August 27/28, 2016 Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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1 August 27/28, 2016 Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Children s Choir and Bells! If you are planning to sign up your 3rd-6th GRADER for Joyful Noise, please have your registration sheets and fee turned into the office no later than August 31st. This gives us time to plan for the amount of children coming to the first rehearsal which is September 7th at 5:30 pm in the Church. Registration information is still available in the commons if you are interested or you can contact Jessica, our Music Director, at jessica@ssmrcc.org with any additional questions. Thank you in advance for your joyful support of the music ministry! Back to School Supply Drive August is Back to School shopping time in all the stores. We are conducting our annual school supply drive working with the CHIP/Healthy Families organization to help under privileged children get off to a good start in the new school year for Parishioners are asked to purchase extra elementary grade (Kindergarten thru fifth grade) school supplies. Supplies may be brought to the church commons or dropped off at the parish office. Participation is encouraged even if you do not have school-aged children. Parish Community - A Joyful Noise cue card (large white index style card with colored circles on the front and a number on the back) from our Children's Handbell piece "Ave Maria - Bach" is missing! It was on the display table for the Joyful Noise Choir registration throughout the weekend of August If you have found this card or have accidently picked it up, please return it to the Church office as soon as possible. Without this card the music packet for Ave Maria will be incomplete and unusable. Thank you! Altar Server Ministry Attention all boys and girls who have made their First Communion and older. EDGE and Life Teen teens we especially need your help! Our Altar Server ministry is currently recruiting new members. In the coming weeks, we will be holding training sessions for all those interested in serving. Please note, attendance at both sessions is required and each should last approximately 45 minutes. The sessions will take place on Thursday, September 1st at 6:30pm and Saturday, September 3rd at 9:30am. To register for the training, please Stephanie Walling at robandstephwalling@cox.net Thank You! Summer Family Movie Night Bring the entire family and enjoy an end of summer movie on the lawn! We will be set up outside on the lawn so bring lawn chairs and blankets to lay on (in case of rain we will go inside into commons). We will be showing The Good Dinosaur. A parent or guardian is required to stay with children. This movie night we are collecting donations for KOVAR, which is a Knights of Columbus charity serving Virginians with Intellectual Disabilities since % of donations go directly to the charity and funds stay in Virginia. When: Saturday September 3 Movie to begin around 8pm (once it s dark) Where: St. Stephen Lawn What movie: The Good Dinosaur Who: Families with children of any age Provided Snacks: Popcorn, sno-cones, and candy. Admission: Any monetary donation to KOVAR. Please direct any questions to religiousedu@ssmrcc.org

2 Let the Fire Fall Christian Concert on the Lawn September 24, 2016 at 7:00pm (Mass at 4:00pm) TIME IS RUNNING OUT! Tickets increase by $10 on September 1, Catholic Artist Audrey Assad with special guest Mike Donehey of Tenth Avenue North will be performing here at St. Stephen, Martyr! Come and join us on the lawn for a contemporary praise and worship with these nationally known artists! There is a limited amount of tickets. John 17: May they all be one! Don t miss out on our early-order pricing of $30 by visiting Be Catholic. Live Catholic. Catholic Passion Ministries presents our new series for , Whine and Opine. The format is more casual, with a focus on answering questions about the Catholic faith and the teachings of the Church. We have selected topics from the Catechism of the Catholic Church that many Catholics may find difficult to understand or may be unique to Catholic Christians. Light refreshments will be available. Here are the details: Meeting dates for 2016: third Monday of the month: 9/ 19, 10/ 17, 11/ 21, 12/19 Time: 6:30pm, Rosary (optional); 7:00pm Presentation followed by Q & A Place: Prince of Peace Atrium (area off Narthex) Bring a light refreshment to share, if you like (optional). For information contact Deacon Adrian at deaconmarchi@gmail.com or Suzy Kelly at suzy@jokell.com. This series is open to all Catholics and non-catholics, adults and teens. We encourage you to invite others to attend in order to participate in the call to evangelize. Eucharistic Minister Training The next training for new Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will be held on Thursday, September 1 following the 6:30 pm Mass. For more information, please contact Linda Curran at mlmsme@gmail.com. Pro-Life Flag of Crosses We are placing 3,300 crosses on the lawn of SSM this October. Each pink, white, or baby blue cross will be placed in 100 rows in the shape of an American flag to raise awareness of the number of lives lost daily in the USA due to abortion. SSM received a $3,000 grant from the diocese to cover the cost of the project. We need your help to cut, glue and staple the crosses on Saturday, Sept. 10 (with a Sept 17 rain date). Also, we ll need help gridding the field on Sept 30 and placing the crosses on Sat, October 2nd. Contact Mark Priest at expinsp@gmail.com for more details. Memorial Service for Aborted Children St. Matthew Catholic Church On Saturday, September 10, pro -life Americans throughout the country will gather at the gravesites of aborted babies and other memorial sites dedicated in their honor for the fourth annual National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children. Solemn vigils will be held at these sites to commemorate the more than 55 million children who have lost their lives to legal abortion since 1973, and to remind our society of the humanity of the unborn child. Please join us for the memorial service in our community: Event: National Day of Remembrance When: Saturday, September 10, 10 a.m. Where: St. Matthew Catholic Church, 3314 Sandra Lane, Virginia Beach, VA More Info: Call Steve Scheerbaum at or thescheerbaums@gmail.com Together let us remember the victims of abortion and pray for a final end to this injustice in our land during the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children.

