St. Stephen, Deacon & Martyr - St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr

St. Stephen, Deacon & Martyr
We are a Stewardship Parish
Lord Jesus, walk with us in our suffering and transform our lives.
4th Sunday of Lent March 15, 2015
Our Parish Mission
Liturgy Schedule
A Catholic community of faith striving to witness to
the Gospel. Our Baptism and Confirmation calls us
to bring Christ’s Love to our families, our work
places and our community. Grateful for God’s gifts,
we seek to nurture those gifts and to give back to the
Lord by sharing our time, talent and material
treasure. In all of our parish activities we seek to
develop a personal relationship with the Lord who
directs our lives and a vision that sees the world
with the eyes of Christ and that leads to a
commitment to justice. We seek a sense of unity in
Christ that leads us to be an open and welcoming
people and a sense of joy in being graced by the gifts
of God’s Love.
Monday—Saturday: 8am
Mass of Anticipation: 5pm
Sunday: 7am, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am, 6:15pm;
1pm (Polish)
Reconciliation: Saturdays, 8:45-9:30am
St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr Catholic Church
17500 South 84th Avenue, Tinley Park, IL 60487
708-342-2400
www.ststephentinley.com
Twitter @ststephentinley
Our Church
Parish Office
17500 South 84th Avenue
Tinley Park, IL 60487
Office Hours:
8:30am-8:30pm Mon-Th; 8:30am-7pm Fri; 9am-5pm Sat
Office Closed: 12:30-1pm Mon-Fri
Office Phone: 708.342.2400
Office Fax: 708.342.1545
Religious Ed. Phone: 708.342.1544
Website: www.ststephentinley.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @ststephentinley
Our School
Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School
9300 167th Street
Orland Hills, IL 60487
School Phone: 708.403.6525
School Fax: 708.403.8621
Ms. Mary Iannucilli, Principal
Our Staff
Rev. James Finno, Pastor
Rev. Grzegorz Warmuz, Associate Pastor
William Engler, Deacon
Chuck McFarland, Deacon
William Schultz, Deacon
Joseph Stalcup, Deacon
Pete Van Merkestyn, Deacon
Kenneth Zawadzki, Deacon
Karen Opyd, Administrative Assistant to Pastor
Mary Jeanne Pazin, Director of Religious Education
Leslie Krauledis, Assoc. Director of Religious Education
Tammy Burns, Admin. Assistant for Religious Education
Mark Gorka, Music Minister
Karen Dillon and Linda McCauley, Youth Ministers
Dave Prete, Maintenance Director
Parish Registration
Registration of new parishioners is held on the 2nd and 4th
Sundays every month after the 10am Mass. New parishioners
unable to register at Sunday registration, may register at the parish
office on Mondays at 2pm, Tuesdays at 11am, Wednesdays at
8:30am or Thursdays at 6:45pm. Please phone the parish office
at 708.342.2400 to make an appointment.
We warmly welcome new parishioners and cordially invite you
to join us on our life-long journey to the Lord.
Sacraments
Baptisms are celebrated every Sunday at 3pm in English and 1pm
in Polish. Please contact Deacon Ken in the parish office for the
necessary preparations at 708-342-2400 ext. 136,.
Sacrament of Reconciliation is available on Saturdays, from
8:45—9:30am in the church or by appointment.
Funerals can be arranged with the parish office.
Marriages St. Stephen Parish welcomes the celebration of the
weddings of both registered parishioners and the children of
registered parishioners. Information is available from one of the
priests or deacons.
Pastoral Care of the Sick can be arranged for the sick, elderly and
handicapped desiring Communion by calling the parish office.
Stewardship: Time, Talent and Treasure
Collections
For 03-07-2015
Regular
$23,395.60
Kids
$80.25
Sharing
$90.00
CJB
$22.00
Monthly Give Central
Collection
Regular
$10,605.00
Sharing
$72.00
Building Fund
$1.00
Parish Center
$285.00
SVDP
$93.00
Holy Mother
$50.00
Thank you for your continued Stewardship in support of St.
Stephen. Please visit our website to find other opportunities
for generosity through planned giving by remembering St.
Stephen in your will or living trust.
In addition to printing the collection, we are printing the
Sunday and Holy Day collections from the previous
month and for the fiscal year to date as well as budgeted
amount needed for us to meet both our expenses and
mortgage payments. Mortgage payments are $41,500 per
month (interest and principal).
The Archdiocese loaned us the money to start our parish and
build our facilities on the basis of a commitment to
Stewardship by the parish. We thank everyone whose
support enables us to do the work of our parish.
Last Month
Year-to-Date
February
July 1 -February 28
Actual
$ 111,880
$ 983,188
Budget
$145,000
$969,100
Bulletin Submission
Deadline for Bulletin articles are to be in the parish office noon
on Friday for the following week’s bulletin.
E-mail: [email protected]
From Our Pastor
Dear People of St. Stephen,
St. Paul, in the second reading
today, teaches us about our God
“who is rich in mercy,” the God
who has such great love for us and
brings us life in Christ. Today’s
gospel teaches us that “God so
loved the world that He gave His
only Son, so that everyone who
believes in Him might not perish
but might have eternal life.” Our
theme for the 4th Sunday of Lent
is “The Lord is rich in mercy.”
Cardinal Walter Kasper, a
German theologian and church
leader, calls mercy “the essence of
the Gospel and the key to
Christian life.” Mercy is the gift
of God’s love and compassion, a
gift that invites us to respond in
faith. In the Old Testament, in
both the story of Abraham and the
story of Moses and the Exodus,
God reveals himself as a God who
calls forth His people and leads
them to new life. In the first
reading in this weekend’s Mass,
God uses the pagan king Cyrus as
His instrument in leading the
people of Israel back from exile to
a renewed life in Jerusalem.
