Church of ST. HELENA'S

Roman Catholic

On Thursday, September 29, during the 7PM Holy Mass of the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Rafael, the Talmu'ch Huitán Marimba Group from the municipality of Huitan Quezaltenango in Guatemala, will be accompanying us by playing the famous Marimba.  The group comes from our Piarist Mission in Guatemala, and thy have been touring in the United States. Everyone is invited to watch and listen to them play.  Please come out and support them. We are waiting for you.

Mañana jueves 29 de septiembre en la Fiesta de los Arcángeles, nos estará acompañando (tocarán la famosa Marimba) en la Misa en español a las 7:00pm el Grupo Talmu'ch Huitán del municipio de Huitan Quezaltenango, Guatemala; que forman parte de nuestra Misión Escolapia en Guatemala. Les esperamos.

Mass Intentions – S=Mass will be live-streamed     +=Deceased        *Not a Public Mass

Over 100 Chinelos performed in our gymnasium celebrating Mexican Independence Day and the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.

The relics of Padre Pio were here at St. Helena on November 27.

Parish Trip to Sight and Sound Threatre to see Queen Esther.

Public Square Rosary Rally on October 16.

Blessing of Animals for the Feast of St. Francis

IMPORTANT FEMA FUNERAL PROGRAM UPDATE

FEMA is currently covering COVID and COVID-related deaths between January 20-May 16, 2020.

One requirement is that the Death Certificate must have the word COVID on it as being a cause or a contributing cause of death.  IF your death certificate does not have the word COVID on it, the certificate does NOT have to be formally changed.  INSTEAD, you can submit a letter from either the death certificate certifier or the local medical examiner or the New York City coroner, ON OFFICIAL LETTERHEAD stating that either the cause of death was COVID or that COVID was at least a CONTRIBUTING CAUSE of the death.  There must also be a statement that links this letter to the original death certificate.

Brief Corpus Christi Procession

 

St. Helena Food Pantry

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A PRAYER FOR THE MOST DESTITUTE SOUL IN PURGATORY
The plenary indulgence to be applied only for the departed by praying for them in a cemetery has been EXTENDED for the entire month of November. Now, some souls in purgatory don't have anyone to pray for them, and for Catholics, the concept of purgatory is a consoling thought, knowing that anyone who reaches this final stage of purification can only go “up.”
However, it is also a belief that those souls in purgatory benefit from our prayers, which somehow shorten the time they spend in purgatory. This stage of the afterlife is still a mystery to us, but we try to understand it from various passages in the Bible as well as the teaching of the Church. Whatever the case may be, in our charity, we can also direct our prayers to souls most forgotten by those on earth, asking God’s mercy to be showered upon them.
Here is a prayer from the Raccolta that directs our prayers to that soul in most need of our prayers.
Pray this prayer when you piously visit a cemetery anytime in November.

O Lord God Almighty, I pray Thee, by the Precious Blood which Thy Divine Son Jesus shed in the garden, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that soul amongst them all who is most destitute of spiritual aid; and vouchsafe to bring it to Thy glory, there to praise and bless Thee forever. Amen.


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Cardinal Dolan celebrated the 10AM Family Mass at St. Helena


I came to Adoration today to visit God. I didn’t stay long, but He knew I was there. Thank you, St. Helena, for that. Adoration every Thursday from 9AM-12PM.

No, our boiler was not invaded by a huge swarm of African Killer Bees. In preparation for the upcoming heating season, we are replacing and repairing the glass rods that help produce the steam that will keep our church nice and warm.


The church is open for weekday and weekend Masses.  Daily Mass in English is at 8:30AM and 12:15PMand in Spanish at 7PM and weekend Masses are now on Sat. at 5:30PM and Sunday at 8AM, 10AM, 12PM in Spanish, 5PM, and 6:30PM in French. 


August 18 is the Feast of St. Helena, and we have a relic of St. Helena and a coin minted in AD 325 that commemorates her being crowned as Augusta (Empress).


THE BLESSING OF PARKCHESTER during the pandemic.

Confessions by Appointment, 718-892-3232. or on Saturdays from 4-5:15PM. 

CUSTOMERS SHOP, AMAZON GIVES AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices, and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com. The difference is that when customers shop on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price  of eligible purchases to St. Helena when selected by customers. So, SMILE and shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/13-1740343  and AmazonSmile will donate to St. Helena Parish.

St. Helena is now live-streaming our Daily Mass every weekday at 8:30 am in English and on Sundays at 10 am. 

The Spanish Masses will be live-streamed on Sundays at NOON and on Wednesdays at 7 pm as well as every First Monday at 7 pm.

