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
Office hours: Sunday: 9:00am, 11:00am *
Tuesday to Friday 9:00am - 3:00pm *(Children’s Liturgy of the Word)
Closed on Mondays and all Statutory holidays Weekday Masses:
Tuesday: 6:30pm
Website: www.sthelenscatholic.ca Wednesday to Friday: 9:00am
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/sthelenscatholic 2nd Friday at Albright: 10:00am
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 neces- cell/text 905-563-7067
sary liturgical arrangements. Email adve1@yahoo.com
1st Communion & Confirmation
Contact the Parish Office. Chronic Care Facilities: Ministry Scheduling & RFM:
Pastoral visits are made monthly. Rachel Reid 905-941-4150
Reconciliation: Reception of Holy Communion is ministryschedul-
Every Saturday 4:00pm - 4:30pm or by available to residence. ing@sthelenscatholic.ca
appointment with the priest.
Homebound: Fundraising Events:
Marriage: Notify the Parish Office when serious Joe Della Manna
Arrangements six months in advance. illness occurs. When the sick, aged or josephdellamanna@yahoo.ca
Marriage preparation is required. incapacitated are confined to home for
an extended time, pastoral visit can be Facility & Grounds Maintenance:
RCIA & RCIC: arranged. Craig Luey 905-988-6522
Contact the Parish Office. craig.luey@gmail.com

Anointing of the Sick: Schools Catholic Women's League:

Please let us know when someone has
a serious or prolonged illness or is to
have surgery. This sacrament cele-
brates the healing of mind and body
and the forgiveness of sins.
St. Mark School
Principal: Steven Ward
St. Edward School
Principal: Carla Bianco
Colleen Drake 905-563-8981
Knights of Columbus:
Marcel VanRuyven 905-931-7556
mgvanruijven@gmail.com