God’s mercy and compassion are
most fully revealed in Jesus who
enters into our human suffering
and who, by His Cross and
Resurrection, leads us to new life.
The renewal called forth from us
during the Lenten season is
founded on the Lord’s gift of His
merciful love and His call to
respond to that love. Like every
gift of love, the mercy of God
calls forth a response from us. Our
merciful God calls us to live with
justice, to live in the way that
reflects the relationships that God
desires among His people. The
Lenten call
to
conversion
demands that we take seriously
the Lord’s call to live His way of
love. Yet, in spite of our struggles
and failures to live the Lord’s
love, the merciful Lord never
gives up on us, continually
inviting us to accept the give of
love and forgiveness that the risen
Christ offers. God’s merciful love
is a gift – a gift God never tires of
offering to us but a gift that
demands a response that expresses
our commitment to live in the
spirit of the Lord’s love.
gift of the Lord is always present
to us, but needs to be opened in
our hearts. There it can transform
us. One way the Lord offers this
gift is through the sacrament of
reconciliation. I invite you to
receive the sacrament during
Lent; our parish communal
celebration of the sacrament will
be a week from Tuesday, March
24, at 7:30 PM. As the Scriptures
tell us, the Lord is rich in mercy, a
merciful love meant to give life to
each of us and to give us a sense
of our mission as Christians and
as a church to bring the Lord’s
merciful love to our world.
I invite you to open your hearts to
the gift of God’s merciful love
this Lent. It is the gift of the
compassionate God who offers us
His strength on our life’s journey.
It is a gift from the Lord walks
with us in our sufferings. It is the
gift of a God who never tires of
offering His love to us. What does
this gift offer us? First, we are
blessed with the gift of being
loved and valued, not because of
our achievements or success, but
simply being loved as the perfect
parent loves a child. The Lord’s
love reaches out to us especially
in our weakness, when we most
need it. God’s merciful love also
offers us a vision of others, who
are also children of the merciful
Lord. God’s love reminds us of
the dignity of every person. This
Fr. Jay
May God bless you and your
loved ones.
Spiritual Life
MATTHEW KELLY
Living every day with PASSION
AND PURPOSE
Are you thriving or just surviving?
Are you ready for more energy? A
deeper sense of purpose? More joy?
A clearer understanding of God’s
plan for your life? Join us for one of
our Passion and Purpose Live
events. It’s not your typical church
event! It has been a life-changing event for tens of
thousands of people. Living Every Day with Passion and
Purpose Live is presented by internationally acclaimed
speaker and author Matthew Kelly and the incredibly
talented musician Eliot Morris.
Matthew Kelly’s presentation will be at St. Stephen
Church on Saturday, May 2, 2015, at 7pm. Tickets are
$39. Make checks payable to “Dynamic Catholic.” All
proceeds go to support the work of Dynamic Catholic
The Ticket price includes:

A Hard copy of The Four Signs of a Dynamic
Catholic (retail value $27.95)

A CD copy of The Seven Pillars of Catholic
Spirituality (retail value $10)

Inspirational Journal (retail Value $5.95)

Dynamic Catholic pen (retail value $1.95)

Mass Journal (retail Value $10)
The parish has no expense other than providing the site
for the presentation. Dynamic Catholic designs
promotional materials & covers all travel expenses.
Tickets are available at the parish office, in the Narthex
or
from
Dynamic
Catholic
on
line
at
www.DynamicCatholic.com or by phone 859-980-7900.
St. Stephen is having Lenten small group faith sharing!
Want to have a good Lent this year?
Come and follow a simple format for faith sharing
during the time your child/children attend religious
education. This is open to all members of the parish;
you do not have to have children enrolled in religious
education in order to be part of the small group faith
sharing. All parish adults are invited! Also, if you
would like to facilitate a group at one of these times,
please contact the parish office at 708-342-2400.
Monday, March 23
Tuesday, March 24
Wednesday, March 25
4:30-5:30pm and 6:15-7:15pm
These groups will meet in church for one hour. Chairs
will be set up on the west side of the church in the St.
Jude area. A format with readings and prayers will be
provided for all participants and it is FREE, no charge
for materials!
Scripture Study
Please join us as we study and explore Scripture. On
March 20 we will begin a wonderful journey through
the Gospel of John. We meet on Friday mornings in Room 126
from 8:45 AM until 10 AM. If you have been considering
joining Scripture Study, this will be a very good time to
do so as we are beginning a new book, and a Gospel at
that. We are a very welcoming group, we learn from each
other and from our facilitator, and have meaningful,
interesting and at times fun discussions. This class is for
you whether you are new to Scripture or not. There is no
cost and you may bring whatever Bible you have. If you
would like more information please contact, Tom Mitus
at 708-479-6980, or e-mail: [email protected].
Traditional Washing of the Feet
On Holy Thursday, April 2, 2015, at the 7:30pm Mass,
we will be having the traditional Washing of the Feet as
part of our Service. We invite both adults and
children to participate. There is a sign-up sheet
on the usher’s table in the back of the Church.
Blessing of Easter Baskets
On Holy Saturday, April 4, 2015, St. Stephen’s will
again have their traditional blessing of the Easter
Baskets. There will be two services at 11am and 12
noon. Both services will be bi-lingual .
Spiritual Life
Lenten Calendar 2015
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
God is rich in mercy.
Thank you, Lord for the gift of faith and your offer of eternal life. You continue to love me in spite of my
transgressions and continue to save me by your immeasurable grace.
March 20
Week 4
March 15
Reflection
For the Day
To err is
human, to
forgive is
divine.
Suggested
Activity
March 16
March 17
March 18
March 19
March 21
As God is
If St. Patrick had
The Kingdom
Stewardship is
Do we ask for
merciful to us, not done very
St. Joseph did not
of God was not
more than a word.
