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March 10, 2019 Vol. 37 No. 31

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. Adam Droll & Rev. Freddy Perez

Deacons: Leonard Hendon, Luis Mata, Fidel Saldivar, Larry Salazar Sisters: Gertrudis Muñoz, Leonila Torres, Lupita Ibanez

Youth Director: Thomas Shows Director of Religious Education: Gretchen Lara

Music Director: Gabriel Salgado

LENTEN REGULATIONS AND ACTIVITIES During Lent, special activities help us to open our lives to God’s renewing power. Jesus speaks of praying, fasting, and almsgiving (Mt 6:1-6, 16:18). PRAYER The Stations of the Cross will take place every Friday of Lent after the 5:30 PM Mass. Please bring your family to these beautiful meditations on the Lord’s passion and death. FASTING Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, in particular, are the most important penitential days of the liturgical year. They are days of both fast and abstinence. All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence. The rule of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years old and older. Abstinence refers to not eating meat. Under the present law this does not include egg or mike products, soups, or gravies. The common estimation of the community is used to determine what falls under the category of meat. The rule of fasting states that only one full meal a day can be taken. Two small meals, “sufficient to maintain strength,” are allowed, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals breaks the fast but drinking liquids does not. The rule of fasting obliges all Catholics from ages 18-59. The substantial observance of the laws of fast and abstinence is a serious obligation. Those whose health would be impaired are excused from fasting and abstaining. ALMSGIVING—CRS RICE BOWL During Lent, many people like to sacrifice in order to assist the poor and hungry, by contributing to Catholic Relief Services. One way is through the CRS RICE BOWL activity which begins March 6th and continues through April 21

st. We eat less at one meal and put

the money saved in a little box for those who have so much less than we; we bring the donation to the church at the end of Lent. Catholic Relief Services distributes 75% of the funds to the needy around the world; the Diocese of San Angelo distributes 25% locally. An envelope is provided in your packet for this purpose; please return it by Easter.

Lenten Dinners After the 5:30 PM Mass & Stations of the Cross

March 15, 2019—Various Soups by RCIA Team (Spanish)* March 22, 2019—Cheese Enchiladas by The Guadalupanas * March 29, 2019—Baked Potatoes by ACTS Team * April 5, 2019—Various Salads by Youth Group* April 12, 2019—Fish Fry by Women’s Organization & Knights of Columbus **

*Donations appreciated **MUST HAVE PR-PAID TICKETS. Tickets will be available after all Masses or at the Parish office.

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ST. STEPHEN’S CONFESSION SCHEDULE

Monday - Tuesday - Thursday - Friday 6:45 am - 7:00 am; 12 noon - 12:15 pm; & 5:00 -

5:30 pm

Wednesday 6:45 a.m.-7 a.m.; 12 noon-12:15 p.m.;

5-5:30 p.m.; & 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Saturday 7:45 am - 8:00 am; 4:00 - 4:45 pm

Sunday 20 minutes prior to each Mass

And anytime, by appointment

Last Week’s Collection

Regular Deposit: $ 25,365.13 Other Income: $ 14,179.62 Helping Hands: $ 26,400.50

Financial reports are available in the parish office.

ALTAR SERVER NEWS

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Altar Servers Meeting for 2019

Marque su calendario para la próxima reunión de servidores de Altar para 2019

When(cuando):April 1, 2019 May 4, 2019 (Retreat/Retiro) Time(hora): 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Where(dónde): Sanctuary of the Church

If you have questions, please contact:

Anne Hobbs 432-934-3192 Bianca Gonzales 432-894-9554

Sunday, March 10 - First Sunday of Lent

Monday, March 11

Tuesday, March 12

Wednesday, March 13

Thursday, March 14

Friday, March 15

Saturday, March 16

Sunday, March 17 - Second Sunday of Lent

For the week of March 10, 2019

St. Stephen's is seeking a full-time accountant to prepare monthly journal entries, perform general account

analysis and reconciliations, including bank statements, and the necessary financial duties of our parish. Knowledge of QuickBooks/MS Office and an accounting background preferred. This is a full-time position with benefits. The applicant must have at least a Bachelor's degree in accounting or business (with accounting background). Please send a resume and professional references to RWhite@SanAngeloDiocese.org

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March 10 Rebecca Chavez Arianni Espinoza

