La siguiente evento patrocinado por la Legión de María se celebrará el 19 de agosto, y se iniciará el rezo del Rosario frente a las escaleras de la iglesia de St. Helena, comenzando a las 1:00 PM. Invitado Ministerio de música: Alex Henriquez
St. John Baptist Mary Vianney (1786-1859) was born in Dardilly and died in Ars, France. Although his talents were limited and his education meager, he was ordained a priest in 1815. After three years at Ecully, he was appointed parish priest of Ars. Here he spent almost forty-two years of his life, devoting himself to prayer, mortification, and pastoral works. His success in directing souls made him known throughout the Christian world. Men of all ranks and conditions of life sought his guidance and advice. He was beatified by Pope St. Pius X, himself once a parish priest, and canonized by Pope Pius XI.
In the year 1521 a cannon ball fractured the left leg of Captain Ignatius Loyola, the future founder of the Jesuits. While he was convalescing, Ignatius read about Christ and His saints and thus turned wholly to God. He then undertook to equip himself for Christ's service by acquiring a good classical and theological education. The members of the Society of Jesus became the shock troops of the Church in the battle against the spread of Protestantism in Europe, as well as one of the greatest foreign mission organizations that the world has known. Ignatius died on July 31, 1556.
The Piarist Generalate in Rome is attached to the Church of St. Pantaleon, who was one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. He was a physician, who practiced without payment, and who was martyred under Diocletian. His cultus is primarily connected with Bithynia, where Emperor Justinian rebuilt his church at Nicomedia. Churches are dedicated to him in Constantinople and Rome. In the East, he is known as a Great Martyr and Wonder Worker. A reputed relic of Pantaleon's blood kept at Ravello in southern Italy displays the phenomenon of liquefaction on his feast day, similar to that of Saint Januarius.
Nothing is known of St. James the Greater's early life, though it has been established that he is the son of Zebedee and Salome and brother of John the disciple. The title "the Greater" was added to St. James' name to help distinguish him from the Apostle James "the Less," who is believed to have been shorter than James "the Greater." Saint James the Greater was one of Jesus' first disciples. James was fishing with his father and John the Apostle when Jesus came to the shores of the Sea of Galilee and called for the fishermen, who were unable to catch any fish that day, to dip their nets in the water once again. When the fishermen followed Jesus' instructions, they found their nets full, and after emptying the fish on board, the boats nearly sank from their weight. Later, James was one of only three called by Jesus to witness his Transfiguration, and when he and his brother wanted to call fire upon a Samaritan town, both were rebuked by Jesus. Following Christ's Ascension, James spread the Gospel across Israel and the Roman kingdom as well. He traveled and spread the Word for nearly forty years in Spain.
The best-known history of Saint Christopher states that he is the patron saint of travel, transportation, bachelors, storms, and epilepsy, and many of us grew up with St. Christopher visor clips in our cars. Surprisingly, we know more about what St. Christopher is today than we know about his life and death while he was here on earth. There is general scholarly agreement that he died in the third century. His given name was probably Offerus or Reprobus, who died around AD 251, though there is no definite record. He is believed to have died a martyr of the faith after converting thousands to Christianity.
Are you suffering because your sibling was aborted? There are millions of others out there who have also experienced this loss. You are not alone! Due to a grant, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal is offering a Retreat to siblings at no cost, including travel from Friday, September 22 to Sunday, September 24. For more information, please call Teresa Bonopartis at 877-586-4621 or Email [email protected].
A chronically ill college dropout seems an unlikely candidate to be the first Puerto Rican Saint, but Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Santiago was never terribly concerned about other people’s expectations. Born to a faithful Catholic family in 1918, Rodriguez was the second of five children; two sisters later married and one became a Carmelite nun, while his only brother became the first Puerto Rican abbot, and Carlos, himself, is the first Puerto Rican, in fact, the first Caribbean-born layperson in Church history to be beatified.
Peter was the first pope and is a saint. However, he was declared a saint before the official canonization process was in place. That process was not firmly in place until the 12th century. The first person to be canonized a saint by a Pope was Saint Udalric, Bishop of Augsburg, who was canonized by Pope John XV in 993, and his feast day is July 10.
St. Thomas was a dedicated but impetuous follower of Christ. He first speaks in John’s Gospel when Jesus said He was returning to Judea to visit His sick friend Lazarus, Thomas immediately exhorted the other Apostles to accompany Him on the trip which involved certain danger and possible death because of the mounting hostility of the authorities.
Saint Christopher is one of the most popular, yet most enigmatic Catholic figures. He is considered a saint, although he is no longer in the Universal Calendar of the Saints. He is listed as a martyr, and some believe he may be identified with Reprobus, who died under the Roman Emperor Decius, in 251 AD. Most Catholics refer to him as Saint Christopher anyway, and his medals and devotions are among the most common in Catholicism. Other than his listing as a martyr, there are no primary sources referring to St. Christopher, only legends.
It was 110 years ago that President Theodore Roosevelt first asked school children to plant trees on Arbor Day. This year, on Arbor Day, April 28, the second graders of St. Helena School planted their very own First Communion Dogwood Tree in the St. Helena playground. Legend says that Jesus was crucified on a dogwood tree and that the petals of the tree’s flower resemble the shape of the cross with the crown of thorns inside. It was on April 15, 1907, that President Theodore Roosevelt issued his Arbor Day Proclamation to School Children of the United States asking them to plant trees on Arbor Day. The Dogwood Tree that was planted by the St. Helena second graders on Arbor Day 2017 in their playground area was planted to commemorate their First Holy Communion, which they will receive on Saturday, May 6 at 10AM in the church.
Bishop John Jenik celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday afternoon in the Church. There were 17 St. Helena 7th graders who received the sacrament along with 22 members of the parish's Religious Education program.
Our 3-year-old, kindergarten, first, and second-grade students all participated in Red Nose Day today. Red Nose Day is run by the non-profit Comic Relief Inc., and aims to end child poverty by raising awareness and money. According to the Red Nose Day website, the money raised in honor of the event supports projects that “ensure kids are safe, healthy, educated, and empowered.” Red Nose Day funds programs in all 50 United States, and some of the poorest communities in areas like Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
ON MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBERING ST. HELENA'S AMERICAN HEROES WHO DIED WHILE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY: 1. John Montague Mansfield ’60, PFC, U.S. Army HHC 3rd BN, 12th Infantry , died July 12, 1967, Pleiko, South Vietnam. 2. Gerald Lawrence Fox '60, PFC, U.S. Army,Infantryman, Bravo Company 4th Inf Div., USARV , died: March 9, 1967, Phu Yen, South Vietnam. 3. William David Bridge ’61, 1st Lt. U.S. Army 198th Light Infantry Brigade, died: June 16, 1970, Quang Ngai, South Vietnam.