God's mercy, or do
let us be
hard work, would
question God's will.
created for
It is an obligation
we expect His
merciful to we be celebrating
Why do we?
those of little
of all Catholics
mercy?
others.
him today?
faith.
Reconcile
Give a donation to St. Joseph's Day
Bring a meal to St. Patrick's
with someone
an organization
Pray to him for
someone who Day Patron of
who has hurt
that helps our departed souls and
has been ill.
Ireland
you.
servicemen.
special needs.
Pray to your
guardian angel.
Pray for those
who are
attending
Kingdom
Weekend.
Lenten Regulations
Lenten Recipe
Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics 14
years old and older on Ash Wednesday and on all the
Fridays of Lent. Fasting is to be observed on Ash
Wednesday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not
yet 59. Those who are bound by this may take only one full
meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to
maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid
foods between meals is not permitted. The special Paschal
fast, as well as abstinence, are prescribed for Good Friday
and encouraged for Holy Saturday.
French Potato Pie
1 9’ baked pie crust
2 cups cottage cheese
½ cup sour cream
1/3 cup each Parmesan cheese and chopped chives
1 cup mashed potatoes
¼ cup cream cheese
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Lenten Intention Cross
We invite you to write the suffering that
you or others are bearing on a paper Cross
available in the narthex - the suffering that
each of us wants to pray for during Lent.
Please place the cross in the basket marked
"“Intentions". The crosses will be brought to the altar
and placed on one of the crosses in the sanctuary to
remind us that we are not alone in our suffering and
are joined with the Lord who suffered for us.
Heat oven to 350°
Beat all ingredients well and pour into cooked pie crust. Place
on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a little more Parmesan cheese
and bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
Guide to Catholic Prayer
A guide to Catholic Prayer 8-part study will be presented
by Fr. Mark Toups at St. George Parish Life Center
beginning on Sunday March 15 thru May 17 from 12:45
to 2:15 pm. For a cost of $15. For more information,
please contact Janelle Krzmarzick at 708-532-8234 or
jkrzmarzick @ stgeorge.org. There will be No meeting on
Easter Sunday or Mother’s Day.
Spiritual Life
The Gift of the Kingdom
Kingdom Retreat 2015
The Kingdom Weekend is a spiritually uplifting gift you
give to yourself. This is a special time when you get to
leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life and renew,
recharge and strengthen your relationship with our Lord.
People just like you will share their faith journeys with
the group in an intimate setting. During the weekend
you will enjoy fellowship, personal reflection time,
prayer services, faith sharing and Mass. There is no
pressure on any of the participants to speak. You can
share as little or as much as you want during the
weekend. Many past participants have come out of the
weekend saying that it was life-changing for them.
Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22
One of our current team members, Joe Hoffman says,
“Need a change? Twenty years ago, my wife Joan came
back from a Kingdom Weekend beaming from ear to ear.
Curiosity got to me! The following year, I attended the
Kingdom Weekend and my life has never been the same
since. Do you need a change of some kind? Join us on
Saturday, March 21 & Sunday, March 22 and experience
your change. Looking forward to seeing you in the
Kingdom!
My personal story is that I kept putting off going to
Kingdom each year because I thought I was always too
busy to give up an entire weekend. And was I ever
wrong! In 2012, at the last minute, I decided it was time
to attend. And that was one of the best decisions of my
life. I actually think it was the Holy Spirit who nudged
me to make the decision. I was definitely spiritually
renewed, exhilarated and reawakened to Christ in my
life. Another benefit was the wonderful people I met
who are dear friends to this day. I want to personally
invite each of you to make this the year you experience
that “Kingdom Spirit.” (Barbara Black- Kingdom
Weekend Lay Leader )
The Kingdom Retreat is a great way for the adults of our
community to renew and strengthen their relationship with
God. It also allows you to reflect on your life priorities.
You can get to know some fellow St. Stephen members.
This retreat gives you time to pray, worship and
participate in group activities. The registration fee is $10.
There is no set cost for the retreat, but a free-will donation
will be asked at the end of the retreat. There are sign up
forms in the narthex and in the parish office. Please
return the sign up form to the parish office and mark your
envelope “Kingdom Retreat”.
Over the years the
Kingdom Retreat has been a renewing weekend for many
parishioners of all ages. It is a special time to reflect, pray
and spend time with the Lord. If you have any questions
about the Kingdom retreat, please call Fr. Jay or Karen
Opyd in the parish office.

You arrive at 7:45am on Saturday; the retreat ends
mid-afternoon on Sunday.

This is not an overnight retreat.

Everyone goes home Saturday evening and returns on
Sunday morning at 7:30am.

Mass is celebrated on Sunday at 1pm with a family
dinner following.
Kingdom Support Help Needed
2015 Kingdom is quickly approaching and we are in need
of a few good hands to help with the support! If you
have attended a kingdom retreat, this is a perfect "giveback/stewardship" opportunity with very little
effort. There is need for 5 or so helpers per time
slot. Please let the office know if you wish to help with
support and which time/day. Time slots for helping:
Saturday, March 21
 7:00am to 10:00am
 Noon to 4:00 pm
 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Sunday, March 22
 7:00 am to 11:00 am
 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Praise Band
The Praise Band will lead the music at the 11:30 Mass next
Sunday, March 22.
If you are looking for something "extra" to do during
Lent -- we can use your help! Please reply favorably with
a time slot! You may call the office with your
requested volunteer time, contact number and email
address.
Parish Life
St. Joseph Dinner
JOIN THE TEAM OF USHERS
We wish to thank the following
ministries, businesses and families for their sponsorship
of our St. Joseph Dinner event.
