"The more ready you are to give yourself to God and to others, the more you discover the authentic meaning of life."
- Pope St. John Paul II
Ministering to community is an important part of our catholic Faith.
We encourage you to look through our community ministries, and see where you may use your gifts to help others. So many times are own life experiences give us a different perspective, and help us to grow in the gifts of wisdom and understanding. You may find a unique opportunity to reach out and walk with others through what you've learned. What a gift to all involved!
The name Arimatheans comes from St. Joseph of Arimathea, who tended to our Lord after his death. Arimatheans are caring parishioners who attend Funeral and Memorial Masses as representatives of the faith community. As many surviving family members often have less of a connection with the Catholic church than their deceased loved one, Arimatheans will provide support and liturgical guidance to those who may be less familiar or comfortable with a Catholic Mass. Interested parishioners will perform the corporal work of mercy – to “bury the dead.” If an Arimathean Minister is available for a particular Mass, he/she simply will attend the liturgy. Our presence and silent prayers provide spiritual support to the deceased and their families. To help with this ministry, please contact the parish office at 845-986-4028.
We Know that anytime can be hard for us who lost loved ones and friends – Especially for the holidays, and anniversary dates. If you are going through a difficult time and want to be with others that understand - there is peer support. The meetings have been facilitated for the past 10 years by Judy and Rocco Battista, parishioners of St. Stephens for over 33 years. They were trained by Archdiocese of New York for Bereavement Support. For more information contact Judy at 845-987-4207 or Rocco at 845 325-5517.
Catholic Daughters of America provides “local spirituality, sharing and activity under the support of a vibrant national organization. Members donate to charities, administer scholarship programs and strive ‘to be helping hands where there is pain, poverty, sorrow or sickness.’ They embrace the principle of faith working through love in the promotion of justice, equality and the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all." For more information contact Marie DeMarmels at [email protected].
St. Stephens CYO basketball is offered to boys and girls in grades 4 through 8. The season starts at the end of October and concludes in March with the Archdiocese Championships! Practices are held at St. Stephens and Greenwood Lake. Try-outs will be held the week of September 30th. For any further information please email Director Marijane Lamattina at [email protected].
Saint Stephen’s Family Faith Formation is committed to passing on the Catholic faith to all who seek to grow in greater love and knowledge of Our Lord. As we seek to grow in our own faith, we answer the call to further spread the Faith through unique and traditional modes of learning. Our program is at the heart of the mission of the entire parish to evangelize and catechize our local community. For more information or to register your child, please email [email protected] or call 845-986-2231.
Four Seasons Kids is a program that helps clothe children in Warwick, and the surrounding towns, who are experiencing clothing insecurity. We do this by soliciting, collecting, cleaning and distributing new and like new clothing four times a year (once per season). Volunteers help sort, wash, organize, and prepare clothing for distributions. Help can be provided at home or in person. For more information, visit www.fourseasonskids.org or email [email protected].
The mission of the Garden Ministry is to serve our parish community through care of the many gardens on our campus. Our 16-acre campus includes 30 gardens: 25 flower gardens, 4 wooded landscapes and 1 vegetable garden. The Ministry’s role is to have individuals or groups “adopt a garden” and to continuously care for it throughout the year. . For additional information please contact Doug Krauze at 914.805.5830 or email [email protected].
Members of the Hospitality Ministry assist with the setup and service of refreshments at monthly Hospitality Sundays in the atrium and following special Masses throughout the year. For more information and to get involved, please contact Mary Juliano at 845-325-4638.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s organization, founded in 1882 by Blessed Michael J. McGivney, devoted to four basic principles: Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism. Our overarching mission is to empower men to live their faith at home, in their parishes, at work and in their community. Charity is at the heart of our work and our faith. For Warwick Valley Council #4952, charity means supporting a virtually boundless variety of projects, including coats for kids, toys for tots, contributing to local charitable organizations such as Mary’s Meals, Mother’s Cupboard, local food pantries, and supporting and contributing to pro-life organizations and activities, and to national and international disaster relief efforts. If you would like to learn more about the work we do, please contact our council Grand Knight Kevin Dauwalter through our email: [email protected].