Miles James Teresa Jimenez

A Khia Kathy Lee

Jordan Lovely Feliziti Martinez Nicholas Pane Mirna Perez

Evan Rodriguez Emily Rooks

Melissa Sanchez Randy Zepeda

March 11 Angel Bermea

Jaime Gonzalez Gabriel Irigoyen

Veronica Magallanes Santiago White

March 12 Rebeca Aleman

Eric Bechner Nataly Duarte

Fei Holly Joe Lopez

Patricia Madrid Carmen Medina Daniel Mendez

Rosahaora Palomares Jose Prieto

Jeffrey Saenz Chance Spencer Claudia Terrazas

March 13 Arturo Campos

Elda Frazier Gerald Garcia

Camila Maldonado Victor Melendez

Ariel Ramirez Rene Rios

Gloria Rodriguez Silvia Zaragosa Sarah Zuniga

March 14 Silvestre Acosta

Mackenzie Bosworth Evette Gutierrez

Agripina Hallmeyer Marcella Kudrat Isabella Nieto

Patricia Pineda Benito Vazquez

Marcos Zaragoza

March 15 Joshua Cross

Horacio DeLaFuente Reynaldo Flores Arcelia Fuentes Gregorio Garcia Aiden Gonzales Janette Medina Aleni Melchor Thuy Nguyen

March 16 Adan Aguirre Gabriel Alaniz Janae Bechner Yesenia Favela Efrain Franco Jr. Mario Jimenez

Cameron Lopez Heriberto Mora Houston Petty

Susana Salcedo Aaron Tejeda

Jaime Valencia

March 17 Juan Lopez

Leonard Maganllanez Ricki Perry

Cynthia Petty Trish Pickens Ryan Scheel

Gabriel Sustaita

Paul Medina, Ignacio Jr Villegas, Eva & Gustavo, Gael Hernandez, Sylvia Hernandez, Jaasiel Samayoa, Rosanne Martinez, Jimmy Marquez

Family, Dolores HigginsFran Thetford, Gerald Thetford, Bob Breeze, Dragisic Family, Megan & Mallory Anthony,

Chad Vecellio, Betty Macchietto, Larry & Pat White, Sandra White, Alberta Smith, Francis Botello, Lori Botello, Jorge Garcia, Ashley McGeorge, Kevin Hipler, Sonia McGeorge, Magda A., Burdette Family, Isaiah V., Vasquez Family, Carlos C., Anita P., Carlota W., Judy D., Daniel R. & Alica S., Tania C., Veronica Garcia, Jesse Julius Garcia, Alyss Munoz, Alejandro Munoz Jr, Avyel Munoz, Mando Barriga, Patricia Villarreal, Raquel Mendoza, Sam Gibbs, Mark Nolen, Ramiro Baiza, Tim Walser, Santos Castillo, Bailey Colon, Sergio Patino, Bea Herrera, Patricia Hodges, Reynaldo Gomez, Abel Francisca, Antonia Herrera, Ashley McGeorge, Sonia McGeorge, Carla Alvarez, Patricia Tapia, Pablo Talamantez, Marialicia Rodriguez, Josefina Alvarez, Pascuala Mendieta, Mark Clark, Potsy Sotelo, Jaelynn G. Garcia, Beti Vega, Alfredo Garcia, Eva Garcia, Dee Garcia, Yulissa Garcia, Juan Musquis, Ignacio (JR) Villegas, Anita Salazar, DeAnda Family, Arredondo Family, Galindo Family, Joe Medina Jr.

Email frontdesk.sscc@att.net or call the office at 520-7394 to be added to the prayer list! If someone needs to be removed from prayer list please contact the office to remove

request. Thank you!

Eucharistic Adoration Openings

Wednesday: 5:00 AM Thursday: 7:00 AM & 3:00 AM

Saturday: 3:00 AM (6 weeks only)

Please prayerfully consider signing up to spend an hour with our Lord in adoration! Call Linda Foster (habla español) at 432-559-8888 for

information.

Marriage Jubilee 2019 - All couples who are celebrating their 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and above wedding anniversaries (Church marriage, not civil marriage) in the calendar year of 2019 are invited to the Diocesan Marriage Jubilee celebration on March 24, 2019, 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 will conclude with a reception in the Cathedral gymnasium, to which all are invited. For registration information, please contact

Parish Office. The deadline to register for this celebration is March 11, 2019.