The mission of the ushers of St. Stephen
Parish is that of hospitality. Our service
is to make parishioners and guests feel
welcome and comfortable as we gather
for our Eucharistic celebration. Our
ushers are able to see the presence of
Christ in each person as they arrive. Ushers serve the
congregation by assisting during the celebration of the
Eucharist on weekends and holydays. They greet people
upon arrival at the church and see that they are
comfortably seated and tend to any special needs. The
ushers collect the offering, assure the orderly movement
of worshipers during Communion and distribute the
bulletins at the end of the Liturgy. The ministry is open
to all parishioners, men, women, senior citizens, parents
and teenagers. We have a special need at all masses,
especially 11:30am and 6:15pm on Sundays. Ushers can
serve every other weekend or on an alternate basis.
Ministry Sponsors: Knights of Columbus, Men's Club,
PADS Ministry, St. Vincent de Paul, Religious
Education, Cardinal Bernardin School, Respect Life
Ministry and Teens Growing in Faith.
Business Sponsors: Sheehy Funeral Home, Thomas
Sonneveld DDS, State Farm Patrick Murphy, McCauley
Mechanical Construction, Carol's Travel, Lawn Funeral
Home, Insight Family Vision Care, Orland Park Bank,
McLean Video Productions, Village of Tinley Park,
Heartland Funeral Home, Ted's Greenhouse, Brady Gill
Funeral Home, Bettenhausen Dodge Jeep, Trace
Ambulance, Animal Wellness Center of Monee,
Norman's Cleaners, J O'Brien & E Darling DDS, Rizza
Buick Cadillac and Estate Planning Consultants.
Family Sponsors:
The Allbee Family
Fr. Jay Finno
Laura Barajas
Jane Flanagan
Barbara Black
Ray & Mary Garbaciak
John & Susan Bogumil
James & Roberta Grady
The Bugos Family
Keith & Sharon Grill
Bill & Kathy Burke
The Hughes Family
The Camacho Family
John & Ann Lachat
Ronald Centanni
Dick & Elaine Lindenmeyer
Jean Coughlin
Mark & Chris Losey
The Cullina Family
Scott & Lynlee Marhanka
John Czerniak & Nancy Sprinkles Ron & Debbie Markham
Deacon Chuck & Terese
Ron & Sharon Danko
McFarland
Dave & Eugenie Darling
Paul & Beth Mikula
Loren & Jackie Davidson
The Rafferty Family
John & Karen Dillon
Rick & Susan Trump
Sunday Babysitting At 10am Mass
PARENTS: Due to Kingdom Weekend, there will be NO
10am Mass babysitting on March 22nd. 7th Grade
Confirmation Candidates: Complete some of your hours
early! Signups are now open for Fall dates, starting in
September.
Please
email
Pat
Mullin
at
[email protected] with your availability and a
confirming email will be sent.
If you would like to join our team or have any questions,
please contact Rich Frain at 708-532-1696
Ladies Social Club
Save the date of March 19, 2015, at 10am, in Rooms
125/126. Ladies come join us for a pleasant hour of
coffee and fellowship. Maybe meet a new friend and
bring an old friend or two. We will also have blood
pressure screenings during this time. Due to February’s
cancellation, we will have man’s best friend come and
visit us. See the difference between service dogs and
therapy dogs. Please consider joining us.
Attention All Mass Greeters
The Greeter’s schedule for April, May and June will be
available on the first week of April in the magazine racks
on the west wall of the narthex. For current greeters, if
you want to make changes to your schedule please let me
know by March 23rd. If you are no longer able to be a
greeter please let me know. Finally, we always welcome
new members to the Greeter’s Ministry; the only
requirement is a great smile and welcoming attitude!
Please phone me for complete details.
Deacon Joe, 708-342-2400
Parish Life
Stewardship
Parish Center Metal Re-Cycling
“To Teach Who Christ Is” Report
The weekend of March 21 & 22 will be our monthly
recycling drive. Our winter hours March 21 from 4:30pm to
6:15pm and Sunday March 22nd from 9am to 12:30pm. Our
drives are on the third weekend of each month. Please place
empty metal cans into sealed plastic garbage bags. The
donations can be dropped off by the truck or van located by
the garages in the back of the parking lot. An attendant will
be available to assist you. Thank you for your generous
recycling donations. To date we have collected over $5,710
toward the down payment on the parish center. If your
having a party, family gatherings house cleaning, moving or
remodeling or just getting rid of things you no longer use,
please bring them to our collection. If you have items that
are too large to bring (i.e. washing machines, dryers, stoves,
etc.), please contact: Andy Deluca (708-606-3755) or Bill
Beavan at (708-403-2073) to arrange for pickup.
Progress
on
the
Archdiocesan
“To Teach Who Christ Is” drive as of
February 28, 2015 is as follows:
Parish Center Paper Re-Cycling
We were just notified by the Paper Company who
handles our re-cycling that they will no longer be giving
us a rebate for the paper collected at our parish. This
monthly rebate was going to our Teen Program.
We will no longer be collecting papers here at St.
Stephen. Please re-cycle your papers at home so that it
benefits your community.
Thank you
for all your years of bringing paper to the
re-cycle bins on behalf of the Teens at St. Stephen!
Marriage
BANNS III:
James O’Connor & Aimee Shalvis
Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass
The Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass will be held on
Sunday, August 30 at 2:45 pm at Holy Name Cathedral,
735 North State Street in Chicago. Couples married in
1965 interested in attending this celebration should
contact their parish to register.
Please call Karen in the parish office if you wish to
attend.
Amount Pledged:
Amount Collected:
$ 795,371
$ 530,341
60% of the funds from the parish remain in the parish and
are designated toward saving for a parish center. 40% of
the funds go toward the educational mission of the
Archdiocese, with the main focus on a scholarship fund
for Catholic schools in poorer areas.
