St.

Helen Church
DECEMBER 24TH, 2017 | FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR B)
4106 Mountain Street | Beamsville, Ontario | L0R 1B7 www.sthelenscatholic.ca

Phone (905) 562-7427 | Fax (905) 563-0003 | office@sthelenscatholic.ca | www.sthelenscatholic.ca

May all the

Philip Pastor
blessings of Pastor
God’s perfect Fr. English
Fr. English
gift fill your
heart and Office Administration
homes this Office Administration
Aggie Agnino Ext. 1
Christmas. Aggie Agnino Ext. 1

Have a
joyous and
blessed
Chirstmas Mass
MassTimes
Times
and a • Saturday
Saturday -- 55 p.m.
p.m.
Happy New • Sunday
Sunday -- 99& & 11
11 a.m.
a.m.
Year.

Schools Contacts
St. Mark School Reconciliation
Catholic Women's League
Principal: Steven Ward Before or after mass or by appoint- Michelle Mackey 289-235-8282
Phone: (905) 563-9191 ment.
Knights of Columbus
Marriage George L. Savage 289-566-9383
St. Edward School
Principal: Carla Bianco Six months’ notice; marriage prep Music Ministry
Phone: (905) 562-5531 required. Anthony van Engelen
cell/text 905-563-7067,
Anointing of the Sick Email adve1@yahoo.com

Sacraments Please let us know when someone

Ministry Scheduling
has a serious or prolonged illness or Rachel Reid 905-941-4150
Baptism ministryscheduling@sthelenscatholic.ca
is to have surgery. This sacrament
Available Sundays at 1:00 pm. Call
celebrates the healing of mind and
parish office. Fundraising Events
body and the forgiveness of sins. Joe Della Manna
First Communion & Confirmation josephdellamanna@yahoo.ca
Catholic Funeral Rites
Arranged through school. If your Youth Ministry
When a death occurs in your family,
child is not in a Catholic school or is sthelensyouthministry@gmail.com
please call the Parish Office and we
not baptized in the Roman Catholic
will assist you in making the neces- Facility & Grounds Maintenance
Church, contact the Parish Office. Craig Luey 905-988-6522
sary liturgical arrangements.
craig.luey@gmail.com

Kindly complete the following and place in collection basket

☐ New Parishioner* ☐ Change of address ☐ Moving
Name________________________ Phone_________________ E-mail___________________
Address______________________________________________ City_____________________
☐ I would like to use offertory envelopes* Postal Code______________

We welcome you and invite you to share in the spiritual and social activities of your parish.
 This week
Year B MASS INTENTIONS the
L & D (living & deceased) December 24th, 2017 - January 7th, 2018 Sanctuary
Lamp
Day Requested for Requested by burns in
Christmas Eve memory
+ Mario Orlando, Carmela & Mike DeBonis, Ines DeBonis Maria Orlando
5:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. + Jean Witek Steve & Kate D’Onofrio of:
12:00 a.m. For the People of St. Helen
Christmas Day + Ricardo Huerta
For the People of St. Helen
10:00 a.m.
Tuesday Dec. 26th, Wednesday Dec. 27th, Thursday Dec. 28th, & Friday Dec. 29th
NO MASS
Saturday, Dec 30
+ Angela & Guglielmo Ricci Ricci Family
5:00 p.m.
Sunday For the People of St. Helen --------------------
9:00 a.m.
Jan 1 - Jan 7
+ Libero Palmieri Maria & Piera Palmieri This week
11:00 a.m.
+ Pasquale Burgio Giuseppina Burgio & Family the
New Year’s Eve Sanctuary
5:00 p.m. Lamp
For Blessings Received Mr. & Mrs. Da Silva
burns in
New Year’s Day memory
For the People of St. Helen
10:00 a.m. of:
Tuesday - Jan 2
+ Tony Macri Gaeton Robert + Monda Family
6:30 p.m.
Wednesday
+ Giuseppina Romasco Sharon Driscoll The
10:00 a.m.
Sanctuary Lamp
Thursday
Intn’s of Mary Smeenk Helen & Andy Hendriks burns to remind
8:30 a.m.
us of Christ’s
Friday presence in the
Intn’s of Viola & Peter Izzo Helen & Andy Hendriks
8:30 a.m. Blessed Sacra-
Saturday ment of the altar.
For the People of St. Helen
5:00 p.m. If you wish to
Sunday + Luigi & Carmela Zanni & + Carmelo Elia Mary Macri & family sponsor the sanc-
9:00 a.m. tuary lamp for one
Intn’s of Peter O’Grady Sue & Ivan Zuzek week the stipend
11:00 a.m. is $35.
+ Vince Mambella Stella Mambella

