St.

Helen Church
4106 Mountain St.
Beamsville, ON L0R 1B7
Ph: 905-562-7427
Fax: 905-563-0003
Email: office@sthelenscatholic.ca
Opened - October 2, 1938 Est. as a Parish - January 1, 1986
Pastor: Rev. Krzysztof Szczepanik Sunday Masses:
Office Administration: Aggie Agnino Saturday: 5:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am, 11:00am *
*(Children’s Liturgy of the Word)
Office hours:
Tuesday to Friday 9:00am - 3:00pm Weekday Masses:
Closed on Mondays and all Statutory holidays Tuesday: 6:30pm
Wednesday to Friday: 9:00am
Website: www.sthelenscatholic.ca 2nd Friday at Albright: 10:00am
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/sthelenscatholic 3rd Friday at Mennonite: 10:00am

Sacraments Contacts
Catholic Funeral Rites:
Baptism: When a death occurs in your family, Music Ministry:
1st & 3rd Sunday at 1:00 pm. please call the Parish Office and we Anthony van Engelen
Call parish office. will assist you in making the adve1@yahoo.com
necessary liturgical arrangements.
1st Communion & Confirmation Ministry Scheduling & RFM:
Contact the Parish Office. Chronic Care Facilities: Rachel Reid ~ ministryschedul-
Pastoral visits are made monthly. ing@sthelenscatholic.ca
Reconciliation: Reception of Holy Communion is
Every Saturday 4:00pm - 4:30pm or by available to residents. Fundraising Events:
appointment with the priest. Joe Della Manna
Homebound: josephdellamanna@yahoo.ca
Marriage: Notify the Parish Office when serious
Arrangements six months in advance. illness occurs. When the sick, aged or Facility & Grounds Maintenance:
Marriage preparation is required. incapacitated are confined to home for Craig Luey
an extended time, pastoral visit can be craig.luey@gmail.com
RCIA & RCIC: arranged.
Contact the Parish Office. Catholic Women's League:
Piera Palmieri ~ contact parish office
Anointing of the Sick: Schools
Please let us know when someone has St. Mark School Knights of Columbus:
a serious or prolonged illness or is to Principal: Steven Ward Marcel VanRuyven
have surgery. This sacrament mgvanruijven@gmail.com
celebrates the healing of mind and St. Edward School
body and the forgiveness of sins. Principal: Carla Bianco SVDP:
Lorraine Martin ~ contact parish office
Kindly complete the following and place in the collection basket.
Envelopes will be on the round table in the foyer the following weekend.
☐ New Parishioner* ☐ Change of address ☐ Moving
Name________________________ Phone_________________ E-mail___________________
Address______________________________________________ City_____________________
☐ I would like to use offertory envelopes* Postal Code______________
 Second Sunday of Lent - Year A
Sunday March 8, 2020
Mass Intentions
This week, the Sanctuary Lamp burns in
 March 10 - March 15, 2020 memory of:
As we gather, let us remember and pray for . . . + NINA FRACCHIONI
th
………………………………………. Mar. 10
Tues. ~ The Sanctuary Lamp burns to remind us of Christ’s
+ Maria da Gloria Pereira
6:30 pm presence in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.
(by the Family)
If you wish to sponsor the sanctuary lamp for one
……………………………………… Mar. 11th week, the stipend is $35.00
Wed. ~
+ Mary & Patrick O’Keefe
9:00 am
(by Henderson Family)

Thurs. ~
9:00 am
……………………………………….. Mar. 12th
+ Henriette McMichen our parish prayer
(by John & Ethna Clarke) Jesus, open our hearts, enabling us to embrace
your teachings and to love one another. Holy
Fri. ~ ……………………………………….. Mar. 13th Spirit, lift us and lead us, deepening our desire to
9:00 am Stations of the Cross
10:00 am + Judy Wagner (by Nancy Winslow) serve God through serving each other. Amen.
Albright Mr

