be specifically observed in our worship and St. Vincent de Paul, SSP $ 543.00 what (and who) will be needed to make that possible. It will take planning and understanding by all of us. Special collection in May is for Catholic Communications. Archbishop Carlson's initial letter to all clergy opened with these words: "The decision to begin holding THIS WEEK’S READINGS public Masses is at the discretion of each parish pastor." The Archbishop realizes that each parish is Monday: Acts 19:1-8; Ps 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab; different and will implement a plan that works best for Jn 16:29-33 them. This process will look different parish to parish. Tuesday, St. Philip Neri: Acts 20:17-27; Ps 68:10-11, We must keep open minds and pray that the Lord will 20-21; Jn 17:1-11a guide us as a people of faith in this time of adjustment. Wednesday: Acts 20:28-38; Ps 68:29-30, 33-35a, Know that your well-being is front and center for me. 35bc-36ab; Jn 17:11b-19 We will resume our celebration of public Mass on Thursday: Acts 22:30, 23:6-11; Ps 16:1-2a & 5, 7-8, Sunday, June 7, at 9 a.m. At this time, we will plan to 9-10, 11; Jn 17:20-26 celebrate one public Mass each weekend on Sundays at Friday: Acts 25:13b-21; 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab; 9 a.m. Attendance will be limited to ensure safe Jn 21:15-19 distancing, and everyone will be required to wear a mask. Saturday: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Ps 11:4, 5 & 7; I assure you that I, along with the Liturgy Committee, Jn 21:20-25 will do my best to adjust and improve our gatherings as Feast of Pentecost: Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, needed as we embark on this new walk in faith. I will be 31, 34; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13; Jn 20:19-23 communicating more specifically as we approach June 7. Please note that dispensation from the Sunday Mass RECONCILIATION obligation has been extended until further notice. We will continue to share a recorded Mass each weekend. Father Ron is available for the sacrament of reconciliation We are looking forward to gathering again! It will be by appointment. Please call him at 314-481-1133, Option different for a while. We will be learning together how to #1. If he is unable to answer when you call, please leave worship with some new rituals, which ultimately are a message; he will get back to you as soon as possible. outward signs of our love and care for one another. Confessions are made face-to-face, keeping the recommended six feet of distance. In the interest of Peace, everyone’s health and safety, Father Ron wears a mask, and penitents are also asked to do so. May 24, 2020 The Ascension of Our Lord PARISH MISSION STATEMENT Following the example of our patron St. Stephen, we are called to be witnesses of God’s love and to be a faith-filled, reconciling parish. OUR GRADUATES PICNIC Our Parish Picnic, which was scheduled for June 10, has been cancelled due to the pandemic of COVID-19 and resulting restrictions on activities involving large groups of people. Cancelling the picnic means we won’t enjoy our traditional day of eating, game playing, and rides, but we Congratulations to the St. Stephen’s Class of 2020, are attempting to engage all of you in a different type of whose time together had a different ending from what picnic experience this year. they’d been anticipating for nine years. They celebrated We know many of you have experienced hardships their graduation with a car parade through the recently and we do not take those lightly, but we also neighborhood on May 20, cheered along by friends and know that so many of you continue to show your neighbors, followed by simultaneous home viewing of a generosity towards SSP and we would love to encourage few collaborative videos to remember and celebrate. that in the following ways: Best wishes in high school to our newest alumni! The Grand Raffle is ON with the help of Dan and Jenny West. Tickets are $100 each for a chance at cash prizes Brian Bessire De Smet Jesuit High School of $10,000, $3,000, and $2,000. If you have purchased a Keira Dawson Notre Dame High School ticket in the past, you will be contacted by your previous Zeke Esswein St. Louis University High School seller. If not, please contact Dan West at 314-518-7357. Gabrielle Fournelle Nerinx Hall We invite everyone to consider a donation, in any Cecilia Hickey Rosati-Kain High School amount, to compensate for the cancellation of this event Aidan Jenney Chaminade College Prep School and to attempt to reach our goal of $45,000. Please Grayeson Knapp St. Louis University High School consider the amount of money you spend on a typical Kathryn Lueke Nerinx Hall picnic day and make a donation to SSP in that amount. Christine Mattingly Oakville High School Please use the donation form in this bulletin or visit https://forms.gle/W1BcyKnNpryzuwWn9. Zachary Mohr Bishop DuBourg High School Eleanor Mullgardt Nerinx Hall Matt & Ann Marie Guntli Donny Pham Gateway Science Academy 314-368-9704 Colby Quinn De Smet Jesuit High School [email protected] Zoe Rector Nerinx Hall Mariah Reeves Bishop DuBourg High School BLOOD DRIVE Lily Reinert Kirkwood High School The SSP Boy Scouts are hosting their semi-annual blood James Rowe Bishop DuBourg High School drive to benefit the American Red Cross. Adrian Rubio St. Mary’s High School The drive will take place Sunday, May 31, 2020, from Erica Smith Nerinx Hall 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in our Parish Center. Etalemahu Tamene Notre Dame High School Donors must make an appointment at Caitlin Thode Notre Dame High School www.redcrossblood.org or on the ARC's Blood Donor Honora Thode Notre Dame High School App. Search for sponsor code StStephenP. Due to stringent safety measures, walk-ins cannot Aaron Venneman Bishop DuBourg High School be accepted. Visit the Red Cross website for a full Luke West St. Louis University High School explanation of their safety protocol. Alexander Yezbick St. Louis University High School If you have questions or issues registering online, Evan Zarbo Lindbergh High School please call Scoutmaster Michael Lohff at 314-591-9575. St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish www.saintstephenstl.org OUR GRADUATES FROM HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND BEYOND It’s graduation season! Let’s congratulate those in our community who are celebrating the completion of high school, college, advanced education, or have achieved other educational or career milestones! Thanks to all of you who shared your good news with us. Madeline Broekelmann graduates from Fontbonne University with a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. Megan Martin Jacqueline Broekelmann graduates from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a bachelor’s degree in Science Business Administration with an Marketing emphasis. Michael Smith graduates from the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach English in Bulgaria.