A Latin Mass Parish in the Kerns Neighborhood
Saint Stephen Catholic Church sits at 1112 SE 41st Avenue in Portland's Kerns neighborhood, between SE Belmont Street and SE Stark Street. The parish was established in 1924 and has served the surrounding southeast Portland community for a century. Within the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, Saint Stephen is known for its traditional liturgical life: nearly every Mass offered here is the Traditional Latin Mass, and the hours of the Divine Office are sung in Latin from the 1960 Antiphonale Romanum.
The Mass Schedule: Two Forms, One Parish
The parish celebrates Mass in two forms. The Saturday 5:00 p.m. Sunday Anticipatory Mass is offered in Latin according to the Missal of Paul VI, with readings in English. All other Masses at the parish are celebrated in the Extraordinary Form, the Traditional Latin Mass according to the 1962 Missale Romanum. The current weekly Mass and liturgy schedule is published in the weekly parish bulletin. Sunday Confessions have been discontinued; confession is offered on weekdays and Saturday mornings instead.
Confession and the Other Sacraments
Confessions are heard four days a week: Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Friday from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m., and Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Couples planning to marry work with Joseph Salazar, the parish Director of Religious Education, at least six months in advance. Families and adults seeking Baptism (whether for infants, children, or adults) and those preparing for Confirmation (whether youth or adult) also work with Mr. Salazar through the parish office. For Anointing of the Sick, the parish office number is (503) 234-5019.
Lauds and Vespers in Latin
One of the most distinctive features of Saint Stephen's worship is the public chanting of the Divine Office. Lauds in the morning and Vespers in the evening are sung according to the 1960 Antiphonale Romanum, in Latin. The parish also observes a wide range of novenas through the year. Printed prayer booklets are available for download, including a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Novena to St. Michael the Archangel, the Nine Tuesdays Novena to St. Anthony, a Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette, a Novena to Our Lady of Knock, the Lorica and Novena of St. Patrick, the Epiphany Novena, Advent Family Devotions, and the Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. A traditional St. Martin's Lent and Novena is also kept.
Holy League: A Men's Apostolate
Saint Stephen is the home parish of the Holy League, a Catholic men's conference held under the patronage of Our Lady of Fatima, St. Joseph, and St. Michael the Archangel. The gathering draws priests and laymen from around the region for a day of conferences focused on the Eucharist, Confession, and the Rosary as tools in the spiritual battle. Fr. Eric Andersen, the pastor of Saint Stephen, is a regular speaker; other presenters have included Fr. Joshua Stengel, an exorcist of the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother in the Archdiocese of Denver; Fr. Joshua Clifton, pastor of St. Birgitta in Portland and St. Mary in Vernonia; and Deacon James Thurman of the Archdiocese of Portland.
Philosophy Night and Theology Night
Adult formation at the parish takes the form of Philosophy Night and Theology Night, evening lectures held on a recurring schedule. Past topics have included an evening on Confession and a Philosophy Night session on American Catholic etiquette. Materials from these lectures are posted as downloadable PDFs for parishioners who want to revisit the talks or share them with others.
CCD and Sacramental Preparation
Religious education for children and youth is coordinated through the parish's CCD program, which prepares students for First Communion, Confirmation, and ongoing catechesis. Joseph Salazar directs sacramental preparation for the parish, working with families to coordinate Baptism classes, First Reconciliation and First Communion, and Confirmation preparation.
Mothers Group in Carmody Hall
On the first and third Friday of each month, mothers gather at the parish beginning with the 8:00 a.m. Mass, followed by a 9:00 a.m. meeting in the gymnasium of Carmody Hall. The group welcomes expecting mothers, new mothers, and grandmothers alike. Children play and snack together while the women move in and out of informal discussion, encouraging one another through the everyday work of family life. Visiting guests are invited from time to time for talks tailored to the interests and needs of the group.
Music and the Choir Loft
Music at Saint Stephen centers on Gregorian chant and the traditional Latin repertoire suited to the Extraordinary Form Mass and the sung Divine Office. Nicolai Bajanov directs the parish music program, coordinating scholas and congregational singing for Sundays, holy days, and the major feasts celebrated through the year.
Parish Office and Practical Information
The parish office is staffed Tuesday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Friday from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The pastor, Fr. Eric Andersen, was ordained in 2009 from Mount Angel Seminary and grew up in Aloha, Oregon. He celebrates both the Ordinary Form and the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, prays a wide circle of saints' novenas through the liturgical year, and preaches on Church history, Gregorian chant, and the liturgical calendar. Videos of homilies and other recordings are posted on the parish's YouTube channel, and online giving is available through a secure form. Parish bulletins are archived back several years and remain accessible for anyone wishing to follow the rhythm of the church year.