The Mission of St. Stephen's Ministries

St. Stephen Catholic Ministry exists to:

Promote the Catholic Vision of Family Life and the deepening of Family Spirituality.

Recognize and suport the values and traditions inherent in the ethnic and religious heritage of families as a source of strength for the Church.

Foster and develop working partnerships between families, church, and social institutions in order to better serve the needs of families.

Act in the role of advocate for the social justice concerns of families by assisting in the assessment of the impact of organizational, community, church, and governmental policies, programs, ministries, and services on the lives of families.

Coordinate existing family programs and assist in the discovery and development of additional needed resources and services requested by clergy, religious and laity within the diocese of Richmond.

Encourage the development of a family perspective in all church ministries.

Assist individual families and parishes in their roles as family ministers.

"No plan of organized pastoral work at any level must ever fail to take into consideration the pastoral area of the family." (Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 70)