September 18, 2016 ___ ______Page 1

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Miriam Americo, Lisa B., Baby Alexandra Bachert, Caroline Bachert, Frances Baio, Dolores Barbieri, Catherine Capato, Sally Capoziello, Shang Cheng, Antoinette & Cathe-rine Chiarelli, Marge D’Auria, Mary Ann D’An-gelo, Baby Christopher Brian Demmerle, Do-menica DeVito, Virginia DiGangi, Francesca

Gaudino, Ian Genovese-Williams, Joseph Gentile, John Joseph Gleeson, John Pierce Gleeson, Christine Healy, Aurea Hernandez, Maria Hernandez, Rosemary Hogan, Michael Hegel, Elizabeth Isolano, Keri & Baby Tristan, Ame-lia Kalb, Pam Karwan, Baby T.J. Krieg, Kathleen Krieg, Klavdia Krieg, Anthony Lamantia, James Leung, Thomas & Patricia Lipari, William J. Litt, Maryann Maione, Peter Ma-ione, Ralph Maresco, Mary Mastrangelo, Camillo Mazella, Rosemary Menechella, John Myers, Salvatore Noto, Angela Ottomanelli-Hubbs, Michael Palermo, Gina Palya, Santo Pantina, Ann Parsell, Doris, Carlo, Philip & Frank Pecchillo, Vivian Puglissi, Joseph Questore, Mary Romano, Jake Rothman, Louise Ruggiero, Anthony Russo, Bill Sangirardi, Felice Scimeca, Fred Sepulveda, Rosalia Sindone, Michael Tamburo, Chrissie Tremblay, Paul Tremblay, Paul John Tremblay, Ann Marie Vayda, Sr. Joanne Walters, Elizabeth Weimer, Brittany Zaita.

Deceased: Annabelle Sciame Please Note: Since there are too many names of the sick to mention in the Prayer of the Faithful, they will be listed in the Bulletin for two weeks. To have a name reinstated on the list, a family member should call the Rectory during office hours.

T h i s We e k ' s M a s s I n t e n t i o n s

Sunday, September 18, 2016 8:00AM George & Claire Cox 9:30AM For The Parishioners 11:00AM Rosemarie Questore (St. Helen Support Group) 12:30PM Ralph Maresco (Loving Family) 5:00PM Nicolo Chiaramonte (Loving Parents)

Monday, September 19, 2016 St. Januarius 9:00AM Anthony, Lena & Maris Maragioglio (Family)

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 Sts. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn & Paul Chŏng Ha-sang 9:00AM Christine Piotrowski (Marty & Pat Johnson & Family)

Wednesday, September 21, 2016 St. Matthew

9:00AM Dec’d. Members of St. Helen’s Support Group 7:00PM Padre Pio Triduum

Thursday, September 22, 2016 9:00AM M/M Louis Taranto (Family) 7:00PM Padre Pio Triduum

Friday, September 23, 2016 St. Pius of Pietrelcina 9:00AM Fred R. Trimboli (Linda Mossa & Family) 7:00PM Padre Pio Triduum

Saturday, September 24, 2016 9:00AM Eleonoro Calore (Maria DiCarlo & Family) Edward Gleason (Pat Pantaleo & Family) Raymond McNeill (Loving Sister, Joan McCue) 5:00PM Pasqualina D’Nofrio, Anthony Pangiarella, Gloria Paradiso, Anthony Piazza, Dolores Stone

Sunday, September 25, 2016 8:00AM Antonio Sannino (Rachele Sannino) 9:30AM Theresa Moccia (Rachele Sannino) 11:00AM Antoinette Palmigiano (Loving Sister) 12:30PM Vincenzo Puleo (Madeline & Joe Bongiorno) 5:00PM For The Parishioners

St. Helen’s Religious Education Registration for 2016-2017

Our program consists of Eight Religious Education grades:

Kindergarten to 7th Grade

We are now registering children for the 2016-2017 school year. The registration packet may be obtained at the Religious Education Office located in the school building.