Upcoming Ethics March 21st at 6:30pm (Spanish) in St. Ann’s Annex (Midland) April 4th at 6:30pm (English) in St Ann’s Parlor (Midland) April 8th at 6:30pm (Spanish) in St. Ann’s Annex (Midland) May 4th at 10:00am (English) in St Ann’s Parlor (Midland) May 13 at 6:30pm (Spanish) in St. Ann’s Annex (Midland)

For those of you that volunteer with CCD classes, Teachers, assistants, helpers, or with our Youth, Homeschool co-op, Cub Scouts, Vacation Bible School, Homebound & Hospital Eucharistic Ministers, YOU MUST, at least, have filled out a background check AND attend an Ethic’s workshop. To obtain a background check form please come by the Parish office or click on website: https://www.sanangelodiocese.org/background-checks

Dear Parishioners,

This monstrance is MISSING!!

It belongs to the Rachel’s Vineyard Ministry. If you or someone you know has this monstrance please return it to the St. Stephen’s Office as soon as possible. If there are

any questions or concerns or if you know where it is please contact Priscilla at 432-

296-9669 or St. Stephen’s Office.

The Women’s Organization is having their general meeting this coming Monday, March

11, 2019, starting with a meet & greet at 6:30 PM and the meeting starts at 7 PM in the Parlor. ALL ladies of St. Stephen’s are welcome to join our organization. For any information, please contact President Gloria May at 432-770-3314

St. Stephen’s Women’s

Organization

The U.S. Senate recently failed to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act— legislation that prohibits infanticide by ensuring that a child

born alive following an attempted abortion would receive the same degree of care to preserve her or his life and health as would be given to any other child born alive at the same gestational age. Please pray for an end to infanticide: “Jesus, Lord of Life, transform the hearts of all government leaders to recognize that infanticide is wrong and must not be tolerated. Open hearts and minds to recognize and defend the precious gift of every human life.”

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Youth News

PEEK AT THE MONTH…

March

March 10th & March 17th – No LifeTeen-Spring Break

March 22nd – 23rd

– NET Retreat for Confirmation II

March 24th – Life Teen Social Night!

March 31st – Life Teen “Dignified”

Pizza Lunch Tuesday’s! Pizza Lunch: Come join us

for pizza lunch during your

lunch period! Pizza, chips,

and a drink provided for FREE.

This week in RCIA, we will learn more about Jesus. Will study His life, His teachings, His mission, His death and His

resurrection. Did Jesus intend to start a Church? If so, what characteristics, or marks, did He create for the Church? What does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth, as we are told in Sacred Scripture. How is Jesus with us today, more than 2,000 years after His death and resurrection? We will examine these questions and more as we learn more about Jesus on Tuesday.

"RCIA" stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. It's the process by which adults come into full communion with the Catholic Church. It's free, childcare is provided, we have a lot of fun and we always have something good to eat! If you have questions, feel free to email me at billberry100@aol.com.

RCIA News by Bill Berry

"Lent: The Road to Redemption, Cycle C" has begun but it's not too late to get your Study Guide from the Church Office and join us for Lesson 2 this week. Fr. Mitch Pacwa blesses us with narrating the DVD presentation and the Study Guide helps us dig deeper into the weekly Lenten Gospels during these 40 days. Add us to your other Lenten practices this year, or use us as your Lenten walk through the desert with Jesus at your side. We meet Wednesday mornings at 9:30 and Thursday evenings at 6:30 in Room 2. Study Guides are $14.00. Don't be left out; use these 40 days to do something that can continue to impact your spiritual life and allow the Gospels to

live through you. Call JoAnn at 432-559-2658 or Beverly at 686-8425 for more information.

Youth Confirmation II—Important Dates to Remember

• March 13th—No Classes

• March 22nd - 23rd—Confirmation 2 Retreat

• April 17th—No Class

• April 24th—Parent & Sponsor Meeting @ 6:45pm

• May 9th—Confirmation Community Service Hours Due

• May 22nd—Confirmation Mass at 6:30 PM

Parents a copy of Baptismal, First Communion, & Sponsor Form should be turned into office no later

than February 13th.

Young Adults

• 3/ 21 Jovenas Adults Shema youth building 7pm.

• 3/28 Tipi Lochi -Theology on Lenten soup call office for more details.

Jovenes Adultos

LifeTeen

Come join us in the Youth Building!!