3 Roman Catholic Pilgrimage Apostolate The Catholic Tour, Roman Catholic Pilgrimage Apostolate is offering our Special 7 Day Pilgrimage to Eternal Rome operating from two Airline Gateways of New York JFK, and Boston, Mass. The Price is $ is the all inclusive price includes airfare, 3 star hotel, most meals, tour guide, deluxe bus and more. Price is the same from both airports and we can assist you in securing air from your home city to one of the 2 gateways listed above. The travel dates from both Airports will be Nov. 4-10, Brochures and reservation forms are available at the Catholic Tour call toll free or simply jimadair@thecatholictour.com. Men s Cursillo Retreat September 22-25, 2016 How does spending 3 days at the feet of Christ hearing His words without distraction from the world sound? There will be a Men's Retreat September at the Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center in Toano. There will be a table in the commons after each Mass for additional information. You can also contact Steve Rachel s Vineyard Weekend Retreat Healing the pain of abortion, one weekend at a time. The program is an opportunity to examine your abortion experience, identify the ways that the loss has impacted you in the past and present, and helps to acknowledge any unresolved feelings that many individuals struggle with after abortion. Married couples, mothers, fathers, grandparents and siblings of aborted children, as well as persons who have been involved in the abortion industry have come to Rachel s Vineyard in search of peace and inner healing. Upcoming retreat in Richmond, VA September 30 through October 2, 2016 at the Shalom House Retreat Center, Montpelier, VA. Contact Marty Montgomery- Jennings at or Rv4hope@gmail.com. Catholic Marriage Retreat Join us for a marriage retreat for couples from all seasons of marriage, to newly married or married for 25 years and counting, to those with or without children, to couples thriving or struggling in marriage. This retreat will be held Saturday, October 1, 2016 at Saint Matthew Catholic Church from 10a to 7p. Registration is now open for couples at The cost of the marriage retreat is $80 which includes light refreshments, lunch, dinner and childcare (if needed). Saint Matthew Catholic Church is located at 3314 Sandra Lane, Virginia Beach, VA, Any inquiries should be directed to Christopher Miller at Women s Cursillo Retreat October 13-16, 2016 The Greater Hampton Roads Cursillo Movement has scheduled a Women's Cursillo Weekend for October The retreat is being held at the Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center in Toano. The weekend will be led by local priests and lay spiritual directors. They are joined and supported by local Cursillo leaders in conducting this weekend. For information and applications please contact Dave Reaves at dreaves@prismce.com. Prayer Shawls We have a generous group of parishioners who spend their time making prayer shawls. These comfy items are not just for people who are ill, they are for anyone who has suffered a loss, or may be going through a hard time. So if you know anyone who would appreciate receiving one of these please visit the office. What are they? A prayer shawl begins with the shawl maker saying prayers for the recipient. The intentions are continued during the creation of the shawl. At the monthly meetings, the members pray together for the recipients and requestors, and a final blessing is obtained from a priest or deacon. When a person wraps oneself in a prayer shawl, the shawl serves as a reminder of the mercy, peace, and compassion that can be found in God s loving embrace.