The registration fee is $75 for one child, and $100 for two or more children in the same family. If the child was baptized at a Church other than St. Helen you will need a copy of your child's baptismal certificate. If you do not have one avail-able, you should contact the rectory of the Church where your child was baptized. Most parishes take a couple of weeks to process a baptismal certificate. Place your request now so your regis-tration for our program will not be delayed. If you have any concerns or questions please contact us at 718-916-2319. Registration for those enrolled in the 2016-2017 year was sent home with your child and/ or via email. Religious Education Program Starting Dates:

Monday, September 26: 6th & 7th Grades Wednesday, September 28: K-3rd Grades Thursday, September 29: 4th & 5th Grades

The Altar Bread for this week are donated

in memory of Joseph Villano, requested by St. Hel-en Catholic Academy Faculty & Staff.

If you are new to St. Helen Parish, please remember to stop in at the Recto-ry to register your family!

September 18, 2016 ___ ______Page 2

Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island

Crossing the Threshold of the Holy Doors

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Coach bus will leave St. Helen’s at 8:15AM and return around 4:30PM

Price: $40.00 Per Person

Includes: Donation to the Shrine and tip for driver.

Bring a brown bag lunch. Hot & cold drinks and a small selection of snacks are available at the Coffee Shop.

Sponsored by: St. Helen’s Rosary Ministry

For more information or to reserve a seat, call Agnes Cummings at (917) 716-5898

The Shrine of Our Lady of the Island in Manorville, NY is a pilgrimage site for the Jubilee Indulgence by which the faithful who make a sacred pilgrimage to this site and its Holy Door of Mercy, and there assist devoutly at a liturgical celebration or other pious exercise, can gain a plenary indulgence, which wholly frees a person from the temporal pun-ishment due for sin, the guilt of which has already been forgiven (canons 992 and 993).

Children age 9 and up with a passion for drawing and a love of art are welcome to come learn the techniques and practices used to develop a portfolio for art H.S., on Tuesdays from 4:00-5:30PM. For further information please contact Madeline Lovallo at 718-843-0935.

All are warmly invited and welcomed to honor St. Padre Pio’s life and sainthood. For the first time, St. Helen Church will celebrate a Triduum, three days, of Masses and devotions. It will begin on Wednes-day, September 21st, as Fr. Richard Bretone will celebrate a Special Mass at 7:00PM. The second evening will begin at 7:00PM on Thursday, Sep-tember 22nd. Fr. Fasano, from Our Lady of Good Counsel in Five Towns, will celebrate Mass. Veneration of St. Pio’s Relic will fol-low in Church. Father Francis Colamaria will conclude our Triduum of devo-tion through celebration of Mass at 7:00PM, on Friday, September 23rd, St. Padre Pio’s Feast Day. A candlelight procession, outside the Church, and veneration of his relic will follow.

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WE ARE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO OUR GOAL! St. Helen R.C. Church will receive:

50% of the funds we raise up to our goal! 75% of the funds raised over goal! Every dollar raised over 125% of our goal!

St. Helen Church Needs Your Help! If you have not already done so, please get your

Pledge in by the “In-Pew” weekend of September 24th!

At this point everyone should have received their Campaign information! If you have not, please pick up your information during the week at the Rectory. If you have received your pledge information, and are ready to make your pledge, please drop your card off at the Rectory, or put it in a sealed envelope in the collec-tion basket at Mass.

Please Consider Making a Pledge!

Policies Regarding Infant Baptism at St. Helen Parish

Parents seeking Baptism for their children who live within the territory of St. Helen Parish are asked to register as members of the parish before requesting an initial interview for Baptism. Registration is easily done at the parish office anytime during business hours.

Parents seeking Baptism for their children who live outside the territory of St. Helen Parish are asked to obtain a letter from the parish in which they live authorizing the Baptism to take place at St. Helen.

Initial meetings with parents seeking Baptism for their children will normally take place on the second Wednes-day of each month from 7:00–9:00PM and on the fourth Saturday of each month from 10:30AM–12:30PM.

