February 18, 2018 ___ ______Page 1

First Sunday of Lent

Debbie Abbene, Sally Capoziello, Shang Cheng, Marge D’Auria, Mary Ann D’Angelo, Patrick Delaney, Domenica DeVito, Virginia DiGangi, Richard H. Dimler, Mary Divers, Jean Fochetta, John Joseph Gleeson, John Pierce

Gleeson, Christine Healy, Maria Hernandez, Elizabeth Isolano, Keri & Baby Tristan, James Leung, Thomas & Patricia Lipari, William J. Litt, Cindy Maione, Barbara Miller, Angela Ottomanelli-Hubbs, Michael Palermo, Se-bastian Panasci, Santo Pantina, Joseph Questore, Ronald J. Reid, Frances Russo, Bill Sangirardi, John Secreti, Patrick Smith, Frank Spremulli, Remington Staf-ford, Michael Tamburo, Chrissie Tremblay, Paul Trem-blay, Paul John Tremblay, Sr. Mariet Varban, Sr. Joanne Walters.

Deceased: Christine Iwanicki, Joseph V. Pepitone

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

Sunday, February 18, 2018 8:00AM George & Claire Cox

9:30AM Antonio Cracchiolo (Frank Salvati) 11:00AM Francesca Gaudino (Vita & Paul) 12:30PM Dino Aquilano (Marie A. Battaglia & Family) 5:00PM For The Parishioners

Monday, February 19, 2018—Presidents’ Day

9:00AM Neil Guerriero (Nina Guerriero & Family)

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 9:00AM Angelina Weltick (Loving Daughter & Family) 7:30PM Sheila Vendittelli (Mary Jo & Will Vendittelli)

Wednesday, February 21, 2018 St. Peter Damian

9:00AM Christine Piotrowski (Loving Daughters)

Thursday, February 22, 2018 Chair of St. Peter the Apostle 9:00AM Mary Casalino (Carla & Frank Errico) 7:30PM Ada Bruzzese (Cesario Family)

Friday, February 23, 2018 St. Polycarp 9:00AM Purgatorial Society Mass

Saturday, February 24, 2018 9:00AM Marion Gurluski (Marta & Howell Kaplan) 5:00PM Gaetana Madonia (Gaetana David) Frances Messina (Phyllis Digristina & Mom) Randy Warrick (John & Susan Bellon)

Sunday, February 25, 2018 8:00AM Maria Sannino (Rachele Sannino) 9:30AM Mary J. Corrigan (Will & Mary Jo Vendittelli) 11:00AM Alice DeBonis (Carmen Pagan) 12:30PM Salvatore Fasulo (Anna Fasulo) 5:00PM For The Parishioners St. Helen’s Purgatorial Society Mass

All parishioners have the opportunity to enroll the names of loved ones in the Purgatorial Society. The Purgatorial Socie-ty Mass will be held on the last Friday of each month. The offering to be enrolled in the Purgatorial Society is $120 per name (a total of 12 Masses for one year will be said for your loved one). Aside from listing one name, a husband and wife together, or a family name is also acceptable. Having a Pur-gatorial Society is wonderful way of living out the Scriptures and will be a relief for those who desire to have their loved ones remembered with prayers all year long at God’s Altar. Please stop in at the Rectory if you are interested in having a loved one enrolled in the Purgatorial Society. The next Purgatorial Society Mass will be held Friday, February 23, 2018.

New Families: All are welcome to St. Helen Parish, and are asked to please register at the Rectory dur-ing office hours.

Sacrament of Baptism: Please call the Rectory to register for the baptism of your child. Baptisms will be held on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month (no Bap-tisms during Lent).

Sacrament of Confession: Saturdays 12:30PM to 1:30PM. Weekdays: 15 minutes prior to the 9:00AM Mass.

Sacrament of Marriage: Couples should contact the Rectory at least one year in advance of the desired date. Please call for an appointment for the initial interview.

Communion Calls: Please call the Rectory to arrange for one of the priests to bring Holy Communion to a sick person who is confined to home due to a serious illness.

Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick: Anyone who expects to be hospitalized (or in an emergency) and wishes the Anointing of the Sick, should call the Recto-ry.

