News - August 2016 RSS Feed

Knitting Prayer Ministry:  Do you like to knit?  We are looking for people to knit either Prayer Shawls or Prayer Pockets.  You can knit them either in your own home, or you can come to the Church for a group knitting.  If you are interested in this new ministry, please call the rectory at 718-892-3232.  "Shawls ... made for centuries universal and embracing, symbolic of an inclusive, unconditionally loving, God. They wrap, enfold, comfort, cover, give solace, mother, hug, shelter and beautify. Those who have received these shawls have been  uplifted and affirmed, as if given wings to  fly above their troubles..." Knitting Prayer Ministry:  Do you like to knit?  We are looking for people to knit either Prayer Shawls or Prayer Pockets.  You can knit them either in your own home, or you can come to the Church for a group knitting.  If you are interested in this new ministry, please call the rectory at 718-892-3232. 

A Bereavement Support Group will begin at St. Helena, starting Saturday, September 17. The group is intended for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one or a dear friend. There will be TWO introductory sessions, one in English at 11 a.m. and another in Spanish at 2 p.m., both in the green Family Life center. For more information, contact either: Jessica Perez at [email protected] or Stephanie Colon at [email protected] or 917-504-4455.

If you are a senior living in Parkchester, PEP has a volunteer who can run errands for you. The volunteer is available every Friday in the late morning/early afternoon. If you need this service, call 718-409-1619 and speak with either Nicole or Gordon.

Mental Wellness Workshop will cover topics like dementia, depression, anxiety, effective communication skills, and strategies for healthy aging. The workshop will be held at PEP, 1525 Unionport Rd., starting Thursday, September 29 from 12-2PM and will run for 5 weeks. Lunch is included. The workshop is FREE thanks to a grant from the NY Foundation for Eldercare.

Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued A Pastoral Message: Living With Faith and Hope After September 11. The message remains extremely relevant as we reflect on what happened that day. Visit www.usccb.org and search on "9/11" to re-read, reflect on, and pray with the bishops' statement, for only with God's help can we have the strength to forgive and the ability to live in hope instead of fear and hatred.

Let us all remember in our prayers two religious sisters who were found stabbed to death on August 25 in their residence in Durant, Mississippi. Sister Margaret Held, a School Sister of St. Francis, and Sister Paula Merrill, a Sister of Charity of Nazareth, worked as nurse practitioners and provided a quarter of the medical care in their rural county, according to the Associated Press. Police have not given any indication of a motive for the killings.

Mother Teresa is one of the best known Catholic women of the 20th century, and on Sunday, Sept. 4 she will be canonized as a saint. Canonization recognizes holiness, not perfection. In elevating Mother Teresa to the honors of the altar, the Roman Catholic Church certifies, through an exacting and meticulous process, that, despite her faults, she lived a life of extraordinary holiness and is worthy of veneration and imitation.Canonization changes absolutely nothing about the person being honored; it merely confirms that the saint has been in heaven from the moment of her death. What canonization does do is change the relationship between the faithful and the saint; once canonized, the faithful are permitted to venerate the saint publicly. A new saint is a gift to the faithful in that the process surrounding a canonization invites reflection on how holiness manifests itself in particular times and places.

Dorothy Dugandzic just returned from Rome, where she attended the International TeenSTAR Conference. TeenSTAR is a developmental curriculum which uses learning one's fertility pattern to teach responsible decision-making and communication skills in the area of sexual behavior and enhances teens' self-understanding and self-esteem.

Dear Parish Chair, Please join the pastoral offices of the Archdiocese of New York, on Thursday, September 8, 2016, as we invite the lay leaders of our parishes to learn more about our ministry and how these offices can best serve our parish communities. This is the third in our series of meetings and will focus on the Offices of Development, Adult Faith Formation, and ArchCare. The meeting will have an English track and a Spanish track. Please be sure to select a ticket for the language track you prefer. A buffet dinner will be served for all prior to the meeting. We look forward to an evening of fun, fellowship, and information with all our lay leaders. Space is limited. Please RSVP by Friday, September 2, 2016 so that we may plan for the correct number of guests. WHEN Thursday, September 8, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM (EDT) - Add to Calendar WHERE St. Joseph's Seminary - 201 Seminary Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10704 - View Map http://sept8archlayleaders.eventbrite.com If you have any questions, please contact Channon Lucas at [email protected], or at ext. 3305 We hope you can make it!

