WEBSITE:STSTEPHENMPK.ORG - EMAIL: ST.STEPHEN.MARTYR@GMAIL.COM

320 W. GARVEY AVE. MONTEREY PARK 91754 (626)573-0427

“We are a diverse faith

community that strives to

conform ourselves into the

image of Christ in

and through the power

of the Holy Spirit, and

nourished by The Word,

Sacraments and Tradition

to give glory to

God and to be a light

unto the nations.”

ST STEPHEN MARTYR CATHOLIC CHURCH

MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil 5:00 PM

(English) Sunday 7:00 AM (English)

9:00 AM (Spanish) 11:00 AM (English)

2:00 PM (Indonesian) Mon.-Sat. Daily Mass:

8:30 AM Perpetual Help Novena Mass

Wednesday 6:30 PM Friday 7:00 PM (Spanish)

Reconciliation Fridays 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Saturdays 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Fr. Joseph Magdaong Pastor

Fr. Ali Kanissius Associate Pastor

Armando & Irene Estrada Deacon Couple

Alicia Vazquez Office Manager

Dale Ann Torbey Secretary / Bookkeeper

Diane Gehner School Principal (626) 573-1716

PARISH OFFICE

HOURS

Monday - Friday

9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Closed for lunch

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Saturday

11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday

8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Who did you come to see? A version of this question is posed by Jesus many times in the Gospels. He asks it of Andrew and John when they begin to follow him. He asks it of Mary Magdalene in the garden of the resurrection. He asks it in today’s Gospel. “What did you go out to the desert to see?” There is something innately human about “seeing.” Animals have eyes — some with much more powerful vision than our own — but that’s not the kind of seeing Jesus is talking about. We could phrase the ques-tion several other ways. “What are you looking for?” “What are you longing for?” “Whom do you seek?”

It is in seeing for ourselves that our suspicions or hypotheses are confirmed, that our desires discover their fulfillment, and that we can rest for a moment in certainty. John the Baptist sought certainty of Jesus’ identity. “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus sends word to him based on the testimony of sight, observations of the mighty deeds Jesus has begun to work. “Go and tell John what you hear and see.”

God recognizes our desire to see. In the Incarnation, the Word is made flesh. The invisible is made visible. The supernatural is made manifest in an infant who can do little more than the most natural of movements as he feeds, cries, sleeps. We don’t need to wait for Christmas to see God. The work of God is all around us. Those blinded by sin “regain their sight.” People overcome backgrounds of poverty and violence to make world-changing contributions. Addicts grow and heal. Truth is spoken, and people listen. Let’s pray for the grace to see God’s movement in our lives this week. How have you seen the work of God?

2019 Simbang Gabi Masses

Come and Celebrate as we encounter

Christ; For we are one body

December 16th - 23rd at 7:00 p.m.

Simbang Gabi Mass & Celebration

Saturday, December 21st

Mass 5:00 pm

in the parish hall after Mass

December 23rd thru December 27th

We will be open on

and

Please plan your parish business accordingly.

December 30th thru January 3rd

Monday, January 6th

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24TH 5:00 PM - CHRISTMAS VIGIL

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25TH

CHRISTMAS 12:00 AM CHRISTMAS MIDNIGHT

MASS 10:00 AM ENGLISH MASS

P lease remember to bring all UN-

WRAPPED toys/gifts to the Parish Office by THIS FRIDAY,

DECEMBER 20th, so that they can be distributed early the following week

Thank you for your support and generosity.

El tercer Domingo de Adviento recibe el nombre de Gaudet, que significa alegría. “Estén siem-pre alegres en el Señor; se lo repito, estén alegres y tengan buen trato con todos” (Filipenses 4:4), dice la antífona de entrada. La oración colectiva también nos lleva a reflexionar en el signi-ficado permanente de esta alegría: “Mira, Señor, a tu pueblo que espera con fe la fiesta del naci-miento de tu Hijo, y concédele celebrar el gran misterio de nuestra salvación con un corazón nuevo y una inmensa alegría.” El Profeta Isaías lo afirma con sus palabras de esperanza a su pue-blo: “¡Animo! no teman. He aquí que su Dios, vengador y justiciero, viene ya para salvarlos.”

La Navidad se acerca y su luz nos envuelve y llena de esplendor. Todo el ambiente es de fiesta y preparación. Las celebra-ciones Marianas nos han dejado ese gozo de albergue y acogida al que lo necesita. Ha, si comprendiéramos el motivo de alegría que decimos celebrar, entenderíamos perfectamente que se debe a que Dios y su salvación están cerca. La alegría y la salvación van juntas, no se pueden separar, nos dice la Liturgia. Por este motivo, Juan se alegra desde la cárcel al escu-char la respuesta que Jesús le envía: “Los ciegos ven, los cojos andan, los leprosos quedan limpios de la lepra, los sordos oyen, los muertos resucitan y a los pobres se les anuncia el evangelio. Dichoso aquel que no se siente defraudado por mí.” Que la participación en la Eucaristía fomente actitudes que preparen a celebrar la Navidad en familia recordando y viviendo que Jesús nunca nos defraudará.

ST STEPHEN MARTYR CATHOLIC CHURCH

“Luz del Espiritu Santo”

Los invita a una noche de oración y alabanza todos los Miercoles a las 7:00 pm en el salón parroquial.

Todos son bienvenidos.

VENTA DE TAMALE

Habra venta de tamales este domingo 15 de

diciembre en el jardin despues de las misas de la

mañana.