LOGOS is for children in grades 3 through 8 and focuses on the 3 F’s: Fellowship, Friendship and Faith. We meet the second Tuesday of the month from September to June from 6:30-8pm in the Parish Community Center. At LOGOS meetings we come together as a group to share faith, conversation, crafts and enjoy some pizza. Each meeting is centered on a faith-based theme. We love to help the children build connections between God and our daily lives. Come join us and as always bring a friend! We could add in a fourth “F” which is we always have a lot of Fun!
Do you love to cook or bake? Are you looking for ways to help your community from home? Consider joining our Meal Train ministry! We all enter times in our lives where it can be stressful or overwhelming to even consider putting dinner on the table for ourselves or our loved ones. Having a meal delivered to your door during those times can be like a huge burden being lifted off of your shoulders. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, visit our ministries on Flocknote HERE to sign up!
We help men in St. Stephen's parish and the community grow in their spiritual life, their jobs, and every aspect of their lives as men. During the monthly meetings men take time to informally share what is on their hearts and to receive feedback from others. This cultivates intimacy among the brethren plus transparency and accountability. Men will also discuss and challenge each other regarding acting upon God's leading in serving others. We have frequent guest speakers, presentations, fresh-brewed coffee and pastries. Meetings take place the second Saturday of each month (weekly during Advent and Lent) in the parish center from 7:45-9AM. All are welcome. For more information contact Peter Hall or Dr. Dominic Cappelleri at 845-258-0272 or [email protected]
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) is the process through which a person is prepared to be received into the Catholic Church, or for someone who desires to continue their sacraments of initiation (Holy Communion, Confirmation). The class is conducted by our OCIA Team who makes presentations on various Catholic teachings such as; the Commandments, Beatitudes, Sacraments, and other religious topics. The OCIA class is held every Saturday from 10:00 to 11:30 AM, from the end of September until the end of May. For more information please call Deacon Tom @ 845-988-6289, or email, [email protected].
The Parish Council serves as an advisory group to the pastor. We present suggestions related to all aspects of parish life including ministries, community activities, special events, and outreach. Likewise, we serve as a sounding board for the pastor to provide feedback on his ideas for enhancing the life of the parish. One of the most important functions we provide is to act as a liaison between the parish at large and our priests and ministry leaders.
The mission of this ministry is to create hand-crafted shawls and lap blankets for people who may be experiencing life's trials, whether it be an illness, financial troubles, simply feeling stressed and overwhelmed or grieving. A prayer shawl is meant to be a reminder of God's love, strength, comfort and mercy. These shawls and blankets can also celebrate life's milestones- a birthday, graduation, wedding or new job. Our ministry also makes lovely bibs that are used at Baptisms here at our parish. For more information, please contact Eileen Korn at [email protected].
Please continue to scroll down for more news regarding our ministry!
The Respect Life Committee meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 5 pm in the Parish Community Center. Our focus is to draw attention to pro-life issues and events. Typical annual events that we participate in are: Hanging of crosses on the fence of Penning's Field for the months of May and October; providing welcome baskets to families who have had their babies baptized in our parish; participating in the Orange County St. Patrick's Day Parade; and organizing the annual baby bottle campaign to support Mother's Cupboard at Sacred Heart Parish in Monroe. New members are always welcome! Please contact Anne Prial at [email protected].
March for Life, Friday January 24, 2025
Sacred Heart in Monroe is sending a bus to the March for Life in Washington, DC on Friday, January 24. Mass will be celebrated that day at 4:15am at Sacred Heart, and the bus will leave from there at 5am, with an estimated arrival time back at 10pm.
If you are 18 or older and interested in going, or have any questions, please email Anne at[email protected]. Children 13-17 are also welcome, if accompanied by an adult. There are a limited number of seats available for free if the cost is a burden. Thank you for being a voice for unborn children.
Located in the Parish Community Center, St. George's Bookstore volunteers sort and shelve book and media donations received throughout the year. Additionally, volunteers assist during tag sale events and select weekend sale days. For more information or to volunteer, please call Mary Juliano at 845-325-4638.
