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 Catholic Funeral Rites:

Third Lenten Anthony van Engelen
WhenNoon Hour
a death occurs Lunch
in your family, & Talk
cell/text2019
905-563-7067
Baptism: please call the Parish Office and we Email adve1@yahoo.com
1st & 3rd Sunday at 1:00 pm. will assist you in making the neces-
Breaking Bread & Breaking into the
Call parish office. Word
Scheduling of God
sary liturgical arrangements.
Ministry & RFM:
Rachel Reid 905-941-4150
1st Communion & Confirmation
Angelina
Contact the Parish Office.
Prokich
ChronicMemorial Great Hall, ministryschedul-
Care Facilities: March 27th
Pastoral visits are made monthly. ing@sthelenscatholic.ca
Reception of Holy Communion is
Reconciliation: available to residence. Fundraising Events:
Every Saturday 4:00pm - 4:30pm or by Joe Della Manna
appointment with the priest. Homebound: josephdellamanna@yahoo.ca
Notify the Parish Office when serious
Marriage: illness occurs. When the sick, aged or Facility & Grounds Maintenance:
Arrangements six months in advance. incapacitated are confined to home for Craig Luey 905-988-6522
Marriage preparation is required. an extended time, pastoral visit can be craig.luey@gmail.com
arranged.
RCIA & RCIC: Catholic Women's League:
Contact the Parish Office.
Schools Colleen Drake 905-563-8981
Anointing of the Sick: St. Mark School Knights of Columbus:
Please let us know when someone has Principal: Steven Ward
You are invited, to meet
a serious or prolonged illness or is to for a simple bread, soup
Marceland cheese
VanRuyven lunch,
905-931-7556
mgvanruijven@gmail.com
have surgery. This sacrament cele- St. Edward School
with
brates a short
the healing of mind reflection.
and body RSVP
Principal: Carla by Monday if you’re coming so we
Bianco
and the forgiveness of sins. Contacts
can be prepared (call or email the office). All are welcome.
Music Ministry:
Kindly complete the following and place in the collection basket
☐ New Parishioner* ☐ Change of address ☐ Moving
Name________________________ Phone_________________ E-mail___________________
Address______________________________________________ City_____________________
☐ I would like to use offertory envelopes* Postal Code______________
 Third Sunday of Lent - Year C
March 24th, 2019
Mass Intentions This week, the Sanctuary Lamp burns in
 March 26 - 31, 2019 memory of the deceased members of
As we gather, let us remember and pray for . . .
th COMPAGNONE FAMILY
Tues. ~ ………………………………………. Mar 26
6:30 pm + Sally MacDonell (by Shirley Brunet) The Sanctuary Lamp burns to remind us of Christ’s
presence in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.
If you wish to sponsor the sanctuary lamp for one
Wed. ~ ………………………………………. Mar 27th
9:00 am Intn’s of Martina Friesen Stewardship of Treasure
(by Rosemary Salmon)
Thurs. ~ ………………………………………. Mar 28th March 17, 2019 ~ Offertory (154) $ 3,070.00
9:00 am + Armondo Gennari
Loose 268.45
(by Angus & Kathleen Reid)
Fri. ~ ………………………………………. Mar 29th Building Fund (59) 2,679.00
9:00 am + Richard Moyer (by Nancy Winslow) “May God bless you for your faithful stewardship!”
9:30 am STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Sat. ~ ………………………………………. Mar 30th so because they were greater sinners than those listening to him.
5:00 pm For the People of St. Helen Parish He urges his audience, and us, to be conscious of the need to re-
Sun. ~ ………………………………………. Mar 31st pent of our own failures. We are like the fig trees of his parable.
9:00 am + Ernie Brunet Although we have not yet been cut down, we are not yet bear-
(by Helen & Andy Hendriks) ing fruit.
11:00 am + Maria Solda Today is a chance to reflect on the ways in which God is call-
(by Loris & Bonnie Savegnago) ing you to hear the cry of the poor. Is it the cry of a marginalized
person in your own family? Is it the look from the homeless
SHARE LENT 2019 panhandler who manages to lock eyes with you for a brief sec-
GOD’S HOLY INTERVENTION ond on the street? Is it the story of the child migrant, separated
The burning bush is a powerful image in the Christian imagi- from her family and far away from home? Let us pray that we
nation. In today’s reading, Moses encounters God, who in- not only hear that call, but that we recognize that the ground on
structs him to take off his sandals because he is standing on Ho- which we hear it is holy.
ly Ground. But how often do we reflect on the reason for God’s If we recognize that the call is made on holy ground, we are
holy intervention at this point in history? Yes, the image of the more likely to freely respond. We are more likely to say, like
burning bush is an amazing one. But even more amazing is Moses, “Here I am.” We are all fig trees which must bear fruit.