Rosary for Peace…New Place, New Time The Rosary for Peace, sponsored by the Saint Helen Secular Franciscan Fraternity, takes place in the Church at 6:30PM every Wednesday. The group prays for our Blessed Mother’s intercession to end violence (both domestic and civil) and the persecution of Christians throughout the world. All parishioners are invited to join us. We welcome anyone willing to lead a decade of the Rosary in a language other than English.

W naszej parafii ks. Łukasz może również służyć pomocą w języku polskim.

The Order of Franciscans Secular meet on the 3rd Saturday of every month in St. Helen’s Rectory after the 9AM Mass. Come and learn more about the Fran-ciscan way of life.

Please Note: The Rectory office will be closed on Monday, February 19th in observance of Presidents’ Day, and will reopen on Tuesday at 9:00AM.

GOOD SHEPHERD STATUE We would like to thank Elaine Lazzeri, who has kept the statue for the past few weeks. Anyone interested in keep-ing the statue in their home and praying for vocations for one week should contact the Rectory.

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St. Helen Parish Purgatorial Society Mass Intentions For Friday, February 23, 2018

All Souls in Purgatory (Kathleen Cocchiola)

Amato & Sannino Family (Rachele Sannino)

Miriam Americo (St. Helen Support Group)

Geraldine Azuwike-Nwachukwu (Annette & Marty Gould)

Mario & Angelina Barrella (Loving Family)

Adriano & Lorenza Bello (Bello Family)

Gina Bender (Loving Aunt & Uncle)

Frank W. Bitetto (Barbara Bitetto)

Paul Anthony Bono (Bono Family)

Gerald Braganza (Loving Wife)

Mary & Jim Cabral (Cabral Family)

Nancy & Emanuel Camelliri (Constance & Joseph Camelliri)

Camelo & Basin Family (Zena Basin)

Antoinette & Silvio Casazza (Maria Russo)

C. Joseph & Laura Chiarello (Lois Chiarello)

Catherine Cleary (Anne M. Vigliarolo)

William Cleary (Anne M. Vigliarolo)

Jerry Codispoti (Loving Family)

Claire Louise Colamaria (Fr. Colamaria)

William & Mary Corrigan (Loving Family)

Vincent J. D'Amato (D'Amato Family)

Concetta & Pasquale DeSantis (Linda DeSantis)

William F. DiPietra (Helen & Frank DiPietra)

Zygfryd Dubicki (Sophia Gadinis)

Margarita & Gervasio Espada (Luisa & Jeff Karoly)

John & Anna Falco (Loving Family)

Louise & Vincent Festa (Annette & Martin Gould)

William & Rose Fioto (Amelia Pepe)

Frank Fogliano (Loving Family)

Father Gaughan, C.M. (Deidre McVey)

Gidaro-Izzo Family (Loving Family)

Giunta-Bernardo Family (Jean Bernardo)

Anna Gonzalez (Will Espada)

Gorycki Family (Helen Repstad)

Gwardjak & Kosinski Family (Daughter)

Brendan Hawk (Frank & Monica Ottomanelli)

Thomas Healy (St. Helen’s Lectors)

Carole Hinchcliffe (Paul Hinchcliffe)

Eddie Juba (Barbara Dorme)

Michael & Mary Leccese (Jo-Ann & Phyllis Leccese)

Dominick & Angelina Librizzi (Rosalie Librizzi)

Catherine & Joseph Lumetta (Pauline Mantineo)

Macaluso Family (Loving Family)

Justine Nigra Maguire (Constance Chwalek)

Jennie Maniscalco (Daughter Rosalie & Family)

Rocco & Phyllis Miranti (Loving Family)

Lillian & Charles Monastero (Vita Monastero)

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Mullalley (Jane Orban)

Maggie O’Dee (Loving Friend)

Richard Orban (Jane Orban)

Joan Mary Orban-Jones (Orban Family)

Antonio Paa (Loving Family)

Dominick Pepe (Amelia Pepe)

Joseph Pepe (Amelia Pepe)

Pepe-Bitetto Family (Barbara Bitetto)

Christine Piotrowski (Loving Family)

Markey Pullen (Anne M. Vigliarolo)

Joseph Quagliariello (Quagliariello Family)

Questore Family (Joseph Questore)

Kathleen Rammelkamp (Charles Rammelkamp)

Anthony Rango (St. Helen Support Group)

Joanne Rebecchi (Cynthia Ottomanelli)