To reach Youth Director - Thomas Shows ststephensyouth@yahoo.com

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PRIMER DOMINGO DE CUARESMA CICLO “C” 10 DE MARZO 2019

La Cuaresma que comenzamos con el miércoles de ceniza, no la podemos reducir a un tiempo de sacrificio y mortificación. El sacrificio

y la mortificación entendidos en un sentido cristiano ciertamente también quedan incluidos en la Cuaresma; pero la Cuaresma es más

que eso. Además, la Cuaresma es un tiempo en que se medita sobre la lucha dentro de nosotros mismos entre el mal y el bien.

Pero la Cuaresma no se reduce tampoco a eso; sería poco. Hay una dimensión de la Cuaresma que no siempre ha sido suficiente resaltada: la Cuaresma como preparación o como camino. Lo mismo que el Adviento es un camino hacia la Navidad, una preparación para el hecho del Nacimiento de Jesús en nuestro mundo, así también la Cuaresma es un tiempo de preparación, un camino hacia la Pascua. Pocas veces es considerada así la Cuaresma, como un camino hacia el misterio de la Salvación.

La tentación es presentada en tres formas: la primera forma le sugiere que con su poder convierta alguna piedra en pan, para satisfacer su hambre de cuarenta días. Jesús la rechaza y responde con fuerza al tentador diciéndole: La segunda forma de la tentación se refiere al poder, al poder humano: que el Mesías fuese un dominador, y que lograse nuestra salvación por el ejercicio del poder humano, por la dominación: “te daré todos los reinos de la tierra”. Y la tercera tentación fue de orgullo: el Mesías bajando desde lo más alto del templo, como espectáculo soberbio. Jesús reacciona con firmeza en cada caso. El que había nacido en un establo, no iba a tomar ese camino de vanidad.

Ahí quedan resumidas todas las tentaciones que sufrimos también nosotros, y que nos pueden encaminar al mal: está la tentación del placer. Y cuántas personas son arrastradas al pecado por el afán del placer. El placer que buscamos de todas maneras, arriesgando dignidad, salud, esfuerzos, y la vida misma; gran parte de los esfuerzos humanos han sido dedicados a buscar nuevas formas de placer, algunas incluso destructivas. El poder también puede ser una tremenda tentación y a veces más fuerte que el placer: buscamos dominar a otros, ser poderosos contra el prójimo. Cuántas veces del afán desmesurado del poder brotan como de una fuente enfrentamientos discriminaciones, guerras, atentados a la dignidad de los demás. El poder que se busca por muchos caminos, por la riqueza, por la cultura, por el orgullo de raza; y todo esto conduce a los hombres a que se enfrenten, y a que se destruyan. Y por último la tentación de la vanidad y del orgullo: el creerse superiores, el envanecerse por la figura, por los títulos, por el lujo; todo esto que hace que el hombre ponga más atención a las cosas superficiales, que a las esenciales.

En este camino de la Cuaresma hacia la Pascua, este evangelio nos pide que nos liberemos de las ataduras del placer, del poder y de la vanidad, para que podamos caminar libres, acompañando a Jesús que se encamina a nuestra salvación.

Hermana Gertrudis Muñoz Mendieta I.C.A.S.

Avisos: 6 de marzo es Miercoles de Ceniza, y se impondra en las misas ordinarias de 7:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m. y 5:30 p.m.

ADORACIÓN DEL SANTÍSIMO

Personas interesadas en pasar una hora con El Santísimo en Adoración una vez por semana, durante las siguientes horas:

Miércoles: 5:00 AM Jueves: 7:00 AM & 3:00 PM

Sábado: 3:00 AM (sólo 6 semanas)

Si El Señor te esta llamando para pasar una hora con El acompañándolo, comuníquese con Linda Foster (habla Español) al 432-559-8888.

Reflexión Bíblica - Venga, disfrute y aprenda la oración de la Lectio Divina en la que reflexionaremos sobre las próximas escrituras

del domingo. Jueves alas 6:30 pm en el salón 5. para más información llame a la oficina o hable

con el Sr. Octavio Villanueva

Se les invitan a todas las mujeres a un retiro el 16 de marzo en el salón 1 y 2.

Retiro de Mujeres de Fe y Esperanza 8:30 a.m. a 12:00 p.m. Vengan los esperamos!

