St. Stephen the Martyr
Catholic Church

Weekend Masses 12/05 & 12/06:
**Note the new 8:30 am start time for the first Sunday Mass!

Sign-up for this weekend's Masses:
Sign-up CLICK HERE: 

This weekend, Saint Stephen the Martyr will have Masses Saturday @ 5 pm, Sunday @ 8:30 am, and Sunday @ 11 am. All masses will be indoors.

Saturday Vigil @ 5 pm will be held in the main Church only.
Sunday Masses @ 8:30 am and 11a m will be offered in the main Church, but will also be offered via a video feed downstairs in the Social Hall with Holy Communion served.

We are offering the Sunday video Masses in the Social Hall to accommodate more of you to experience Mass with our parish community and to receive Holy Communion. You choose which to sign up for. Each space has its own occupancy Limit based on Safe Distancing. Downstairs offers a little more space utilizing chairs spaced at least 6' apart in all directions.  

Thank you for your understanding of these unusual circumstances as we work to maximize the number of people we can offer Mass to under the State and Archdiocese guidelines during this pandemic. 

Pre-registration is required. 
Attendance is limited
Wear a Mask
Distance 6' apart
Symptom Self Check HERE


Daily Indoor Mass for Week of 11/30/20 thru 12/05/20
Sign Up Click HERE

Wednesday Mass 12/02/20 will be held in the "Underground Church" (Social Hall). The Main Church will be reserved for children and their families for Class and Mass. Please Pray for our Families. 

M-W, 6:30 pm
Th-Fr- Sat at 8:30 am 
M-11/30, T-12/01, W-12/02 (Underground), Th-12/03, Fr-12/04, SA-12/05

For a live-stream (or recording) of private Mass with Fr Ed  click here 

Live-Stream Mass schedule:
Sunday 8:30 AM
Monday – Wednesday 6:30 PM 
Thursday-Saturday 8:30 AM

You can find the readings for Mass here.
Please pray with our whole parish the weekly  Prayers of the Faithful. 

Online giving is safe, simple, and convenient. It benefits our parish by helping to streamline our administrative process and providing more accurate budgeting. 

Dear Friends,
 
Just when I would want to open the Church more, we have to restrict access due to the COVID response and regulations. Governor Inslee has asked that we STAY HOME, STAY HEALTHY. I add to that, STAY HOLY! This is an opportunity for a Lenten Retreat. Take your Bible, your Rosary, and spend time with Jesus. Scriptural Lectio is perfect nourishment for the soul. Lectio consists of:
 
1) Lectio = read a short passage of Scripture (Gospel of the week)
2) Meditatio = think about what you have read (Who? Where? What? etc.)
3) Oratio = speak to Jesus or another person in the Gospel, and listen
4) Contemplatio = Listen and receive the presence of God
 
Meanwhile, we are working with the Archdiocese to provide some private prayer opportunities in the Church. Otherwise, it is important to develop prayer space in your homes. As the desert fathers say, "Sit in your cell, and your cell will give you peace." Families can find new ways to pray together. Even a decade a day is enough to radically influence a family's prayer life. We should also be blessing our homes and praying for protection from physical and spiritual illness. I close with this Take Authority prayer:
 
In the name of Jesus, I bind and command all the powers and forces of evil to depart right now away from us, our homes, and our lands, and I send you to the foot of the Cross. And we thank you, Lord Jesus, for You are a faithful and compassionate God. Amen. (Whole prayer at: https://goodblessings.org/prayers/prayer-to-take-authority/)
 
If you have any pastoral needs at home, including Anointing of the Sick, please contact our office at 253-631-1940 so that we can assist you. While the office is closed, our Food Bank remains open during regular hours M-W-F. Please see our Website and sign up for Flocknote for updates and livestream opportunities.
 
Peace and Blessings upon you,

Yours in Christ,
 
Fr. Ed