Maria & Luciano Sannino (Rachele Sannino)

Benito & Leonila Santiago (Loving Family)

Linda & James Scagnelli (Heedles Family)

Kay & Walter Schretzman (John Schretzman)

Frank T. Serpico (Serpico Family)

Sica Family (Irene DeStefano)

Teodoro & Carmela Sordillo (Loving Son Enzo & Family)

Margaret Ann Stillman (Heedles Family)

Maryann E. Tomitz (Patricia)

Turrigiano Family (Antoinette Turrigiano)

Walter & Elizabeth Ujazdowski (Quagliariello Family)

Ruben & Ana Vega (Gloria Martinez)

Albert F. Valenzuela (Loving Family)

Vendittelli Family (Loving Family)

Carl Vigliarolo (Anne M. Vigliarolo)

Frank J. Vigliarolo (Anne M. Vigliarolo)

Phyllis Zanghi (Loving Friends)

Mary Zurick (Sophia Gadinis)

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You’re Invited to Participate in CRS Rice Bowl!

In many places in our world, we encounter fami-lies who are forced to flee violence, searching for stability. How are we called to welcome the stranger in our midst? How can you support those, worldwide, who are forced to flee their homes to find safety or better opportunities? Visit crsricebowl.org for more.

Lenten Schedule 2018

Stations of the Cross:

Every Monday in Lent at 12:30PM (with School

children) with Benediction

Every Friday evening at 7:30PM

Confessions:

Monday—Friday at 8:45AM

Saturdays 12:30-1:30PM, or by appointment

(please call the Rectory)

Throughout the N.Y. region, this day is set aside for the Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) in preparation for Easter. Here at St. Helen, the opportunity for the Sacrament will be offered from 3:00PM thru 8:00PM.

REGULATIONS CONCERNING FASTING AND ABSTINENCE

• Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of manda-tory fasting and abstinence from meat.

• All Fridays in Lent are days of mandatory abstinence from meat.

• The obligation to fast applies to those aged 18-59.

• The obligation to abstain from meat applies to those aged 14 and older.

• Those fasting may eat only one normal-sized meal. Two smaller meals may be eaten, if needed for strength. These smaller meals together should not equal a normal-sized meal. No food may be eaten between meals.

• The bishops of the United States recommend volun-tary fasting on the other weekdays of Lent. It is a praiseworthy tradition to fast on Holy Saturday, until the Easter Vigil.

• It is worth remembering that every Friday of the year is a day of penance, unless a solemnity falls on a Fri-day. In the United States, on Fridays outside of Lent, one may choose either to abstain from eating meat or to perform some other act of penance.

RECONCILIATION MONDAY: MARCH 26, 2018

Adult Confirmation

Any baptized Catholic adult who de-sires to receive the Sacrament of Con-firmation is invited to Adult Confirma-tion classes, beginning Tuesday, February 20th at 7.00 PM in the Rectory.

Requirements: 1. Must be a Baptized Catholic. 2. Must have been married in the Church (or)

single (any other marital situations may re-quire a conversation with the priest). *Divorce is not an automatic impediment to the Sacraments!

3. Has a willingness to attend about ten 1-hour sessions.

4. Is available to be confirmed on Sunday, May 20, 2018.

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 inter-view 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 author-izing the Baptism to take place at St. Helen. Initial meetings with parents seeking Baptism for their children will normally take place on the second Wednesday of each month from 7:00–9:00PM and on the fourth Saturday of each month from 10:30AM–12:30PM.

FEBRUARY—APRIL, 2018

Mornings of Preparation Required Before a Baptism: (All begin at the 11:00AM Mass

and continue in the Msgr. McGinness Room) February 25 — March 11 — April 22

Schedule for Baptisms: (All begin at 2:00PM)