4 Success Publishing & Media, LLC Publishers of Growing in Faith and Partners in Faith Copyright 2015 Success Publishing & Media, LLC June, 2016 You can make the world a better place. Be the best at what you do. No matter what you work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men (Colossians 3:23). A source of grace Is the pope infallible? Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive (Matthew 21:22). Advocate will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you (John 14:26).

5 Success Publishing & Media, LLC Publishers of Growing in Faith and Partners in Faith Copyright 2015 Success Publishing & Media, LLC June, 2016 Attend Mass every Sunday and do whatever is Make time with God a priority. Try not to Jesus was under close and careful scrutiny by the Pharisees who were watching for a misstep in order to discredit him. They were afraid that his radical ideas would undermine the religion and tradition they protected. Nonetheless, he never let this critical scrutiny by his opponents keep him from saying and doing the right things. As Christians, we must never succumb to pressure to do what is politically or socially correct at the expense of our spiritual beliefs and obligations. For example, there is a cultural value to networking Luke 14:1, 7-14, Unreciprocated kindness Q & A What do we get from prayer? August 6 Transfiguration of the Lord (1st Century). Tradition says that Mt. Tabor was the site of the Transfiguration during which Christ showed his disciples the splendor of his beauty. The Lord appeared radiant in the company of Moses and Elijah, and a voice said, This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him (Matthew 17:5). August 14 St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe (1941). A Polish Franciscan, St. Maximilian was arrested by the Nazis in 1941 and imprisoned at Auschwitz. When the jailers chose ten people to execute as punishment for an escape attempt, he substituted himself for a man with a family. He and nine others were stripped, starved and killed by lethal injection. August 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Assumption celebrates Mary s being taken up into Heaven body and soul at the end of her life. Although already a common belief, it was declared a dogma of our faith in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.

6 Dear Fellow St Stephen, Martyr Parishioners, Recently your Parish Council invited you to share your ideas and thoughts via index cards and an electronic survey so that we may begin to plan and prepare for next year. Thank you to all who took the time to provide input! For the parishioner who wrote, Is this survey really read or just a whim of parish council or are you taking the emotional need/s temperature of the parish?..yes! Every comment is read and shared with every council member. Comments are then categorized and shared with the relevant ministry for their review. We thought you may enjoy a sampling of the feedback received: 427 responses were received; 60% of respondents currently volunteer for a ministry (THANK YOU); Requests for additional information was received for ALL of the ministries; If you requested additional information and do not receive an or call by the end of the month, please call the office to provide your contact info (it may have been transferred incorrectly or may have been missing); Great feedback was shared on the current Adult Faith Education opportunities offered; Numerous comments praised the new programs initiated this past year! The most commonly referenced important needs of the Parish included (in order of percentage referenced from greatest to least): Space, Youth, Parish, Church, Debt, Faith, Mass, Community, Involvement, Volunteers, Ministries, Social, Fellowship, Communication, and Music Specific suggestions have already been shared with the various ministries and, similar to last year s input, will be worked in to upcoming planning; Interpretation of Silence and acknowledgement of the tabernacle of the Blessed Sacrament yielded many varied answers. Such broad input was interesting. The issue is definitely one warranting further review of how to balance the tremendous sense of community unique to SSM with the need for reverence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Last year, your Parish Council voted to make this index card survey an annual project. As with last year s responses, great ideas were proposed, significant issues were mentioned, and your Parish Council is more informed and ready to begin this next year of service. We encourage you to continue to provide input via the Welcome Desk in the Commons. And we encourage all to consider stepping out of their comfort zone and try a new activity, volunteer position, or ministry. God Bless You, Your Parish Council Outgoing Members: Tracy Bittner Jen Hines Stephen Restaino Barbara Robinson Tom Winter Incoming Members: Tracy Cain John Gray Jinxey Poniatowski Lesley Sarver Cathy Wadley Returning members: Jennifer Belby John Cannon Ron Durand Scott Eichelberger Peter Gerlach Doug Jackson Tony Pawlowski

