St. Stephen the Martyr is Opening the Grounds
Dear Brothers and Sisters, given that our State Governor's Phase One of “Safe Start” order excludes Churches, we are keeping our Church closed most hours of the week in communion with the Archbishop's directives. We do have the Church OPEN for PRIVATE PRAYER on Sundays from 4:30pm - 7pm and Wednesday from 7:30pm - 9pm. I am also gradually reopening our adoration program one hour at a time. All this is being done with "best practices"; which means physical distance/handwashing/face masks. We ARE able to provide the Sacraments of Anointing, Confession and Holy Communion whenever possible. Call the office at 253-631-1940 ext 100 for information on how to access Sacraments.
Parish Offices are closed for now, but accepting phone calls 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. We are available for you, so don't hesitate to call! Staff are working from home most of the week, but will be checking emails and phone calls left on their office phones. If you have trouble reaching staff call the main office number and Betty will help you to get in touch with that staff person.
We love you, are praying for you and miss you,
Fr Ed
From Archbishop Etienne:
Click here for the Archbishop's most recent letter.
https://www.archbishopetienne.com/our-lady-of-seattle-pray-for-us
In view of the present global spread of the corona virus, I invite you to join us in seeking the intercession of Our Lady of Seattle. In addition to this newly commissioned prayer, we share a new image of Our Lady of Seattle, Undoer of Knots.
Holy Mary, we come before you as spiritual children in great need, seeking your intercession, and asking that your mantle of love surround us to console, protect and lead us to your son Jesus.
We entrust all of God’s family, especially the Church in Western Washington into your Immaculate hands. With your Son Jesus’ gentle power you can undo any knot in our Church, and in the lives of believers who entrust themselves to your care.
Today I especially entrust to you [mention request here/Coronavirus], and I ask that – through your intercession, and that of Saint James, our Guardian Angels, and the faithful in our diocese – we may be free from every spiritual and temporal ill, and be safely led to encounter your Son’s Merciful, Sacred Heart.
Our Lady of Seattle, Undoer of Knots, pray for us!"
Dear Brothers and Sisters, given Governors “Stay Home” order, we are closing the Church until further notice & Archbishops guidance. The Church grounds are open from 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM for private prayer.
Our Governor has issued an order that all in Washington state are prohibited to hold gatherings of any size. In obedience to his authority and trusting that it is in the best interest of saving lives, the church will be closed temporarily. Please note this closure includes the cancellation of adoration and confessions until further notice (Please see The Latest column on the left)
Jesus is still available in all the tabernacles of the world. Please keep your adoration hour at home, uniting your heart to His. Pray for an end to the corona virus, for all who are suffering, and for God's holy will to be done.
Parish Offices are closed for now, but accepting phone calls 9:00 AM 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. We are available for you, so don't hesitate to call! Staff are working from home but will be checking emails. If you need to speak to a staff member, please call the church office and Betty will relay your request to the appropriate staff member to get back in touch with you.
The suspension of public Masses will seriously impact our weekly collection. Like most parishes, 90% of our revenue comes from the generous support of our faith community. This generosity supports the many ministries of the church as well as maintenance of the building and grounds, utilities, insurance, and payroll. Please remember our parish in your prayers and by making your regular donation. During this time when the Church is closed please mail your donation or sign up for electronic giving by clicking here.
Our food bank continues to operate and is offering a limited number specific foods. Remember, our food bank is there for everyone!
If you are able to make a donation of food, please purchase items from the following list: applesauce, canned beans, canned chicken, tuna, salmon, spam and ham, canned vegetables, olive oil and canola oil, crackers, dried herbs and spices, canned or dried fruit, granola bars, instant mashed potatoes, shelf-stable meals in a box, nuts, pasta, peanut butter, rice, shelf-stable and powdered milk, soup, stew and chili, whole grain cereal. Please no junk food, items with glass or cellophane packaging., that can be broken in transit. Nothing that needs can openers or special equipment to open.
Donations can be left at Food Bank during scheduled hours, or wrapped in plastic and left outside by Annex doors. Thank you!
We are now operating an outreach program for those who are in need of assistance during the shelter-in-place order. If you need assistance during this time or if you are interested in helping others with a variety of needs, please call the Church office. Messages will be retrieved.
Here are some online resources to help you stay connected during this unprecedented time in our world:
Catholic Current from USCCB (United States Corporation of Catholic Bishops)
Rosary: Sacred Heart Radio
Stations of the Cross: Busted Halo
Bishop Mueggenborg's Sunday Gospel Reflections:
Sacred Heart Radio (Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday - after the 1pm Rosary) Download Weekly Reflections
Mass Readings and Prayer Resources
Mass from the Vatican: Pope Francis' morning Mass will be broadcast live. You can view it in real time and find English narrations at 7:00am Central Eastern Time on www.vaticannews.va.
At Home With Faith: Click here
From Monday, March 30 through Thursday, April 2, Christopher Carstens will offer a Virtual Parish Mission that uncovers Easter’s powerful mysteries. The host for this parish mission will be Jesse Weiler, Director of the Liturgical Institute in Mundelein, Illinois. We will travel with Christ from Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday and look especially at the Triduum’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday liturgy, and Easter Vigil. In the course of this journey through the highpoint of the Church’s sacred year, we will also consider what divine life in God looks like during the Easter season to Pentecost—and beyond.
To learn more visit https://www.facebook.com/AdoremusSociety/
We have about 2700 families in our parish and we will be reaching out via phone calls to see how you are doing at this difficult time. We also want to make sure we are aware of any needs you may have that we may be able to assist with, and also let them know how they can connect with St. Stephens during this coronavirus situation. Fellow parishioners will be making the calls and will identify themselves as being from St. Stephen the Martyr.