SEPTEMBER—OCTOBER, 2016

Mornings of Preparation Required Before a Baptism: (All begin at the 11:00AM Mass and continue in the Msgr. McGinness Room)

September 25 — October 16 & 30

Schedule for Baptisms: (All begin at 2:00PM) September 25 — October 16 & 30

Please call 718-738-1616 for more information and/or to schedule an appointment.

Amount for 5 Years

Amount per Month for 60

Months

Amount per Week

(approximately)

Daily Sacrifice

Daily Sacrifice Item

$15,000 $250 $57 $8.21 Deli Sandwich and a drink

$12,000 $200 $46.15 $6.57 Fast-food meal

$10,000 $166 $38.00 $5.47 Roundtrip subway ticket

$7,500 $125 $31.00 $4.46 Coffee and bagel

$6,000 $100 $23.00 $3.29 Slice of pizza and a drink

$4,800 $80 $20.00 $2.86 Starbucks coffee

September 18, 2016 ___ ______Page 4

This past summer, Father Anthony was assigned to the parish as a summer priest assistant, permitting the other priests to take vacation. At the conclusion of the summer, I had a conversation with Father Anthony about his further studies. He expressed the desire to remain in the Diocese of Brooklyn while he completes his degree. As a way of assisting him in his studies I have agreed to have Father Antho-ny remain in residence at the rectory for some time. His status is now that of a resident of the parish and on occasion will be present to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Please pray for him as he contin-ues in this endeavor.

Fr. Colamaria

The Order of Franciscans Secular meet on the 3rd Saturday of every month in St. Helen’s Church Meeting Room after the 9AM Mass. Come and learn more about the Franciscan way of life.

Catholic Charities Senior Center

The Howard Beach Senior Center, located across from Stop & Shop on Crossbay Blvd., invites seniors aged 60 and older to become members. Activities and services are offered Monday-Friday from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. Daily delicious and nutritional hot lunches ca-tered by Russo’s on the Bay ($2 donation requested), as well as educational and recrea-tional activities, case assistance, entitlement counseling and advocacy are also availa-ble. The Center also offers health promotional classes such as stay-well fitness, chair aerobics, yoga, Tai Chi, and walking groups. Dances are held weekly, as well as card games, Wii bowling, bridge lessons and, of course, Bingo.

Upcoming Events

The Center will be conducting a seminar on Fire Safety in the home on Tuesday, September 20th at 10:30AM by the NYC Fire Department.

On Thursday, September 29th at 10:30AM, the Center will be hosting a Walking 101 Workshop, to be sponsored by the New York Road Runners Club. Topics to be discussed are fall prevention, improve-ment of balance, and coordination and strength training. Plan on attending this informative session.

The Catholic Charities neighborhood Services Howard Beach Senior Center is located at 155-55 Crossbay Blvd., across from Stop N Shop. For further information please contact Rosalie at 718-738-8100.

Regis High School, an all-scholarship Jesuit second-ary school for Catholic boys located at 55 E. 84 St., NYC, will hold an Open House for students and their parents on Monday, October 10th from 1:00-4:00PM. For additional information call (212) 288-1100, x 2057.

Registration for the Children’s Choir will take place today, Sunday, Sep-tember 18th and next Sunday, September 25th after the 9:30AM Mass in the Msgr. McGinness meeting room in the Rectory. The Choir is open to chil-dren in grades 2-8. Rehearsals will be held on Wednesday afternoons at 5:00PM in the Msgr. McGinness meeting room.

Rosary For Life will hold their Annual Mass on Monday, October 3rd at

7:00PM at Good Shepherd Church, located at 1950 Batchelder St., Brooklyn (enter

through Batchelder St. school yard between Aves. S & T). The main celebrant will be Most

Rev. Frank J. Caggiano. The Rosary begins at 7PM, followed by the Mass at 7:30PM. In-

vestiture in Brown Scapular following Mass. Parking is available. For further information

please contact Rosary For Life at (718) 377-6920.