Additional donations for the Parish Center: $ 73,918
Second Collection for Central and Eastern Europe
Archbishop Cupich sent us a letter reminding us of the
needs of our brothers and sisters in Central and Eastern
Europe. A second collection for the people of Central
and Eastern Europe is being taken the weekend of March
14/15 in the Archdiocese of Chicago. As a parish we
will no longer have an actual second collection for this
need, but as a parish we will send a contribution based
on the previous years’ contributions. So we ask you to
increase your regular donations which become part of
our parish’s donation to Central and Eastern Europe and
other eliminated second contributions.
Human Concerns
Respect Life Ministry
“You are called to stand up for life!” -Pope John Paul II
St. Stephen’s Respect Life Ministry gathers for prayer and
planning on the 3rd Thursday each month in room 125 of
the parish office. The Respect Life Ministry focus is upon
dignity of life issues. Our goal is to make concerns known,
educate our faith community on the particulars, and provide
support and assistance for Catholic life concerns through
prayer and action. If you have any questions please contact
Deacon Bill Schultz at the parish office.
Human Concerns
Spiritual Adoption Program
COUNSELOR AVAILABLE
Month Two—Developing Baby
Michele L. Nowak, LCPC, is available to provide
counseling to individuals and couples right here at St.
Stephen parish! Michele is an experienced professional
counselor who has worked with all age groups and
issues. She is a staff member of The Holbrook
Counseling Center of Catholic Charities. Blue Cross /
Blue Shield accepted. Those without insurance are
eligible for sliding scale fees based on income &
number of dependents. Appointments can be made by
calling (312) 655-7725. The first session is free for all
who are members of St. Stephen.
Your Baby is making progress developing all of his/hers
external features and internal organs. His./her brain is
functioning at 40 days. His/her mother can hear his/her
heartbeat now on an Ultrasonic stethoscope. Milk-teeth
buds are present at 6 1/2 weeks. And it has been reported
that a two month old baby can suck his/her thumb. From
this moment, your spiritually adopted baby grows and
redefines his/her body. But everything he/she needs to
survive once he/she is born is already present by the end of
the eight week.
Donating to St. Vincent de Paul has become
easier through our new ONLINE GIVING.
Go to www.ststephentinley.com and click on
the ONLINE GIVING logo to the left of the
screen to register and make your donation.
Thank you from our St. Vincent de Paul
Society.
Confidentiality and Compassion
are cornerstones of our SVdP ministry.
Annual Friends of the Poor Benefit.
Raffle and event tickets are on sale for the Society of St.
Vincent de Paul Chicago’s 7th Annual Friends of the Poor®
Benefit. The benefit will be held at Drury Lane in Oakbrook
Terrace on Sunday, April 19. This year’s lucky raffle winner
will drive off in a brand new 2015 Chrysler 200 Limited
Sedan! Net proceeds from the raffle and event will be
distributed evenly among our SVdP Districts in Cook and
Lake counties to grow our impact on those who come to us
for help. But first, we desperately need your help in order
for us to meet our fundraising goal of $100,000. Please
consider buying at least one raffle ticket for $25. You can
purchase raffle and event tickets right now at
svdpbenefit.org.
Youth Education
& Formation
CJB Spring Gala Fundraiser
Come join the party and support your regionally
sponsored parish school! Enjoy dinner, dancing,
cocktails, basket raffles, auctions & more! CJB Spring
2015 Gala Fundraiser at the Tinley Park Convention
Center on Saturday March 21 from 7pm – Midnight.
For details contact Jennifer Kibbon at 708-465-7526 or
[email protected] or Jenny Czerwonka at
708-224-6822 or [email protected].
Also, be sure to visit our event website
www.cjbspringevent.org.
Military Corner
Please pray for our Military men and women on a daily basis for their safe return.
Capt. Anthony J. Cesaro
Capt. Michael Gryczka
Ssgt. Carl Langley
Major Vincent Cesaro
Sgt. Joseph Malone
PFC Matthew O'Boyle
1st Lt. Michael Chimienti
Capt. Christopher Mazurek
Tsgt. Stephen Vlaming
Lt. Amanda Griffith
Sgt. Dominic Messina
LCDR Marilyn Walsh
Cpl. Evan Grober
Tsgt. Laura Langley
Major Thomas Walsh
Youth Education & Formation
Teens Growing In Faith (TGIF)
Youth Education and Formation
If you are interested in more information about the
Youth Ministry, please contact Karen Dillon
at: 708-342-2400, ext. 149 or
at [email protected].
LOTS OF SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES!

Easter Egg Stuffing...Friday, March 20th @ 6:308:00pm in the church office. Please bring a bag or two
of candy that will fit in plastic eggs.

Church Easter Egg Hunt and Visit with the Easter
Bunny - Saturday, March 28 @ 11:30am-2:30pm.
World’s Finest Chocolate Candy Sale to Benefit
Mission Trip
The weekends of March 14/15 and March 20/21 we will
be in the Narthex selling World’s Finest Chocolates
with proceeds going to our Mission
Trip. Cost is either $2 or $4 for various
chocolate bars and boxes of mints,
caramels, chocolate almonds, and pastel
Imperial almonds. Your support is
appreciated!
Teens & Young Adults (Age 13-21) Wanted
Attend Mission Trip 2015 To Harlan, Kentucky
7/5/15 — 7/11/15
We will be working to improve life in a small area of the
Appalachian Mountains by renovating homes, new construction, landscaping, and more. Evenings are spent with
our group. Interested people should contact Karen Dillon,
Youth Minister as soon as possible as spaces are limited
to 25.
Parish Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by our Teens
Donations of small candy needed for parish Easter egg
hunt. Candy must fit into plastic eggs (Smarties don't
fit). No peanut products please due to
allergies. We will also take plastic eggs, but
we are in greater need of candy donations.
Please turn donations in to parish office by
3/20/15. Thank you for your help!