7 Adult Faith Formation Don t forget to mark your calendars for these scheduled events! Tuesday, August 30 6:30-7:30am, The Men of St. Joseph Topic: The Church s Teaching Authority 6:30-8:00pm, Divine Mercy Prayer Meeting 8:00-9:00pm, The Wild Goose Project Topic: The Spirit and The Desert Walking with Purpose Walking with Purpose is a Catholic women s Bible fellowship designed for women 18 and older that aims to bring women to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ by offering personal study and small group discussion that link our everyday challenges and struggles with the solutions given to us through the teaching of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church. Wednesday September 14, :00-8:30pm - classrooms 5 and 7 Register by ing Ann Emsley at emsley89@verizon.net. Cost is $40. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: SYMBOLON The Ideal Resource to Re-Evangelize And Catechize Your Parish Anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith please join us: Every Monday: 9/12/16 through 02/13/17 9:30am to 11:30am - Room 5 & 7 Catholic Faith Teachings They were all together at Solomon s Portico Acts 5:12. The Catholic Church of St. Stephen, Martyr is excited to offer 12 new catechetical teachings by our very own Deacon Keith Fournier. Luke 24:32 They asked each other, were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road? Come join us as Deacon Keith takes us on a deeper journey into our Catholic faith. DATES: 9/19/16; 10/17/16; 11/28/16; 12/19/16; 1/23/17; 2/20/17; 3/20/17; 4/24/17; 5/22/17; 6/26/17; 7/17/17; 8/21/17 Time: 7pm to 8:30pm (includes 30 minutes Q&A) PLACE: Classrooms 3 & 4 Topics: TBA Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) Are you interested in becoming Catholic? Have you ever been baptized? Are you a baptized Catholic and wish to come into the full communion of the Catholic faith by receiving the Sacraments? We invite you to come home and join us for our Parish RCIA program. We are excited to have you! OPEN HOUSE: Thursday September 8 TIME: 7:00pm PLACE: Classroom 3 & 4

8 Religious Education If you have any questions please contact the RE Office at or call x308. Registration for Religious Education This weekend, August 27/28, there will be tables in the Commons for parents to pick up information about all of our Religious Education Programs. Early-bird pricing for Religious Education registration ends September 1. Confirmation (Rising 10th) Save the Date: the Mandatory Parent/ Candidate Meetings will be held on Tuesday, August 30 at 6:30pm AND Wednesday, August 31 at 6:30pm. Each session will cover the same material, so you can choose which one you d like to attend. Candidates and at least ONE parent MUST be in attendance. ***If you are unable to attend this meeting, please contact Christina ASAP to arrange another day/time to meet*** BLAZE (Elementary) Registration for BLAZE and Sacramental Prep for is now LIVE and available on the website under the Religious Education section - > Religious Education > Elementary School. Rite of Christian Initiation for Children Do you have a child (or teenager) above the age of 7 who has never been baptized or has been baptized in another faith and wants to be Catholic? Then RCIC is the place for them! Children and teenagers will attend classes that are geared towards their age group and will participate in the Rites of Initiation with the RCIA community at the Easter Vigil. We invite parents to come and learn all about this program at our Open House on Thursday, September 8 at 7pm in Rooms 3 & 4. 1st Sacraments (2nd Grade) SAVE THE DATE: There will be a Parent Meeting for 1st Sacraments on Sunday, September 18 at 1:00pm AND Monday, September 19 at 6:30pm. Each session will cover the same material, so you can choose which one you d like to attend. This is a parent only meeting. Youth Ministry (Middle and High School) Registration for Edge and Life Teen for is now LIVE! Registration for Edge (Middle School) and Life Teen (High School) is now available online under the Religious Education section on the parish website - > Religious Education > Middle School OR High School. SAVE THE DATE: Edge/Life Teen Kick Off will be on Sunday, September 11 from 2:30pm until 4:30pm. Donations are Needed! Consider donating a $5 gift card to help the Edge and Life Teen programs. These gift cards will be used as prizes throughout the year. You can never go wrong with gift cards from: Target, Walmart, Dollar Tree, Starbucks, Dairy Queen, Sweet Frog, Skinny Dip, Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts, Cook Out, Panera, Chipotle and Chick-Fil-A, just to name a few! Drop them off at the parish office OR put them in an envelope with ATTN: CHRISTINA HARRISON and put it in the collection basket during Mass. Thank you in advance for your donations! Catholic Heart Workcamp Interest Meeting Save the Date: July 2 July 8, 2017, Charlotte, NC Interested in finding out more about Catholic Heart Workcamp? Want to sign up to join the SSM Group in 2017? Then come to the CHWC interest meeting on Wednesday, September 7 at 7pm. CHWC is open to all rising 9 grade youth (for the school year) to graduating seniors. You can find more information on our website.