……………………………………… Mar. 14th

Sat. ~
+ Nancy & Joe Daniel
5:00 pm
(by Maria Marrese)
Sun. ~ ……………………………………… Mar. 15th
9:00 am + John Marchalewicz (by the Family)
11:00 am For the People of St. Helen Parish
MINISTRY FOR THE SICK AND
HOMEBOUND
We are grateful to those who give of
their time and care to bring Holy
Communion to our parishioners who
cannot make it to church due to sickness or infirmity. If
you know of anyone who would like to receive
communion in their home or while hospitalized at West
Lincoln Hospital, please contact the parish office.
A PRAYER WITH SONG OF TAIZE
March 21, June 20
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Monastery of Mount Carmel, 7020 Stanley Avenue,
Niagara Falls, 905-356-4113 or Contact Eunji Kim -
eunji@fountaintree.ca All are welcome!
We continue to collect your Canadian Tire
money. It can be brought to the office or
placed in the collection basket.
FLU SEASON
As a cautionary measure to alleviate
concerns, during the flu season, you
are requested not to shake hands
during Sign of Peace. You are also
asked to refrain from shaking
hands with the celebrant as you
leave the church. We hope that
these measures will help to keep all
of us healthy.
DID YOU KNOW. . .?
No Alleluias - During Lent, the
Gospel Alleluia (and any other
alleluia) is not used at Mass.
The core of the word “alleluia”
is the Jewish word “hallel,”
meaning “praise.” The hallel is
found in many of the psalms,
especially those used for the
Jewish feasts of Passover and
Pentecost. Early Christians,
seeing a link between the Jewish Passover and Jesus’
passing over from death to life, naturally incorporated
the Jewish Passover’s praise prayers — including the
hallel as “alleluia” — into their own liturgies.
“Hallelujah,” roughly translated, means “Praise be to
you, O God.” In keeping with that sense of penance
that pervades Lent, we liturgically sacrifice saying the
Alleluia during our celebration of the Eucharist. Also,
“Alleluia” is the Easter acclamation and does not fit the
season of Lent. As St. Augustine said, “We are an
Easter people and Alleluia is our song!”
No Gloria either - The Gloria is also not sung or said
during Masses in Lent. Like the Alleluia, it is set aside
during this season, to return joyfully at the Easter Vigil.
The Gloria is usually sung — echoing the angels’ song
in heaven — at Sunday Mass and on all solemnities
(even during Lent). The Gloria dates to the first years of
the church, but was originally used as part of Morning
Prayer. The Gloria first came into use during the Mass
as part of Christmas liturgies around the fourth century.
PRAY FOR THE POPE’S MARCH INTENTIONS
We pray that the Church in China may persevere in its
faithfulness to the Gospel and grow in unity.
(Apostleship of Prayer)
 2nd Sunday of Lent
The calling of Abraham, father of the people of God.
(Genesis 12)
God called us to be holy and gives us life and
immortality through the Gospel. (2 Timothy)
Jesus’ face shone like the sun. (Matthew 5)
Despite our own life’s
experience, wealth and status, we
are incomplete and lost until we
are “reborn in water and the
Spirit”: to be immersed in the
Gospel principles of justice and
reconciliation, to be transformed
in God's spirit of humility and
compassion.
To be “born in the Spirit” is to
see things with the eyes of God, to honor what God
honors, to love as God loves us. The kingdom of God
that Jesus speaks of in the Gospel transcends
boundaries and labels, stereotypes and traditions, the
color of flags and the color of skin. In God’s eyes, we
are all his children; in God's heart, we are all brothers
and sisters to one another.
While we tend to see God as the great cosmic Ruler, a
mysterious Being totally detached from us and removed
from the human experience, Jesus reveals God as a
loving Father who created us and our world out of love
and seeks to restore his beloved creation through an
even greater act of love: God’s becoming human
himself in order that his beloved humanity might realize
God’s dream of becoming holy and sacred.
MARCH 8 – INTERNATIONAL
WOMEN’S DAY
YESICA: A VOICE THAT
REVERBERATES FROM THE
AMAZON TO THE SYNOD
Yesica Patiachi Tayori of the Peru’s
Harakbut Indigenous community was
invited to the Synod of Bishops for the
Pan-Amazon Region in October 2019.
She said, “We, the Indigenous peoples,
have been, are and will always be the guardians of the
forest. But caring for our common home is everyone’s
responsibility, not just that of Indigenous peoples.”
Development and Peace’s partner, the Amazonian
Centre for Anthropology and Practical Application
(CAAAP), helps the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon
ensure that their rights and territories are respected.
On this International Women's Day, let us salute the
courage of women like Yesica, who bravely lead the
defence of the land, water and people.
Watch Yesica’s testimony at devp.org/campaign/yesica.
St. Helen’s Annual
Ham & Turkey Roll
Saturday March 28th, 2020
Doors open @ 6:00 p.m. ~ Event begins @ 7:00 p.m.
Lottery Tickets can be purchased at the office ~ $5.00
• Food Lottery Draws:
• Wine 1st prize $1500
• Beer 2nd prize $500
• Raffles 3rd prize $200
• Prizes 4th 3 prizes of $100 ea.
UNPLANNED - THE STORY
SHOWING ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 25TH
12 NOON IN THE PARISH HALL
Unplanned is the inspiring true story of one woman’s
journey of transformation. It is the most important
movie you’ll ever see on one of the most controversial
issues of our time. No matter which side of the fence
you’re on, no one will leave this film unmoved by
Abby’s journey. Bring your own lunch.
"40 DAYS FOR LIFE"
Be part of this peaceful campaign by prayer and fasting
throughout Lent. Each church is adopting one day with
two or more people to give public witness for one or
two hours, standing on Portage Rd. at the Niagara Falls
General Hospital and holding a sign “Pray to End
Abortion.” Our parish's day is Monday, March 23
(8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.); anyone, however, can take
part at any time by picking up a sign at the Knights of
Columbus Hall (6101 North St.). Please register for
your hour vigil time slot at the back of the church after
Masses.
CALL FOR SPANISH MINISTRY
VOLUNTEER DRIVERS
If you’re interested in helping out with this
important outreach for our migrant workers,
please contact Frances at 905-562-5475 or
you may call or email the parish office. Even if you can
only drive one way once a month, your time and
commitment will be much appreciated.
"FOUR HOURS OF MERCY
AND PEACE" -- DAY OF
RECONCILIATION
On Saturday, March 28, 2020
in every parish church across the
diocese, a priest will be
available from 10:00am –
2:00pm to hear individual
confessions. No matter how
long it has been, you are welcome to celebrate the
Sacrament of Penance, which assists us in spiritual
discipline as we turn away from sin and open our hearts
to reconciliation and healing; or you can also simply
come to pray before the Lord.