To access the Mass on your computer or smartphone either at the time of live-teaming or at any time of the day go to:  www.facebook.com/St.HelenaBronx and click on the VIDEO tab.

HOLY DAY MASSES:
Vigil:  7:00 PM (Spanish)
Holy Day:  8:30 AM, 12:15 PM,  7:30 PM
STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  
Every Friday during Lent:  following the 12:15 PM Mass (English), 6:00 PM (French), 7:00 PM (Spanish)
CONFESSION TIMES:
Every Saturday from 4 PM to 5:15 PM , or by appointment in the rectory.
ROSARY:
Every Wednesday, following the 12:15PM Mass.
Legion of Mary Rosary in Spanish every Saturday at 1:00PM in the Peralta Rectory Meeting Room.
Every last Sunday of the month at 6PM in French at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET:
Every Wednesday at 7PM in Spanish in the church.
Every Saturday at 1:30PM in the Green Bldg.
BAPTISMS:
English: Every Sunday at 2:30PM
Español: 2 y 4 Sábados en 2:30 PM
BAPTISM PREPARATION CLASS:
Usually meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month at 7 PM in the Church.  Register for the class at the rectory. You MUST bring BOTH a copy of the child's birth certificate as well as a copy of the Confirmation certificate of the godparents or a copy of the godparent's Catholic marriage certificate if a godparent is married.  A letter of suitability from the godparent's Catholic pastor will also be accepted.
SICK AND DECEASED members of the parish are remembered in the Offertory Prayers.  If you know of any current or former parishioners who are seriously ill or have passed, or you know of any sick parishioners who need Holy Communion brought to them, please contact the rectory at 718-892-3232 and let us know about their condition.
Announced and Unannounced Masses as well as Perpetual Mass Enrollment may be arranged at the rectory Mon.-Fri. from 8:30AM - 4:30PM.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES
Every Wednesday from September - June from 3:45 - 5PM, gathering in the Church. Some Sunday classes are also available.
OCIA CLASSES:
  English classes meet every Sunday from 3-4PM in the rectory or on Wednesday from 4-5PM in the Green Building from September - April.
  Spanish classes meet every Sunday from 10-11:15AM in the Peralta Rectory Meeting Room from September - June.
BIBLE STUDY CLASS meets every Tuesday at either 1PM or 7:30PM and every Sunday at 11:15AM in the Green Building.
BOY SCOUTS and Girls Scout Troop meet every Saturday from 11:30AM-1PM in the cafeteria, while the. CUB SCOUTS meet every Saturday at 9:30AM in the school cafeteria.
Al-Anon meets every Saturday at 11AM in the Green Building.
AA Big Book Study meets every Saturday at 7PM in the Green Builting. 
NA meets every Saturay at 11AM in the Peralta Rectory Meeting Room.
English Prayer Group meets every Saturday at 1:30PM in the Green Building
Spanish Prayer Group meets every Monday at 7PM in the church.
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Group visits the Rebekah Nursing Home every Wednesday at 10AM, leaving from the church.
Calasanz Movement Youth Group meets every Friday at 7PM in the gym.
The Religious Goods Room is open every Sunday from 8:30AM-1:30PM.

Transportation:  Take #6 Train to either Parkchester or Castle Hill or take the following buses: Bx22, Bx39, Bx4, Bx4A, or Q44.
Parish E-mail:  sthelenarc@yahoo.com
Parish Youtube Channel: St. Helena Film Ministries

Immigration issues? Catholic Charities has created a multi-service office to help all immigrants, especially those who have just arrived in the country. The services included in this office are housing, medical services, and immigration lawyers. To receive assistance, you must first call and ask for Christina who will help you make an appointment. The place to go once you have your appointment is the Red Cross Immigration Center, located at 520 West 49th Street, NY, NY 10019, where you will meet with immigration specialists.

If you test positive for COVID and are looking for treatment, call 212-268-4319 #9.

St. Helena School has been nominated in the category of “Best Catholic School in the Bronx.” You can vote once each day up until Monday 9/23. To vote, go to: https://bestoftheboro.secondstreetapp.com/og/fa65aba3-0c5f-4a23-af7d-55037e9838d6/gallery/333412626

 
 https://cardinalsappeal.org/

Born in Bithynia, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), circa 248, St. Helena was married to Roman Emperor Constantius and had a son who would become Constantine I, also known as Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to become a Christian. St. Helena, who converted as well, oversaw the construction of churches on Holy Land sites. She would later be credited with discovering the cross upon which Jesus Christ is believed to have been crucified. St. Helena died circa 328 in Nicomedia (present-day Turkey).  Shown below, the door to the St. Helena Chapel in Bethlehem.