Spiritual Ministries

Christ Renews His Parish

Are you hungry? Do you wonder how to fill that hole in your heart, your soul, and stop your grumbling stomach? Let us feed you for a weekend!

At the Men's and Women's Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) weekends, we will delve into the Word and seek the Holy Spirit together, we will take time to pray and give thanksgiving together, we will eat a lot of food together, but most importantly - we will grow closer to God together.

Whether it is your heart, your mind, your soul, or your stomach that is hungry ... CRHP will leave you with a cup overflowing and a soul a-glow with the Spirit. We can't wait to share this time with you.

We host weekends in the Spring and Fall of each year - register now for our next retreat!"

“Holy Spirit - fill us with your grace. Amen.”

Cursillo

The Cursillo movement within St. Stephen Catholic Church provides a technique to provide each of us with the tools-the mentality to strengthen and the support to a natural, low key type of evangelizaton, by being Christ-like within each of our daily activities. Cursillo can and will assist you in developing a deeper understaning of what it means to be fully Catholic by being fully Christian.

The Cursillio group at St. Stephen Catholic Church meets every Saturday morning after 8 a.m Mass in Room 1 for coffee and refreshments. Other groups meet in the evenings to accommodate work and family schedules. For more information regarding the next Cursillo weekend retreat and information, contact Peter White at (813) 677-4903.

Familia

Familia means "Family Life in America." The family is the pivotal point of society. It is here that God has expressed his presence in the world in a unique and unrepeatable way. Raising a family in today's world is a terrific challenge. Still God is present and calls us to great holiness. FAMILIA can help you become a champion for your family. FAMILIA programs exist to equip you with practical tools that can transform even a good family. The curricula respect and build on the distinctive roles of husband/father and wife/mother by offering separate but corresponding programs for both men and women. Currently we have programs in place for women at St. Stephen and are looking for men to be a part of the men's program that will be implemented in the future. We all want to give our best, and that requires an investment of ourselves. FAMILIA participants proclaim the incredible effects that this program has delivered. They are:

• Excited about learning their Catholic faith at an adult level
• They are amazed at the practical tools they receive
• They appreciate the role and love of their spouse and the dignity of each member of their family
• They see a marked difference in each family member's growth in holiness as they become more open to God's will for them

Our current program at St. Stephen consists of teams of women who meet bi-weekly for 15 weeks. For more information please contact: Barbara Ortiz 657-3671.

Ministry of Moms Sharing (MOMS)

The purpose of Ministry of Moms Sharing (MOMS) is to awaken an awareness of inner sacred
self, while at the same time teaching new ways to inspire, encourage and affirm each other.

Mothers have the opportunity to clarify their values, claim their own giftedness and bring these clarify their values, claim their own giftedness and strengths to their children, family and relationships through this Christian community. MOMS fosters a great opportunity for support/sharing, spiritual/personal growth, fun and friendship.  MOMS encourages mothers of all ages to explore your faith and role as a mother for it is through the act of sharing that God's grace and love is revealed. For more information contact: Angie Hernandez at 476-7285 or email her at eahernandez@verizon.net.

Retrouvaille

Retrouvaille, winner of the Smart Marriages Impact Award, is a lifeline for marriage. Retrouvaille helps couples through difficult times in their marriage. In today’s busy world, many couples experience boredom, coldness, frustration, and loneliness. Others suffer anger and other forms of conflict. Retrouvaille provides tools that help get your marriage back on track. It gives you the opportunity to rediscover each other and examine your lives together in a new and positive way. Retrouvaille has helped tens of thousands of couples experiencing marital difficulty at all levels, including disillusionment and deep misery. The next program will be held on the weekend of April 11-13, 2008 at the new Bethany Center in Lutz, FL. For confidential information and to register, call Joe and Jeanne Botz at 727-842-7971, or 800-470-2230.

Small Christian Community

Small Christian Communities are small groups of 8 to 12 people who gather informally once a week in someone's home for fellowship and to share the Word of God. The meetings usually last an hour and a half, and are centered around the Sunday scripture readings. Small Christian Communities are different from Bible Study Groups. It doesn't matter how familiar you are with scripture; all are welcome. We supply Bible commentary books that provide insights into the readings. During the discussions, group members share what the week's scriptures mean to them personally, and how they apply them to their own life situations and struggles. For additional information contact Jeanne Schneider at the Religious Education Office (813) 671-4434 or e-mail jschneider@ststephencatholic.org