There Is Still Room
The Gospel brings us again and again to a table where unexpected guests discover that they belong. Christ invites us to recognize one another as companions on the journey.
Welcome to St. Stephen's
We are a Jubilee Catholic Community rooted in the sacramental life of the Church and committed to making Jesus known through hospitality, justice, reconciliation, and love.
This is the Table of Christ.
The excluded discover that there is still room. The Table belongs to Christ. We are not its guardians. Come, find an empty chair. There is room for you!
Worship With Us
Saturday Eucharist on Zoom at 5:30 p.m. Pacific. Contact us for the meeting invitation.
Come As You Are
Whether you are returning to faith, seeking a spiritual home, or exploring questions, you are welcome.
Our Mission
To Make Jesus Known through prayer, sacrament, compassion, and service.
About Us
St. Stephen's is an Independent Catholic Church celebrating the Catholic sacramental tradition without being under Roman Catholic jurisdiction. We seek to be a place of belonging, spiritual growth, and authentic encounter with Christ.
Our Jubilee Identity
Jubilee calls us to restoration, freedom, reconciliation, and the renewal of relationships. We seek to make room for people who have been excluded, overlooked, or wounded by religious institutions.
Our Faith in Action
We celebrate the Eucharist, study Scripture, practice prayer and discernment, and seek justice, mercy, and hospitality in our communities.
Leadership
The Most Rev. Terry M. Boyer, O.S.B.
In Residence - Bishop,
Independent Catholic Church
Bishop Terry M. Boyer, O.S.B., has served in ordained ministry for more than 33 years, with extensive experience in parish leadership, sacramental ministry, religious education, social justice, and spiritual formation. Ordained in 1993, he entered the Independent Catholic movement in 2001 and was consecrated a bishop in February 2006.
He is the founder and Abbot Primate of the Grey Robe Benedictines, an ecumenical religious community established in 2001. Known as “A Monastery Without Walls,” the community embraces Benedictine spirituality through prayer, contemplation, hospitality, and service in everyday life.
As a bishop, theologian, educator, and author, Bishop Terry emphasizes a living spirituality rooted in the teachings of Jesus rather than religious conformity alone. His pastoral vision reflects the principles of a Jubilee Catholic Community, emphasizing reconciliation, inclusion, human dignity, social justice, and the unconditional grace of God.
Central to his ministry is the belief that the Church exists to welcome rather than exclude, and that the Eucharist calls us to become the Body of Christ through compassionate service to others.
His guiding conviction is:
“The Table belongs to Christ. We are not the guardians; we are servants at the Table.”
Bishop Terry continues his ministry through the Independent Catholic Church, the Grey Robe Benedictines, and St. Stephen’s Independent Catholic Church, guided by a simple mission: To Make Jesus
Reverend Timothy J Ward
Pastor, St Stephen's ICC
Father Timothy Ward brings to his priestly ministry a rich background in religious community life, pastoral service, and ecclesial administration. His spiritual journey began within the Presentation Brothers, a Catholic religious congregation dedicated to education, community life, and service. During his years with the Brothers, he served in both Canada and Ireland, gaining valuable experience in religious formation, ministry, and the practical expression of Christian faith through service to others.
In 2002, Father Timothy discovered the Independent Catholic Church of the West, where he found a spiritual home that reflected his understanding of the Gospel and his desire to continue serving the People of God within the Catholic sacramental tradition. Following a period of prayer, discernment, and formation, he was ordained to the transitional diaconate and subsequently to the priesthood.
Father Timothy later served as Associate Pastor of Holy Family Parish in Goodyear, Arizona. In this role, he participated in the sacramental and pastoral life of the parish, offering spiritual guidance, celebrating the liturgy, and accompanying individuals and families through the ordinary joys and challenges of Christian life.
His ministry reflects a commitment to pastoral availability, compassionate service, and the belief that the Church must remain attentive to the spiritual needs of the people it serves. His experience in religious community life and parish ministry has contributed to an understanding of leadership grounded in humility, cooperation, and service rather than status or privilege.
Father Timothy was recently appointed Secretary of Ecclesial Administration for the Jurisdiction of the Independent Catholic Church. In this position, he assists in supporting the administrative, organizational, and ecclesial responsibilities of the Church, helping maintain communication, coordination, and continuity within the jurisdiction.
Who Are Independent Catholics?
Independent Catholics are members of self-governing Catholic churches that preserve Catholic sacramental and liturgical life while existing outside the jurisdiction of Rome. Independent Catholic communities differ in their history, governance, and pastoral practice.
Catholic, Not Roman
Our identity is Catholic. We are not Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Old Catholic. We affirm the living presence of Christ in our sacramental worship and the call to live the Gospel in freedom and responsibility.
The Table Belongs to Christ
At St. Stephen's, we do not understand ourselves as gatekeepers of God's grace. We seek a pastoral approach to the sacraments that welcomes people rather than placing ecclesial obstacles in their path.
Blog & Reflections
Reflections on Scripture, spirituality, Jubilee, and living the Jesus philosophy.
Finding Christ in the Ordinary
The sacred is encountered in shared meals, everyday kindness, quiet prayer, and the small acts of love that transform our lives.
Living the Jesus Philosophy
Jesus calls us beyond religious performance into mercy, courage, generosity, and solidarity with those on the margins.
These introductory reflections can be replaced or expanded with new blog posts.
Contact Us
We welcome questions about worship, sacraments, pastoral care, and community life.
Email: admin@ststephensicc.org
Saturday Eucharist: 5:30 p.m. Pacific, on Zoom. Email us to request the current joining details.
Send Us a MessageOur Sacraments
We celebrate the sacraments as encounters with the grace and presence of Christ. Our pastoral approach is rooted in hospitality, compassion, and the conviction that God's gifts are not rewards for perfection.
Baptism
Welcome into the life of Christ and the faith community.
Confirmation
Strengthening of baptismal life in the Holy Spirit.
Eucharist
Gathering at Christ's table to become the Body of Christ in the world.
Reconciliation
Experiencing mercy, healing, and new beginnings.
Anointing of the Sick
Prayer, comfort, and grace in illness and vulnerability.
Holy Orders
Discernment and ordination for service to God's people.
Matrimony
A sacred covenant of love, fidelity, and mutual care.