Parish Trip to Feed My Starving Children
If you want to do a rewarding project yourself or with
your family or group, FMSC is always looking for
volunteers. You can just go to their website
www.fmsc.org to sign up. We all came back with a
greater appreciation for how blessed we are to live in this
country and have plenty of food. I think that the kids
attending finally understand the true meaning of the
phrase “I’m starving”.
Polish Ministry
Informacje Dotyczące Duszpasterstwa w Parafii Sw. Śzczepana
W ciago calego roku Msza Św. w niedziele w języku polskim jest o godz. 1PM
-Pierwszy piątek miesiąca: Spowiedz of 7-8pm Msza o 8pm
-Pierwsza sobota miesiąca: od godz. 7pm-9:30pm
-Spowiedz w kazdą sobote of godz. 8:45-9:30am
-Po bliższe imformajce proszę dzwonić do biura parafialnego pod numer 1(708) 342- 2400 wew 137
Jak to jest?
„Łaską bowiem jesteście zbawieni przez wiarę.” Czy do naszej świadomości dociera głęboki sens tego zdania? Co zrobić,
by je właściwie zrozumieć? Wystarczy zastanowić się nad słowami Jezusa, zgłębić treści Jego nauczania. Jego droga
przez 33-letnie życie, droga nauki, wiary, miłości i nadziei, przerodziła się w drogę szykan, złości, pogardy i złorzeczenia
przez tych, którym ta nauka nie odpowiadała. Cóż by się stało, gdyby się nie spełniło to, co było zapowiadane od
wieków?
A jednak stało się i było naprawdę. Zapowiadane od wieków Zbawienie zeszło do nas i z nami zostało, bo tak nas Bóg
umiłował. W dzisiejszych czytaniach pojawia się bardzo ważne, a jednocześnie tak trudne dla nas słowo:
MIŁOSIERDZIE. Kryje się w każdym tekście dzisiejszej Liturgii Słowa, czy to w słowach skierowanych do żyjących w
czasach grubo przed Chrystusem, czy do żyjących w czasach Chrystusa, czy wreszcie do nas, słuchających tego Słowa.
Miłosierdzie – Caritas, czyli czyn, którego nierzadko się wstydzimy, obojętnie, czy dając, czy otrzymując. Dlaczego? Bo
dając musimy skierować wzrok na tego, którego nie chcielibyśmy widzieć i zauważać, zaś otrzymując, nie mamy
pomysłu na rewanż i czujemy się upokorzeni. Ale w tym wypadku nie powinniśmy mieć takich odczuć, bo przecież jakże
można się wstydzić Tego, który jest samym Miłosierdziem? Sam Bóg niejednokrotnie nazywa się Miłosierdziem. Widząc
co czynią mieszkańcy Judy, „Pan, Bóg ich ojców, bez wytchnienia wysyłał do nich swoich posłańców, albowiem litował
się nad swym ludem i nad swym mieszkaniem.” (2 Krn 36, 15), a tym samym dawał im Nadzieję i okazywał Miłosierdzie.
Aby zrozumieć i przyjąć dary dawane nam przez Boga, powinniśmy pamiętać, Komu to zawdzięczamy. Kto dla nas
poświęcił się, dając Samego Siebie, abyśmy mogli cieszyć się ze swego życia, nie tylko tego dzisiejszego w poczekalni
ziemskiej, lecz również z życia przyszłego – wiecznego: „Łaską bowiem jesteście zbawieni przez wiarę. A to pochodzi
nie od was, lecz jest darem Boga.” (Ef 2, 8). Ten dar Boży ciągle jest dla nas dostępny, ciągle jest nam oferowany, my
tylko musimy przyjąć go i w nim podążać drogą wskazaną przez Pana.
Pamiętajmy, że Bóg nam wskazuje drogę i prawdę, tę jedyną prawdę, a „kto spełnia wymagania prawdy, zbliża się do
światła, aby się okazało, że jego uczynki są dokonane w Bogu” (J 3, 21). Chciałbym móc powiedzieć, że spełniam
wymagania prawdy, ale kto z nas może to powiedzieć? Natomiast każdy z nas może uznać to za cel, do którego będzie
nieustannie dążył.
Panie, pomóż nam dostrzec Twoje Miłosierdzie i pomóż nam okazywać innym nasze miłosierdzie, abyśmy z łaską Ducha
Świętego umieli zrozumieć, jak mamy kroczyć drogą Chrystusa.
Youth Education & Formation
“Souper Bowl” for the Hungry
Thank you to all parishioners and religious
education students & families that donated
towards the Teen Group’s “Souper Bowl”
for the Hungry. With your help, we
collected $2,472.01 which was donated to the St.
Stephen PADS fund which gives meals and shelter to
the homeless. We also collected over 1,000 cans of
soup which were donated to the Tinley Park Food
Pantry and the St. Lawrence O’Toole Food Pantry.
Easter Egg Hunt &
Visit With The Easter Bunny
St. Stephen Teen Group Presents: Easter
Egg Hunt & Visit With The Easter Bunny on
Saturday, March 28th. Weather permitting,
the eggs will be located on the west lawn of the church
with the Egg Hunt starting at 1pm sharp. In case of
inclement weather, the eggs will be in the Religious
Education hallways. The Easter Bunny will be available
immediately after the Hunt for visits and pictures until
2:15pm. Be sure to bring your own camera.