Estaremos vendiendo Tamales y Champurrado

Ayude al Centro Comunitario de San

Estebana cumplir con la tarea de alimentar

a cerca de 200 familias necesitadas de

nuestra comunidad para las próximas fies-

tas.

Por cada $15 donados, se colocará una pluma en un pa-

vo de cartón con el nombre del donante, que se ubicará

en el área de Vestíbulo de la iglesia durante el mes de

diciembre.

Pedimos que las donaciones se realicen utilizando los so-

bres que estan localizados en la tabla de pavo. Los sobres

se pueden colocar en la canasta de recolección durante la

misa o entregarse directamente a la Oficina Parroquial.

¡Gracias de antemano por su apoyo!

Regalos Navideños

Por favor recuerde traer todos los

juguetes/regalos NO ENVUELTOS a

la Oficina Parroquial a mas tardar

este viernes, 20 DE DICIEMBRE, para

que puedan ser distribuidos durante

la sigiente semana.

MISAS NAVIDEÑAS

martes, 24 de diciembre

5:00 PM

Vigilia de Navidad

miercoles, 25 de diciembre

Natividad del Señor

12:00 PM Misa de medianoche

10:00 AM Inglés

HORARIO DE OFICINA PARA LAS FIESTAS

La oficina parroquial estará cerrada desde lunes, 23 de diciembre hasta

viernes, 27 de diciembre y lunes, 30 de diciembre hasta el

viernes 3 de enero. La oficina estará abierta los días 28 y 29

SEGUNDA COLECCIÓN PARA ESTE FIN DE SEMANA 14 y 15 de diciembre

Flores Navideñas para la iglesia

DECEMBER 15 • 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

MASS INTENTIONS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2019 5:00 pm Angelica Guadalupe Valdez Happy Birthday!!! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2019 7:00 am Louis & Mary Hutinet (D) 9:00 am Fernando Nunez (D) Victoria Elena Jacek (D) Maria y Enciso Malaquias Terriquez (D)

11:00 am Dale & Stephanie Uyeda (D) Phillip Fairchild (D) Miramontes Family (L) MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019 8:30 am Animas Benditas del Purgatorio TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2019 8:30 am Marciano Lamco (D) WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019 8:30 am Grace Pelosa in Thanksgiving Pio and Nessie Rongavilla - Happy 53rd Anniversary!!!

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019 8:30 am Animas Benditas del Purgatorio Alice Chavez (L) Patricia Doyle (L) FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019 8:30 am Mercedes Lamco (D) Jose Yacat (D) Sydney Samaniego - Happy Birthday!!!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2019 8:30 am Joshua Madrid (D) John Lepurin (D)

December 7th & 8th $4,755.30

Second Collection $1,468.48

Novena Mass $99.00

Friday Evening Mass $102.00

Immaculate Conception $773.00

Online Giving $435.00

Thank you for your commitment to your parish.

Please Pray For….. Frances Salaises, Kitty Carlucci, Ana Nunez, Rita Thoms, Helen Lawrence, Mayo Ycedo, Al Acosta, Florence Kreslake, Carlos Godinez, Kim Chacon, Luis Hernandez, Pio Rongavilla, Patricia McAvoy, Lung Family, Tam Family, Emilia Rodri-guez, Monica Hernandez, Jose Maria De La Roca-Velazquez, Larry Siefker, Carlos Alberto Ornelas, Mary Hernandez and Family, Ali-cia Valdez, Yoli Aguilar, Lauren Chacon, Leo Sanchez, Salvador Huerta, Eddie Ortega, Patricia Sanchez, Lisa Dittmer, Roland Martinez, David Perez, Victor Alfara, Ramiro Sanchez, Bernie Zavala, Joshua Morales, Larry Hernandez and Family, Jose Alvarenga & Family, Frances Araiza, Rosalie Pinto, Mary Hernandez, Monica Lugo, Jeanine Lugo, Angie Medrano, Jim Forsang, Alice Chavez, Patty Bentel

To insure that the prayer list is accurate, please contact the parish office on a monthly basses if you would like for your name to re-main on the list.

ARISE bereavement support prayer group meets every Tuesday

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm in the Religious Education Room.

All are welcome

Next Sunday is PLEDGE PAYMENT SUNDAY for the Called to Renew cam-paign. Please remember to bring your do-nation envelope and place it locked boxes located in the back of the church. Thank you!

Basic guidelines for airport safety Flying for the holidays is stressful, and it’s even more so when you add children to the equation. Airports are large, unfamiliar plac-es flooded with crowds, and parents need to

take extra precautions to make sure everyone arrives safely at their destination. Consider taking a family airport selfie so you have a current picture of what everyone is wearing in case you get separated. Talk to your children about “safe strangers” — TSA agents, flight attendants, trusted adults — they can ask for help. Go over the travel plans so that your children know where you’re going, what airline you’re flying, and where you should meet. For more information, please vis-it, https://www.mamamia.com.au/travelling-with-kids-airport-safety/.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE Wednesday evening Novena Mass will not be celebrated on

the following dates: December 18th and 25th

Thank you in advance for your understanding

TAMALE SALE Please join us this Sunday, December 15th in the

Gathering Place after the morning Masses.

We will be selling Tamales and Champurrado

WEEKEND SECOND COLLECTION

December 14th & 15th

Christmas Church Flowers

PLEASE JOIN US TO CELEBRATE…...

Feast of St. Stephen

Thursday, December 26th 8:30 AM Mass

Followed by a potluck