February 25 — March 11 — April 22

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

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Monday, February 19, 2018 Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19; Mt 25:31-46 We focus a lot on the “Thou shall nots.” In the moral life, law and re-sponsibility go hand-in-hand. It’s im-portant to know the norms of proper behavior. We can better stay on the right path if we know the boundaries. So the Lord begins his instructions to Moses regarding how to speak to the

children of Israel with a detailed listing of bad conduct. Moral teaching is full of precise examples of how not to act, but the Lord doesn’t neglect clearly addressing what we also should do. Simply avoiding evil isn’t enough. The Lord asks more of us than to grudgingly adhere to minimal obligations of decent behavior. We must act pur-posely, continually doing good. The attitudes that precede our actions are just as telling as the acts themselves. Gen-tle Teacher, guide me to joyfully live your law of love. Tuesday, February 20, 2018 Is 55:10-11; Ps 34; Mt 6:7-15 What are you doing for Lent? Acts of fasting and alms-giving tend to receive our greatest focus during Lent. It’s a season of denying ourselves and doing good works. Some of us traditionally discipline ourselves to limit our intake of sweets and increase our works of mercy. These are easily identifiable practices. We can quickly see pro-gress as we put the money saved from giving up that daily latte into the rice bowl. Prayer, however, is a little more daunting, as its effects are not always immediately visi-ble. The season of Lent calls us to reconnect with our prayer life. We must discipline ourselves to spend daily time with the Lord in prayer; doing so will develop a ben-eficial practice that will not end at Easter. Loving Savior, thank you for giving us the words to confidently and con-tinually call on you. Wednesday, February 21, 2018 Jon 3:1-10; PS 51; Lk 11:29-32 Images of an angry God can be found in the Hebrew Scriptures. This is somewhat deceptive. God doesn't want to punish us. He has the right and option, but not the de-sire. Images of his blazing wrath are mercifully, frequent-ly countered with his loving forgiveness. If we sincerely seek the Lord's compassion, he withdraws his warning and cleanses us of our offenses. Even when we think we are seemingly beyond what we feel is the reach of re-demption, the Lord reaches further with another oppor-tunity to return to him. When the people of Nineveh were mired in sin, God sent Jonah to warn them so they would not perish. They turned from their evil ways, and God lovingly forgave them. Lent comes as a messenger like Jonah, calling us to repentance. Gracious and merciful Father, I come to you with a humble and contrite heart. Thursday, February 22, 2018 1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23; Mt 16:13-19 Christ chose Peter to feed his flock, naming him to sit in

his place as a serv-

ant-authority and a visible foundation of the unity of the whole church. The feast of the chair of Peter commemo-rates its occupant through acknowledging not only papal authority but also the vital mission entrusted to Peter to provide spiritual guidance to the faithful. This celebration of the papacy's authority, therefore, is not about pomp. As the servus servorum Dei — the servant of the servants of God—the pope is called to humble leadership, not superi-ority. At the 2013 Chrism Mass, Pope Francis called on the world's priests to “be shepherds with the smell of sheep.” Like Jesus, they're to mingle with the lowly, of-fering the healing power of grace to the marginalized. Obedient Savior, give me the modesty to follow your ex-ample of servant leadership. Friday, February 23, 2018 Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130; Mt 5:20-26 It's a sad that some people take pleasure in seeing others fail—especially those whom they deem deserving some form of divine retribution. Humans can be petty and mean-spirited, refusing to let go of past offenses, delighting in others receiving their comeuppance. However, our God, who has the right to judge our wrongdoing, prefers rejoic-ing in our returning to him. In fact, we are assured that when we turn away from sin and practice virTuesday our wrongdoing is forgotten. That unsettles the grudge-holders. God's law, however, is a law of love. A lack of charity toward others struggling with sin, frustrates the nature of love. We must allow others, and ourselves, to reforge bonds, not smugly triumph at their struggle. Mer-ciful Lord, may we genuinely seek and eagerly celebrate every sincere desire to return to you. Saturday, February 24, 2018 Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119; Mt 5:43-48 All people, even those we find least lovable, are children of God. Even if we're bitterly separated by ideology or even bloodshed, we share a common humanity. Loving those who wish us harm is not a simplistic proposition of forgive and forget. Forgiveness isn't weakness. We claim the power to allow all parties to move forward in humility and grace. Forgetting doesn't deny remembrance. Some things shouldn't be forgotten. Remembrance fuels a com-mitment to justice and fights rationalization and complici-ty. The love Jesus promotes is all embracing. If we with-hold it from one of his children, the omission extends to all. God's mercy is infinite, and so is the need for love in this divided world. Almighty and all-forgiving Father, grant all your children the capacity for compassion that you bestowed upon your beloved Son Jesus.

FIRST WEEK OF LENT

Homiletic starters and scriptural

reflection points for each day of the month