Parish Calendar
Sun 03-15
Mon 03-16
Tues 03-17
Wed 03-18
Thurs 03-19
Fri 03-20
Sat 03-21
Sun 03-22
Baby Nursing #153 | Narthex...Matt Kelly Tickets
Narthex...TGIF Candy Sale | 8:30 AM St. Patrick's Day Mass Church
10:00 AM 7th Grade Mass Church | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Babysitting #158
10:00 AM Growing with God #162/163/164/165/166/167 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM RCIA #125
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Lamentations (Polish) Church | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Baptism| 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Living Stations Practice
RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | RE Confession 4:15pm and 6pm Church
10:00 AM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession | 6:45 PM - 7:45 PM 1st Comm. Prep Day Daily Chapel, #153-156
7 PM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession
RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | RE Confession 4:15pm and 6pm Church
8:45 AM Stations of the Cross (English) Daily Chapel | 10:00 AM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession
7 PM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession
RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | RE Confession 4:15pm and 6pm Church
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Moms & Tots #158 | 10:00 AM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession
7 PM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM Adoration of Blessed Sac Daily Chapel with Rosary @ 8:30am
10:00 AM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM St. Stephen Women's Social Club #125/126 | 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Children's Choir Church
6:00 PM Bereavement #126 | 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM Benediction Daily Chapel followed by Divine Mercy Prayers
7:00 PM Bread of Life #126 | 7:00 PM Mass (English) Daily Chapel
7:00 PM Respect Life #154 | 7 PM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession| 7:30 PM Rosary Daily Chapel
Kingdom Setup Education Wing | 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM Scripture Study #126
10:00 AM Polish Mission Church followed by Confession | 6:00 PM Stations of the Cross (Polish) Outside
6:30 PM Stations of the Cross (English) Church | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM TGIF Easter Eggs #125/126 | 7:30 PM Polish Mission
Kingdom Weekend Education Wing: Arrive at 7:45am | Narthex...TGIF Candy Sale
8:30 AM Bldg the Kingdom Scripture Reflection cannot meet this weekend | 8:45 AM Bread of Life Daily Chapel
4:30 PM - 6:15 PM Can Do Metal Collection Parking Lot
Kingdom Weekend Education Wing: Arrive at 7:30am | Narthex...TGIF Candy Sale | 11:00 AM Parish Reg #125
NO Babysitting this Sunday - Kingdom Retreat | 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM Can Collection Parking Lot
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM RCIA #125 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Lamentations (Polish) Church
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Baptism | 4:00 PM Living Stations Practice Church, Sacristy, 125/126
Minister’s Schedule
Date
3/22
Ministry
Lector
Sat 05:00 PM
Sun 07:00 AM
Klein,Bill
Dressel,Allan
Brancato,Lisa
Beaudin,Greg
Dressel,Judy
Eucharistic Grady,Jim
Grady,Roberta
Belling,Robert
Ministers
Czerwinski,John
Lucas,June
Czerwinski,Joanne
Reidy,Elizabeth
Vallejo,Ruben
Rice,Connie
Vallejo,Judi
Rice,Edward
Genardo,Patricia
Erzinger,Ruth
Franckowiak,Pam
Connolly,Bill
Witry,Bernard
Bibzak,Ray
Bibzak,Joyce
Smith,Patrick
Keating,Patrick
Gatto, Mike
Altar
Wilmot,Keri
Servers
Lewandowski,Jackson
Fr Jay
Fr Jay
Celebrant
Dcn Joe
Dcn Joe
Deacons
Julie Compton
Greeters
Bill Compton
Dave Newquist
Shirley Newquist
Sun 08:30 AM
Page,Bob
Yore,Dianna
Miguel,Ihidia
Brouch,John
Biedron,Janet
Biedron,Greg
Gorcowski,Kimberly
Deanching,Minerva
Farley,Bill
Farley,Kay
Dometita,Levie
Hill,Rosemary
Hildebrandt,Walter
Crane,Sally
Barth,Charlie
Griffith,Maddie
Masiliunas,John
Fr Greg
Dcn Bill E.
Barb Ridge
Bob Ridge
Jeanne Upreti
Mary Berger
Sun 10:00 AM
Sun 11:30 AM
Bugos,Kevin
Goeppner,Mike
Tangney-Dillon,Lisa Pursel,Jack
Piatchek,Kay
Kolloway,Rita
Piatchek,Rich
Romano,Rose
Feyerer,Barbara
Bialas,Mary
Feyerer,Edward
Rutkowski,Kathy
Dobersztyn,Joe
Barnes,Geraldine
Mikula,Beth
Brady,Bette
Rowe,Lawrence
Brady,William
Trump,Rick
Robison,Anne
Orawiec,Claire
Lachat,John
Brennan,Joyce
Hughes,James
Wernet,Guy
Mangan,Melissa
Richerme,Dolores Lachat,Ann
Bugos,Kevin
Estrada,Alexander
LaPapa,Michael
Estrada,Yoel
Augustyniak,Peter Papa,Natalie
Fr Tim Guthridge Fr Tim Guthridge
Dcn Bill S.
Dcn Bill S.
Anna Williams
Carol DeJoris
Adam Shaal
Joan Beck
Erin Shaal
B.J. Witry
Nancy Darche
Charlene Mueller
Sun 1:00 PM
Polish
Sierakowski,T.
Kita,Barbara
Boblak,Andrej
Kwiatkowski,S.