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______________
 Second Sunday of Advent - Year C
December 9th, 2018
Mass Intentions
 December 10 to December 16, 2018
As we gather, let us remember and pray for . . .
Monday ~ ……………. NO MASS……..……..Dec. 10th
Tuesday ~ ..…………..………………….……..Dec. 11th
6:30 pm + Maria Da Gloria Pereira (by the Family)
+ deLaat family (by Pam deLaat)
Wednesday ~ Our Lady of Guadalupe……….Dec. 12th
9:00 am + Ernie Brunet (by Josie & Vern Dell)
+ Emmy Geczy, + Lilly Torek and
+Emerich Borchok (by Alex Geczy)
Thursday ~ St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr..…..Dec. 13th
9:00 am + Erminio & Lucia DeStefano
(by Tony & Maria DeStefano)
Friday ~ ...………………….….…..……... Dec. 14th
10:00 am Intn’s of Bowen Family (by Curry Family)
Albright Manor Monty Vandeyar (by Vandeyar family)
Saturday ~ …………………………………... Dec. 15th
5:00 pm + Merle Haining (by Dennis & Veronica Haining)
Sunday ~ …………………………………….. Dec. 16th
9:00 am For the People of St. Helen Parish
11:00 am + Paolo Settimo (by Linda & Marco Fortino & family)
+ Mike Borsodi (by Borsodi Family)
MINISTRY FOR THE SICK AND
HOMEBOUND
We are grateful to those who give of
their time and care to bring Holy Com-
munion to our parishioners who can-
not 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 of-
fice.
ARE YOU REGISTERED IN OUR PARISH?
If you are new to the parish or have been attending
Mass here, ensure that you are registered by complet-
ing the tear off section at the front of this bulletin.
Please do not take for granted that you are registered in
the parish, just because you attend Mass here. In the
future, should you be in need of a pastoral letter
(godparent, school, sponsor for confirmation, teacher
referral, etc.), it would be difficult to issue one if you
are not formally registered with the parish.
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY
The Prayer Shawl Ministry continues
to create handcrafted shawls for pa-
rishioners, their families and friends
who are coping with illness, loneli-
ness, pain or trouble. During the
This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns in memory
of JOHANNUS ZUTT
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
week the stipend is $35.00
Stewardship of Treasure
December 2, 2018 ~ Offertory (160) $4,061.00
Loose 245.80
Building Fund (26) 3,668.35
“May God bless you for your faithful stewardship!”
past year, we have distributed many prayer shawls and
lap blankets. The shawls are knitted with compassion
and prayerfulness. They are available to anyone who
needs one. Please call the office to request a shawl or
lap blanket or if you would like to join this ministry.
We meet monthly and welcome new members.
OFFERTORY ENVELOPES
Please pick up your 2019 Offertory envelopes are care-
fully check the label notifying the office of any errors
or changes. Please wait until January to use the new
box of envelopes.
ST. HELEN’S 4TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL
CHRISTMAS ANGEL TREE
The Memorial Christmas Angel Tree
glows with lights in memory of deceased
loved ones and friends. To honour the
memory of a loved one with an angel,
complete a “Memorial Christmas Angel
Tree” envelope available at the entrance
of the church and place it in the collec-
tion basket or simply stop in at the office
reception window during office hours
with your request.
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS & DECOR
Envelopes to help pay for Christmas Flowers and décor
are available in the pews or vestibule of the church and
can be returned in the collection basket.
POPE FRANCIS’ DECEMBER
PRAYER INTENTION
That people, who are involved in the service and trans-
mission of faith, may find, in their dialogue with cul-
ture, a language suited to the conditions of the present
time. (Apostleship of Prayer)
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ADVENT
God will show your splendour. (Baruch)
In the day of Christ, may you be pure and blameless.
(Philippians)
All flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Luke)
Today’s Gospel has a date stamp
on it. The 15th year of Tiberius
Caesar’s reign began in 29 C.E.
Since we mark time from Jesus’
birth, both John and Jesus were just
turning 30 and ready to begin their
ministries. John was the herald in the desert and his
mission was to announce Jesus. Using the 800-year-old
words of the prophet Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the
Lord.”
Those ancient words from Isaiah still speak to us
today as we prepare the way of the Lord through the
season of Advent. Once again on Christmas Eve, we
welcome the newborn King into our hearts and lives.
Deacon Dick Folger
CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE 2018
Mass times:
Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve - 5:00 p.m. (children’s Mass), 11:00 p.m.
Dec. 25 - Christmas Day - 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Jan. 1 - New Year’s Day - 10:00 a.m.
Confessions:
ThursdayDecember 20th , 7:00 p.m. and Saturday’s at 4:00 p.m.
2ND WEEK OF ADVENT - PREPARING OUR
HEARTS AND ASKING FOR THE GRACE
We prepare this week by stepping up the long-
ing. We move through this week by naming deeper
and more specific desires.
Each morning this week, if even for that brief mo-
ment at the side of our beds, we want to light a second
inner candle. We want to let it represent “a bit more
hope.” Perhaps we can pause, breathe deeply and say,
“Lord, I place my trust in you.”
Each day this week, as we encounter times that are
rushed, even crazy, we can take that deep breath, and
make that profound prayer. Each time we face some
darkness, some experience of “parched land” or desert,
some place where we feel “defeated” or “trapped,” we
hear the words, “Our God will come to save us!”
The grace we desire for this week is to be able to hear
the promise and to invite our God to come into those
real places of our lives that dearly need God's com-
ing. We want to be able to say:
“Lord, I place my trust in your promise. Please, Lord,
rouse your power and come into this place in my life,
this relationship, into this deep self-defeating pat-
tern. Please come here and save me.”
Each night this week we can look back over the day
and give thanks for the moments of deep breath, that
opened a space for more trust and confidence in God's
fidelity to us. No matter how difficult the challenges
we are facing - from the growing realization of our per-
sonal sinfulness, to any experience of emptiness or
powerlessness, even in the face of death itself - we can
give thanks for the two candles that faithfully push
back the darkness. And, we can give thanks for the
graces given us to believe that “Our God will come to
save us” because we were given the courageous faith to
desire and ask boldly.
Come, Lord Jesus. Come and visit your people.
We await your coming. Come, O Lord.
3 WEEKS TO REACH THIS
YEAR’S CHALLENGE!
For the last two years, a
generous benefactor matched
all Christmas donations that
were received in the special Christmas Basement Cam-
paign Envelope up to $10,000. By your generosity, we
have come a long way towards finishing our kitchen
and making our hall a usable space. We also put in air
conditioning in the hall which was needed in the warm-
er temperatures. Once again, our generous benefac-
tor has challenged parishioners and agreed to match
Christmas donations received in the special Christ-
mas Basement Kitchen Campaign Envelope to a
maximum of $10,000. With your kind support, we
hope to complete the kitchen including purchasing
some remaining smaller appliances and dishware,
glassware, dishwasher racking, trolleys etc. Envelopes
can be found in the pews.
Dr. Robert Holmstedt, Professor of Hebrew Scripture,
Presents an Advent Conference
What is the purpose of Advent? Why are the Sunday
Gospels readings chosen for this time of year? What
do these Scripture readings prepare and equip us for
what God calls us to do? Join us for a lecture on Ad-
vent in which we will discuss these questions. Tues-
day, December 18, at 7:00 p.m. (right after Tuesday
evening Mass). Please bring a Bible!
REMEMBER YOUR PARISH
Keep your love for your parish alive.
Remember your parish in your will
and when recommending expres-
sions of sympathy. In Memoriam
Donations to the Building Fund are
appreciated and accepted.
Friday @ 7:00 p.m.
Come out for A fun
night!