September 18, 2016 ___ ______Page 5

Mon., Sept. 19: Prov 3:27-34; Luke 8:16-18 Say not to your neighbor, “Go and come again, tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once. These proverbs are delicious, like a box of chocolates. But they seem detached from history, which makes their chal-lenge minimal. We may ask, then:

What’s the difference when Jesus speaks in the same mode? (“No one lights a lamp and hides it under the bed, but puts it on a lampstand.”) The difference is Jesus him-self. His history spans creation itself, from “Let there be light” to our own search for guidance today in the dark-ness of sin. Oh, to be Jesus’ lampstand, bearing his light for all to see! And there’s no time to waste. Let’s start now — not tomorrow! O Lord, make me one who does justice and thinks the truth in my heart. Tues., Sept. 20: Prov 21:1-6, 10-13; Luke 8:19-21 Your mother and your brothers are standing outside. To-day presents quite a contrast, a liturgical fluke. The first reading has a quilt of proverbs your mother might teach you; then Jesus shuts out his own mother, because “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Jesus likes to keep things in perspec-tive, I guess. Of course, no one ever heard the word of God better than Mary, who acted on it throughout her son’s life and beyond. So she sets the bar pretty high! If Jesus is challenging me to live up to that, no wonder Luke (who, according to tradition, had Mary herself as his primary source) lets that phrase just hang there, like a double-dare. O Lord, I will meditate on your wondrous deeds. Wed., Sept. 21: Eph 4:1-7, 11-13; Matt 9:9-13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Fr. John Kavanaugh once said he picked up the Gospel of Matthew and read through it as if he had never seen it before. He was astonished! So I tried it, but in Spanish, which made it seem even newer. I guess it helped that I was lonely, sick and scared in Honduras at the time. Matthew must have relived Jesus’ call — “Follow me” — a thousand times. He produced not just a Gospel but a Lectionary. Why not take the Matthew Challenge yourself, and see this Gospel with fresh eyes? To the ends of the world, your message resounds, O Lord. Thurs., Sept. 22: Eccl 1:2-11; Luke 9:7-9

Vanity of vani-ties, says Qoheleth. …

All things are vanity! King Herod, featured in today’s Gospel, “kept trying to see” Jesus. Talk about vanity! There must have been real tension between Herod and Jesus. Herod murdered Jesus’ personal hero, John the Baptist. (Luke reduces Mark’s narrative of Herod’s drunken birthday party to a single, brutal line: “John, I beheaded.”) Jesus calls Herod “that vixen” — “fox,” for the politically correct translator; in Luke’s Passion ac-count, Jesus won’t even answer Herod’s questions or respond to his contempt and mockery. But I hope I don’t think that I can’t match Herod’s indifference to my own sin. Do let me see Jesus, to beg for his mercy! Teach us, O Lord, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Fri., Sept. 23: Eccl 3:1-11; Luke 9:18-22 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. I wonder if Jesus’ followers noticed that he did not quote Qoheleth. Jesus did also comment on the change of times and seasons, but in his words, “the time has been fulfilled.” There are no more neat pairings of yin and yang; it’s all Jesus, all the time. So when he asks the apostles, “Who do you say that I am?” it’s not an es-say question: “What Jesus Means to Me.” There’s only one correct answer, and Peter gives it: “You are the Christ of God.” Of course, he is rebuked by Jesus be-cause he’s only half right. The Christ is also the Son of Man, who “must suffer greatly.” Can I belong wholly to Christ? Blessed be the Lord, my rock. Sat., Sept. 24: Eccl 11:9–12:8; Luke 9:43b-45 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth … Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken. Jesus died a young man. Maybe that’s why when he predicted his passion, the “meaning was hidden” from his disciples. Who could imagine that a vigorous youth in the prime of life would turn his face toward Jerusalem, to die there? And yet, Jesus begs his disciples, “Pay atten-tion to what I am telling you!” Each of us must find a way to pay attention, a way to kindle our own passion. Life passes quickly, like the psalm’s images of changing grass and the fading dawn. Jesus commands: “Atención!” May we respond: “¡Presente!” Teach us to number our days aright, O Lord, that we may gain wisdom of heart.

TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Homiletic starters and scriptural

reflection points for each day of the month