Sun 3-15
Team #1
Sun 3-22
Team #2
Mass Intentions
3/15
7:00am
8:30am
10:00am
11:30am
1:00pm
6:15pm
3/16
8:00am
3/17
8:00am
3/18
8:00am
3/19
8:00am
7:00pm
3/20
8:00am
3/21
8:00am
5:00pm
3/22
7:00am
8:30am
10:00am
11:30am
1:00pm
6:15pm
Sunday
For the People
Lottie Fornek
Robert J. McClellan
Lorraine Pudelek
Sharon O'Malley
Colleen Barkauskas
req.by
req.by
req.by
req.by
req.by
Willaim Rafferty
req.by
Patricia Pignatiello
req.by
Za Dusze W. Czyscu Cierpiace
Peter Bialecki
req.by
Gus Murlasits
req.by
Olympia Nuevaorlanda
req.by
Monday
Purgatorial Society
Margaret& James Tobin
req.by
Tuesday
Ed Walsh
req.by
Joseph Witkowski
req.by
Wednesday
Julia Wegner
req.by
Thanksgiving for the Sumera Family
Thursday
Salvatore Lamargo
req.by
Peter Kiec & Joseph Gembala req.by
Pray for Our Sick
Albert Agresti
Kristen Baldyga
Noreen Galvin
Julie Barth
The Healy Family
Arlene Beavan
The Family
Sue Bogumel
The Family
Augustina Braccolino
Karen Opyd
Frank Braccolino
The Family
Kathie Brosius
Joyce Fies
Tammy Burns
Ed Burns
Annette & Therese
Matt Creen
Jim & Christine Nowlan John Czerniak
Bernardo & Rosita Uy
Ken Delorto
Janice Dorff
Joe Dorff
Anna Plecki
John Drahos
Cardinal George
The Family
Caroline Grady
Mike & Pat Supergan
Fran Grousnick
Joe Hoffman
Ted Wegner
Sylvia Koch
And for all for whom our parish is asked to pray
The Family
Dore
Lottie Fornek
req.by
Aldona Brazis
req.by
Friday
Eric Panfil
req.by
Joseph W. Brasky
req.by
Teresa Fernandez
req.by
Saturday
Delphine Dermody
req.by
Lottie Fornek
req.by
Patricia Kordas
req.by
Alfonzo DeNovellis
req.by
Jim Dwyer
req.by
Christopher Maples
req.by
Don Daley
req.by
Sunday
For the People
req.by
John E. Lisicich
req.by
Joseph Stalcup, Jr.
Thanksgiving for the Deanching Family
Eleanor Fike
req.by
Ed Mulhall
req.by
For an End to Abortion
req.by
Grace Gary
req.by
Za Dusze W. Czyscu Cierpiace
Joan Fernandez
Eleanor Zapolis
Jan & Stanistawa Kmiecik
Edith C. Graziano
Raymond Norbot
The Family
The Graziano Family
The Family
req.by
req.by
req.by
Lillian Kurzawski
Debra Lanz
Mary Leststarczyk
Ed Owen
Nathan Parry
Carmen Pignatiello
Anna Plecki
Marek Rudzki
Betty Ruzich
Terry Ryan
Mary Lou Schoettler
Nicole Siedschlag
Rachel Swallow
Joseph Tierney
Alex Udaykee
Jane Van Duch
MaryBeth Vasquez
Paul Wagner
Linda Wasag
Kelly Weiss
Terrie Lloyd
Dolores Michalski
Gayle Kick
To help keep the list of names read at Mass and
placed in the bulletin accurate and current, we will
keep the name of a non-parishioner who is an
immediate family member of our parishioner on the
list at Mass for two weeks and in the bulletin for
two weeks. For a parishioner, we will keep the
name on the list at Mass for four weeks and in the
bulletin for 60 days. We ask that an immediate
family member call after 4 weeks if you wish to
have the name continued to be read at Mass.
Pray for Our Deceased
The Maddix Family
Eleanor Pechota
The Family
The Family
Marilyn Dwyer
Barbara Bara
Bern Daley & Family
The Family
Dcn Joe & Linda Stalcup
Barb O'Connell
Barb Ahrens
Tom & Tina Mahor
Albina Carranza
Bob Kerwin
Ray Markham
Marjorie Rick
Flora Spagnolo
Weekly Readings
Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thur
Fri
Sat
2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23/Eph 2:4-10
Is 65:17-21/Jn 4:43-54
Ez 47:1-9, 12/Jn 5:1-16
Is 49:8-15/Jn 5:17-30
2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16/Rom 4:13,
Wis 2:1a, 12-22/Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Jer 11:18-20/Jn 7:40-53
Welcome to Our Newly Baptized
Norah Rose Lockhart
Erin Deborah Radnoti
Gavin Matthew Thomas
Calvin John Welsh
E a r n $$$$ f o r St . St ep h e n’ s P ari s h!
nd
th
Have lunch or dinner at Gatto's on the 2 or 4 Wednesday of the
month and help in raising funds for St. Stephen’s parish. The parish
will receive 15% of the before tax cost of your meal. Please present
this coupon to your server or ask your server to write St.
Stephen's Men's Club on your bill. This applies to Dine-in or
Carryout!!
Dine-In or Carryout
St. Stephen’s Men’s Club
2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month
15%
Donation (before Tax)
Present this coupon to your server
Nancy’s Pizza and St. Stephen Pizza Coupon
Nancy’s Pizza at 171st Street and 80th Avenue (in the Family Dollar
Plaza) is making an offer to St. Stephen Parishioners. On any
Monday through Wednesday, present this coupon and 20% of the
pre-tax amount (10% if a discount coupon is used) will be donated to
the St. Stephen Parish Center Fund. You can enjoy a pizza and
support our parish. Nancy’s Pizza’s number is 708-614-6100.
20% of the pre-tax amount
(10% if a discount coupon is used) to be
donated to the
St. Stephen Parish Center Fund.
Coupon good on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays!
Villa Rosa Pizza and Catering
Tony’s Villa Rosa Pizza & Catering at 7717 St. Francis Road is
making an offer to St. Stephen Parishioners. Present this coupon and
15% of the pre-tax amount (on pick-up or delivery) of pizzas and
catering, will be donated to the St. Stephen Parish Center Fund. You
can enjoy delicious Italian food and support our parish at the same
time. Tony’s Villa Rosa Pizza & Catering’s number is 815-464-6700
or you can go to their website at www.villarosacatering.com. They
will deliver up to 159th Street.
Tony’s Villa Rosa Pizza & Catering
and St. Stephen Coupon
15% of the pre-tax amount (on pick-up or
delivery) of pizzas and catering will be donated to the
St. Stephen Parish Center