Our Church Sanctuary is the home of our Blessed Lord in the Tabernacle and the place where we come to pray, worship, and adore Him. Just as we care for our own homes, the Church Sanctuary and surrounding areas need loving care. In addition to part time parish custodial care, volunteers work to keep the altar beautiful and care for flowers and plants. Throughout the year we have “cleaning days” which may include dusting, vacuuming, washing and polishing many surfaces, cleaning candle stands, etc., and very respectfully, taking care of the areas in the Sanctuary. Extra help is needed during Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, etc. For more information or to volunteer your time, please leave a message for Ruthann DiMauro at the parish office 845-986-4028.
The Security Ministry was established to meet the safety and potential emergency needs of the parish. Assessments were done by the Orange County Sheriff’s department and members of our parish attended Archdiocese-sponsored safety seminars to get the process started. The Security Ministry works hand-in-hand with ushers and greeters, who are the first all-important eyes and ears on weekends. The Security Ministry also supports all ministries that use our facilities to provide a safe environment and knowledge as to what should be done in an emergency anywhere on the St. Stephen’s campus. We are especially seeking current, former or retired first responders to help but all who have an interest are welcome. If you are interested in participating in the Security Ministry, call the parish office at 845-986-4028.
Our Lady’s Sodality of St. Stephens Church began in 1962 with a group of women who wanted to offer their generous spirits, talents and time to the service of our parish community, in honor of Mary, Mother of God. Over the years, we have been a resource group to many other organizations and activities and volunteered assistance to: The Altar Society, Parish Missions, May Crowning and Living Rosary. Our famous Bake Sales Oct. and March support Parish needs. The meetings are on the second Monday of the month at 2 pm in the Msgr. Corrigan Conference Room of the Parish Community Center. All new members are welcome! For more info, please call Carolyn at (845) 986-3917.
Our Spanish Ministry at St. Stephen’s has been in existence in our community since 2004. It is a wonderful opportunity to take part in the holy Mass of the Lord in another language. In addition to celebrating the Holy Mass in Spanish, part of the Spanish Ministry is to hold prayer groups, novenas and vigils at the church, and one another's homes; to tend and assist families needing sacraments, quinceañeras, funeral mass and faith formation; translating communications; encourage church attendance and enrollment; and to advocate for a community whose spirtiual needs may not otherwise be met through existing church functions and activities. For more information email Judy Battista at [email protected] or call 845-987-4207, or call Nancy Reinauer at 845-729-4016.
The St. Stephen’s teen group for grades 9 through 12 is for those who are seeking guidance after confirmation and looking to help improve the church and the community. Through the teen group we will go deeper into our faith and continue the vow we made during our confirmation such as community service projects, spending time in adoration, or hearing people speak about how they found and grew in their Catholic faith. Reach out to the Faith Formation office for more information.
Our ministry makes blankets that are donated to local hospitals and other places in need. We also give blankets upon request for anyone in need of comfort such as a family member having surgery, someone who is recovering from an illness, a caretaker who needs some comfort. This is a Ministry to Mary and is open to all ages. All you need to know how to do is to cut and tie knots…the knots represent the knots in our lives and we ask Mary to pray for us and help us to untie those knots. For more information, email Shauna Smith at [email protected].
St. Stephen’s Young Adult Group in Warwick, NY, offers a vibrant community for young adults seeking to deepen their faith and build lasting friendships. Through regular gatherings, discussions, and activities, members come together to share their spiritual journeys, support one another, and engage in meaningful dialogue. Whether through prayer, service projects, or social events, the group fosters a welcoming environment where individuals can grow in their relationship with God and each other. St. Stephen’s Young Adult Group is a place where faith, friendship, and community converge, empowering young adults to navigate life’s challenges with strength and solidarity.
The 200 Club is a twice-yearly fundraiser over a 20-week period starting in January and July. For the price of $30.00 you get a a total of 50 chances to win. On the 20th week we hold a roast beef dinner for the ticket holders, and they may bring a guest for $12.00. For more information contact Lori Lybolt 347-899-8687 or Jean Murphy 845-258-8687.