Stewardship of Treasure Ministry Enrichment Sessions

December 17, 2017 - Offertory (180)
Loose
Building Fund (17)
Building Fund - CAFT (16)
“May God bless you for your faithful stewardship!”
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 re-
ceive communion in their home or while hospitalized
at West Lincoln Hospital, please contact the parish
office.
Canadian Tire Money
We continue to collect Canadian Tire money to pur-
chase raffle prizes for fundraising events. It can be
brought to the office or in the collection basket.
Only one Session for Altar Servers - January 20,
4,727 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
186 CWL News
1,425 Ladies please join us for the Installation of
CWL Officers at the Tuesday, January 2nd,
1,130 6:30 p.m. Mass. It would be nice to see as
many members out as possible.
The CWL Meeting will follow at 7 p.m. with a very
brief meeting and a social hour after.
YOUth Blasters Winter Schedule
Attention all youth grades 3 and up, if you haven't al-
ready registered for YOUth Blast, please pick up the
orange registration form on the entrance table and
sign up! Next meeting dates:
January 28th from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
February 11th & 25th from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
 December 24 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
The Obedience of Faith
Promise of an heir from the house of David. (2 Samuel)
Everyone is offered salvation through Christ.. (Romans)
The angel Gabriel announces the prophecy’s fulfillment.
(Luke)
For grandparents, the
younger generations
are populated with
strangers from a distant
land. They communi-
cate on expensive
iPhones using acro-
nyms like OMG and
LOL. They text their
friends at blazing speed by typing on miniature cell-
phones using only their thumbs to hit the tiny key
zones. Their heroes and heroines are crooners and
rappers with names like Beeber, Fifty Cent, and
Snoop Dog.
Despite today’s technology, teenagers have al-
ways welcomed change as they transition to adult-
hood. They leave their parents and grandparents
wringing their hands with worry. Mary was still a
teenager when she encountered the angel Gabriel
in today’s gospel. It is humbling to realize her im-
mense courage and maturity in saying “yes” to God’s
preposterous proposition. --Dc. Dick Folger
Christmas Campaign
Off to a good Start!
This year, our generous ben-
efactor has agreed again to
match Christmas donations
received in the special Christmas Basement Cam-
paign Envelope to a maximum of $10,000. With
your kind support, we hope to finish the church kitch-
en or at least make it into a functional space for our
parish events. Envelopes can be found in the pews.
Children’s Christmas Pageant
All children are welcome to participate in the dram-
atization of the Gospel at the Children's Christmas
Eve Mass, December 24th at 5pm. Those wishing to
be angels, please wear white shirts. Those wishing
to be shepherds, please wear bathrobes with towels.
Tax Receipts - Deadline for 2017 donations for in-
clusion on 2017 tax receipt is December 31st, 4th
Sunday of Advent (11 a.m. Mass).
Christmas Mass Schedule 2017
Christmas Eve: Singing Carols before Mass
5:00 p.m. (Children’s Mass),
8:00 p.m. & 12:00 Midnight
Christmas Day: 10:00 a.m.
New Year’s Eve:
5:00 p.m. (Vigil Mass, Mary Mother of God)
New Year’s Day:
10:00 a.m. (Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God)
December 31 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
Holy Family - Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Family, Faith, and Legacy
Your very own issue shall be your heir. (Genesis)
The faith of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac. (Hebrews)
The child grew, filled with wisdom. (Luke)
When Mary looked up and saw the
angels filling the sky at Jesus’ birth,
she received a confirmation from
God that this miracle was true.
Then, when the shepherds found
the infant in the manger and wor-
shipped him, Mary knew again that
the power of God was upon her.
Luke tells us that Mary treasured
these things in her heart.
Today’s gospel encounter with Simeon and Anna
was yet another assurance that God’s hand was at
work, confirming it all. Simeon had waited a lifetime
to see the God-child. --Dc. Dick Folger
A note of THANKS from the
Ministry to the Migrant Workers
Thanks to all the parishioners who helped this minis-
try by graciously donating food, grocery gift cards, cd
players, clothing, suitcases, bikes and time volun-
teering with the transportation to the Sunday Span-
ish Mass through this year. May God bless you
abundantly always. Deacon Fabio
Pray for the Pope’s
January Intentions…
Religious Minorities in Asia ~ That Chris-
tians, and other religious minorities in
Asian countries, may be able to practice
their faith in full freedom.
A New Year’s Prayer for You
May GOD make 2018 happy for you!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright,
even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their
causes need you most,
And by making you anxious to be there to help.
GOD’s love, peace, hope and joy to you for the
year ahead.
In JESUS’ Name, Amen.