9 Our Gifts To The Lord Offertory 8/21/16 Debt Reduction Samaritan Fund Assumption PARISH STAFF $20,632 $909 $468 $514 There will be a teaching Mass on September 15, 2016 at 6:30pm. This Mass will be an hour and a half or two hours long. Father teaches about the Mass and why Mass is conducted the way it is. You can ask questions to grow your understanding. Pastor: Rev. Brian Rafferty (frbrian@ssmrcc.org) Deacon Keith Fournier (deaconfournier@outlook.com) The flowers on the altar this weekend are in memory of Ann Cady. Deacon Kevin Trail (deaconkevin@ssmrcc.org) Business Manager: Crystal Anderson (crystal@ssmrcc.org) Office Manager: Sharon Achorn (sharon@ssmrcc.org) Communications: Nicky Hebert (nicky@ssmrcc.org) Facility Manager: Alex Shuflat (alex@ssmrcc.org) The Pope Tweets Mercy does not just mean being a good person nor is it mere sentimentality. It is the measure of our authenticity as disciples of Liturgy: Karen Winslow (karen@ssmrcc.org) Religious Education: Christina Harrison (christina@ssmrcc.org) Religious Education: Traci Baker (traci@ssmrcc.org) Adult Faith Formation & Social Ministry: Scott Turbitt (scott@ssmrcc.org) Music Director: Jessica Kohan (jessica@ssmrcc.org) Each week Sr. Manners addresses Catholic etiquette in a fun and satirical way. If you would like to ask Sr. Manners a question, you can her at ssm@ssmrcc.org. Dear Sr. Manners Dear Sr. Manners, Please discuss talking in church? Twenty-Third Sunday In Ordinary Time September 3/4, 2016 Scripture Readings: Wisdom 9:13-18b Philemon 9-10, Luke 14:25-33 Gentle Christian, One must first ask when is the talking taking place? After all, the Church is where we gather to be reminded that WE are the Body of Christ! One does not come to a meal and keep silent. So, in the commons, before the Mass, Christians should greet one another to show reverence to Christ living in each person as well as after Mass having been sent forth to love and serve the Lord and one another, silence would be inappropriate. However, during the Mass itself, talking should be confined to the responses of the Liturgy. Also, once entering the worship space, reverence should always be shown. Sr. Manners must also caution that there is no such thing as an unobtrusive whisper.

10 Tuesday, August 30 8:30am Mass (Ann Cady) Wednesday, August 31 6:30am Mass 8:30am Mass Thursday, September 1 8:30am Mass 6:30pm Mass Mass Intentions Friday, September 2 8:30am Mass 7:00pm Mass & Benediction (Gail Kuhneman) Saturday, September 3 8:30am Mass (Denis & Mary Lee Wood 50th Anniversary) 5:00pm Vigil Mass (Christopher O Farrell) Sunday, September 4 7:00am Mass (William Ferrara) 8:30am Mass (Rose & Anthony Santaniello) 11:30am Mass (Emma Hrabovsky) 5:00pm Mass (The Parish of St. Stephen, Martyr) Your prayers are cherished for those in our Parish: Hannah Gerloff Riley Earl Lienemann Terry Mulich Renee Parrott Amy Riberdy Maureen Francher Your prayers are cherished for loved ones outside of our Parish: Tom Darcy (by Paulus Family) Kelly Coppinger (by Thyssen Family) Tom Mattas (by Thyssen Family) Cathy Hulsizer (by Thyssen Family) Sherri Hegadorn (by Thyssen Family) Renee Langford (by Ehrbar Family) AJ Layton (by Ehrbar Family) Adelyn James Robinson (by Siedlecki Family) Richard Goff (by Shelton Family) Becky Cyphers (by Meszaros Family) Karen Herbert (by Gerlormine Family) Dick Rust (by Hanes Family) Janet Keever (by VanZandt Family) Jason Jablonski (by Pecsok Family) Dorothy Hubbard Brian Williams (by Jean Lewis) Rest in Peace: Gail Kuhneman (by Ehrbar Family) Mildred Gage (by Gerlomine Family) Prayer for Our Troops: Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need, and bring them home safely. May their sacrifices bring about a lasting and just peace in all lands. I ask this in the name of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.