Para mas informes hablen con Hermana Leonila al numero 432-940-3481

June 21-23, 2019

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Helping Hands of Midland 1301 Brinson Lane

(432) 520-8900

We are very privileged at Helping Hands in that we are not bound by rules that limit how much we can spend on someone in need. We feel rules and limits often provide a graceful way of saying “no” even to legitimate needs. When, after careful scrutiny it is determined the request for help is truly legitimate, Helping Hands does everything possible to say YES. Once the bucket where we put your donations is empty, and only then, do we say NO to a legitimate need, regardless of the cost. Some cases where saying yes can be costly: a man in his mid-40’s suffered three strokes. He was partially paralyzed and had difficulty with speech. We helped him with his rent and utilities for three months. His expenses ended up costing Helping Hands over $3,500, but we were thankful that we were able to pay it – the man did not have to worry about keeping a roof over his head while he learned to live with his handicap and eventually get his disability benefits. Likewise, the middle-aged woman who became afflicted with seizures: unable to work or to drive her car. She went through her entire life savings paying for utilities and medications while she waited for disability benefits. Finally she had no choice but to come to us for help. She told us that doing so was personally the most humiliating thing she had ever experienced – she had never dreamed of being in that situation. We joyfully helped her with utilities and medical bills for the two months it took for her first disability check to arrive. We worked on a case of an elderly woman whose daughter was in a car accident and had been hospitalized for several months. The rent on the daughter’s house had not been paid. The mother’s small social security check did not enable her to help financially, nor did she have room in her one bedroom apartment for the five children. The daughter’s rent was three months overdue, and while the landlord had been very patient, he needed money. Bringing her rent current cost us over $2,800, but we felt the money was well spent. Mom can heal and her children will be secure. We recently restored the electricity to the home of a man whose electricity had been cut off for owing $197. He was 92-years-old and had no one else to help him. Thank God we could! Are we frivolous in spending as much money as we do each week? No! Are we covering everyone with a legitimate need? Not hardly. There are many people out there who we cannot help because of our own monetary limitations. There are others who are either too proud to call us, or who, because of language or cultural limitation do not know how to reach us. We are very grateful to all of you who continue to support Helping Hands with your financial contributions and donations to our thrift store, that allow us to continue to help our neighbors in need in such a grand and glorious way. Thank you very much and PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

www.helpinghandsmidland.com

Because we feel it is important that you know how and where your donations to Helping Hands are spent, here is what was done last week: Electric 3 families $ 972.27 Rent 22 families $ 21,835.70 Medical 1 family $ 3,000.00 Total $ 25,207.97

Upcoming Baptismal Classes: Próximas clases bautismales

April 14th

English : 2:00 - 4:30 Spanish: 2:30 - 5:00

Please Call Office to Register (432) 520–7394. Por favor llame a la oficina parroquial para registrar.

If you are planning on celebrating your fifteenth birthday, starting in April there will be new requirements for a Quinceañera. For more information please come by office.

• Parents & Honoree must be practicing Catholics and registered

members of St. Stephen’s

• Honoree must have completed 2 yrs of Religious Education and

enrolled in confirmation classes

• Attend Youth Group/LifeTeen

• Attend Quinceañera Formation Class

Si planeas celebrar una fiesta de quince años, A partir de abril habrá nuevos requisitos para una quinceañera. Para obtener más información, por favor venga a la oficina.

• La familia debe ser católica y miembros de la parroquia de St. Stephen

• La quinceañera debe haber completado 2 años de educación religiosa y asistir a

clases de confirmación

• Asistir al grupo de jóvenes / LifeTeen

• Asistir a la clase de formación quinceañera.

QUINCEAÑERA FORMATION CLASS For those who have scheduled a Quinceañera celebration at our Parish, the Honoree and one of the parents MUST attend a formation Quinceañera class.

Classes are every 2nd

Saturday of the Month: April 13, 2019: 8:00 AM – 12 NOON in Spanish 1:00 PM – 3 PM in English May 11, 2019: 8:00 AM – 12 NOON 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Please call the Parish office, 520-7394, to pre-register.

CLASES DE FORMACIÓN QUINCEAÑERA

Para aquellos que han programado una celebración de quinceañera en nuestra parroquia, la quinceañera y uno de los padres DEBEN asistir a una clase de formación de quinceañera.

Las clases son cada 2do sábado del mes: 13 de abril de 2019: 8:00 a.m. a 12 del mediodía

en español 1:00 pm - 3 pm en inglés

11 de mayo de 2019: 8:00 a.m.-12 del mediodía. 1:00 pm - 3 pm en inglés Por favor llame a la oficina parroquial, 520-7394, para preinscribirse.