why God appears at this moment. “I have seen the affliction of We are spared in our comfort from the oppressive conditions of
my people in Egypt and have heard their cry.” God hears the our sisters and brothers in the darkest corners of the world. This
cry of the poor and afflicted and responds by calling Moses to does not mean that God has abandoned them and not us. In fact,
cooperate with Him in their deliverance. Indeed, as today’s our own salvation may be in peril more than theirs. No, Jesus
psalm says, “The Lord is kind and merciful.” tells us that this is the moment of our mutual salvation – when
In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us not to interpret simple calami- we respond to the cry of the poor and come together to Share
ties as divine punishment. He refers to two different calamities the Journey.
of his time and makes it clear that those who perished did not do
Points of Interest
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Carmel, Megiddo, Galilee, Jor-
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Tabor, Beit Shean, Old & New
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Masada, Qumran, Dead Sea,
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Pilgrimage Package Price
$3,995.00 CAD pp based on
Join FR. KRZYSZTOF on a double occupancy. To register
PILGRIMAGE to the HOLY LAND and more info, call the office.
 CATCHING FIRE
I AM sent me to you This is my name forever. (Ex)
Do not be unaware; take care not to fall. (1 Cor)
If you do not repent, you will perish. (Luke)
Today’s Gospel
parable challenges us
to reflect on patience
and forgiveness.
Among our families
and friends, there
may be someone we
have given up on.
The divide is too
wide. They have con-
tinually failed to meet
our expectations. The grudge may be permanent, or the
injury may have cut so deeply, that amputation seems
to be the only resolution.
Although the fruitless tree had yielded nothing in
three years, the gardener implores: “Sir, leave it for this
year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and
fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.”
The Gospel provides new hope and invites us to al-
ways try again. Forgive the past and look to the future.
~ Deacon Dick Folger
Join Us This Friday . . .
beginning at 9:30 am for
Stations of the Cross
SEPARATED & DIVORCED HEALING MINISTRY
March 25th topic - ‘Facing Fear’. Meetings are 7:00
to 9:00 p.m. at Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre, 7020
Stanley Ave, Niagara Falls. Pre-registration is not re-
quired. For formation call 905-356-4113 or 905 684-
0154, or email separatedanddivorced@saintcd.com
KITCHEN CREW & FOOD PREP CERTIFICATION
With our kitchen nearing completion, we are planning
to host a workshop for those who are interested in ob-
taining or renewing their Food Prep Certification.
More details will follow but for now, we would like to
hear from you if you’d be interested in doing this or be-
ing part of the kitchen crew. The instruction would be
about 3 hours and there would be a test after (don’t let
that deter you!). Please contact the office if you're in-
terested.
Niagara Foundation for Catholic Education
Annual Benefit Gala
Saturday, March 30 (5:30 p.m.)
Club Roma, 125 Vansickle Rd., St. Catharines
Honorary Guest: Bishop Gerard Bergie
After-dinner Speaker: Pat Stapleton, NHL legend and
Team Canada '72 member. Tickets are $80 each and
must be purchased by March 25, on-line at
www.niagaracatholic.ca For information call 905/735-
0240, x213 or e-mail foundationgala@nfce.com
REMINDER - FIRST RECONCILIATION
First Reconciliation will take place on Saturday, April
6th between 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. or any other Sat-
urday after that at 4:00 p.m.
DIOCESAN - WIDE
RECONCILIATION
On Saturday, April 6, 2019, in every
parish church across the diocese a
priest will be available from 10am –
2pm to hear individual confessions.
There will also be Eucharistic Adoration during this
time. 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. You can
welcome to stay a while and pray before the Lord.
ANNUAL DIOCESAN RESPECT FOR LIFE MASS
Celebrant: Most Rev. Gerard Paul Bergie, Bishop of
St. Catharines, Monday, March 25, 2019 @ 7:00 p.m.
at the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, 67
Church St., St. Catharines. Reception to follow. All
are welcome to attend.
ONE MILLION ROSARIES
FOR UNBORN BABIES
The One Million Rosaries for Unborn
Babies multinational pro-life prayer
event is scheduled for 3, 4 and 5 May
this year. Persons participating will
pray at least one Rosary for the protec-
tion of the unborn. For details and to
register go to:
http://www.saintmichaelthearchangelorganization.org/
NEXT CWL MEETING
TUESDAY APRIL 2ND
FOLLOWING 6:30 P.M. MASS
“Christ is Risen” Envelopes for Easter Flowers
and decor are available in the pew racks or vestibule
of the church and can be returned in the collection.