Free Lecture on Christian Cosmology and Philosophy. Sr. Ilia Delio explores Evolution and the Power of Love from Aristotle to Teilhard de Chardin in a free lecture given at Maryknoll, 55 Ryder Road, Ossining on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 2:30-4PM. For more info, call 914-941-7636 X 2445.

Resolve Outstanding Warrants, clear your record and resolve outstanding warrants from certain quality of life summonses such as: consumption of alcohol in public, disorderly conduct, unlawful possession of marijuana, and trespassing. Saturday, September 17 from 9AM - 4PM at the Mount Hope Community Center, 55 E 175 Street, Bronx. For more information, call 718-590-2272 or go to www.bronxda.nyc.gov

Catholic Charities Homebase is sponsoring a Back 2 School Event on Friday, August 26 from 10AM - 4PM at 4101 White Plains Road, Bronx. Use the East 229 St. Entrance. Your child MUST be present to receive a gift.

Let's Make a Difference Together on 9/11: September 11 is now a federally recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance. In observance of this year's 15th anniversary of 9/11, we’d like to invite you to join more than 2,000 other New Yorkers to help pack more than half a million meals in NYC for families, seniors and veterans in need. No special skills are required. All you have to do is show up on time, ready to make a difference. WHEN:  Sunday, September 11, 2016, All Day Beginning at 7:00 AM (You'll select a two-hour shift) WHERE: Basketball City, Pier 36, Manhattan (East side) This event is FREE!  All volunteers will work for approximately two-hours. The first two-hour shift begins at 7:00 AM. When you click REGISTER, you’ll be taken to a page where you can select your desired shift. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact 9/11 Day at [email protected].  Also please remember later to share your good deed via social media and visit our website at 911day.org for updates, parents and teacher guides, and other info. The purpose of 9/11 Day is to promote unity, empathy and service in tribute to the victims, survivors, families, and the many who rose in service in response to the attacks. Today, nearly 30 million Americans observe 9/11 Day each year by volunteering, making donations to charities, and performing simple good deeds that help others.

St. Helena’s Parish NOW has a subscription to an online platform called FORMED, which is a kind of Netflix for Catholics, and so all parishioners now have unlimited access to faith formation programs, Bible Studies, Catholic-themed movies, e-books and much more. A number of Spanish-language resources are also available on FORMED. All you need is to enter is the Parish Code: 2KQQYD. Go to www.formed.org

This Jesuit secondary school for Catholic boys will have an Open House on Wednesday, October 5 from 5:30 - 8:30PM. If your son is academically talented and would like to be nominated for a Scholarship, please contact the Parish Office at 718-892-3232.

It will present the message of the Catholic Church to voters and will show you how to effectively mobilize your fellow citizens to vote in an informed and responsible way. There will be two webcasts, one on Tuesday, August 23 at 9PM and the other on Monday, August 29 at 9PM. Sign up at www.PriestsForlife.org/Webcast.

Are you a SNAP-eligible senior citizen living in NYC? You may qualify for a free monthly food package. For more information, call 917-982-2564. www.nycommonpantry.org

Flea Market and Carnival at Blessed Sacrament Church, 1170 Beach Ave, BX. Carnival Dates: Aug. 18-28. Flea Market Dates: Aug. 20, 21, 27, & 28 from 9AM - 6PM. For more info, call 718-892-3214 or email: [email protected].

The Encounter NYC is a once-a-month event for young people wishing to Encounter Christ. First, through an hour of Eucharistic Adoration with music and guided meditation, where participants elevate their minds and hearts to the Eternal Father in and with Christ present on the altar. During this time, there is the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and eliminate any sins or faults. Next, the young adults encounter our Divine Brother through the Arts. Finally, those gathered encounter Christ through one another within small communities. The next Encounter will take place on Friday, August 19 at 7PM at St. Dominic’s Church, 1739 Unionport Road, Bronx. The artistic presentation will be a night of poetry and jazz.

Retrouvaille helps couples through difficult times in their marriages. St. Helena is the Patron Saint of Difficult Marriages. For confidential information about the Retrouvaille program, or to register for the upcoming weekend that begins on Friday, September 2, please call 1-800-470-2230, and you will be connected directly and confidentially to someone who can help.