January 3, 2016 ___ ______Page 1

The Epiphany of the Lord Karl Albrecht, Lisa B., Caroline Bachert, Frances Baio, Dolores Barbieri, Cathe-rine Capato, Sally Capoziello, Marge D’Auria, Baby Christopher Brian Demmerle, Domenica DeVito, Virginia

DiGangi, Francesca Gaudino, Ian Genovese-Williams, Joseph Gentile, John Joseph Gleeson, John Pierce Gleeson, Christine Healy, Aurea Hernandez, Maria Hernandez, Rosemary Hogan, Elizabeth Isolano, Keri & Baby Tristan, Amelia Kalb, Pam Karwan, John Killcom-mons, Baby T.J. Krieg, Kathleen Krieg, Klavdia Krieg, Anthony Lamantia, Thomas & Patricia Lipari, William J. Litt, Joseph Lumetta, Carl Maione, Ralph Maresco, Mary Mastrangelo, Camillo Mazella, Rosemary Menechella, John Myers, Angela Ottomanelli-Hubbs, Joe Palagonia, Michael Palermo, Doris & Carlo Pecchil-lo, Joseph Questore, Kathleen Rammelkamp, Mary Romano, Jake Rothman, Anthony Russo, Felice Scimeca, Rosemarie Secreti, Fred Sepulveda, Rosalia Sindone, Dolores Stone, Michael Tamburo, Chrissie Tremblay, Paul Tremblay, Paul John Tremblay, Ann Marie Vayda, Sr. Joanne Walters, Elizabeth Weimer, Brittany Zaita.

Deceased: 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, January 3, 2016 8:00AM George & Ann Papandrea 9:30AM Billy Miller (Cabral Family) 11:00AM Edward Juba (Dorme Family) 12:30PM Mary Lee Marotta (Loving Family) 5:00PM For The Parishioners

Monday, January 4, 2016 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

9:00AM Anthony Zummo (Josephine Astuto)

Tuesday, January 5, 2016 St. John Neumann 9:00AM Cathy Papa (Enza Clemenza & Family)

Wednesday, January 6, 2016 St. Andre Bessette 9:00AM Dorothy Quinn (Janis & Gerry Quinn)

Thursday, January 7, 2016 St. Raymond of Peñafort 9:00AM Linda Baglio (Joe Quagliariello & Family)

Friday, January 8, 2016 9:00AM Salvatore Dabbene (Enza Clemenza & Family)

Saturday, January 9, 2016 9:00AM Kathy Ramos (Janet Ramos) Ada Rodriguez (Janet Ramos) Cruz Rodriguez (Janet Ramos) 5:00PM JoAnn Gunderson, Rose Lamantia, Lee Marotta, Marie Putorti, Walter Ujazdowski

Sunday, January 10, 2016 8:00AM Marge Hiser (Jackie DeMaria) 9:30AM William C. Miller III (Andrew & Linda Mastrange-lo) 11:00AM Jenny Mercante (Coleen Baumann) 12:30PM Nancy Pantina (Diana Gautier) 5:00PM For The Parishioners

GOOD SHEPHERD STATUE We would like to thank Vincenza Novara, who kept the statue for this past week. Anyone interested in keeping the statue in their home and praying for vocations for one week should contact the Rectory.

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed every Friday at 8:40AM.

——————————————— The Family Rosary is prayed every Thursday evening from 7:00-7:30PM in the Church.

———————————————- The Holy Rosary is prayed every morning (except Sun-day) beginning at 8:15AM. All parishioners are welcome to join in this beautiful devotion to our Blessed Mother.

———————————————- The Rosary for Peace is prayed on Wednesdays at 7:00PM in the Church.

P L E A S E N O T E !

Effective January 1, 2016 there will only be one (1) weekday morning Mass at 9:00AM! There will no longer be a 7:00AM Mass.

The weekend schedules of Masses will remain the same:

Saturday: 9:00AM & 5:00PM (Vigil Mass) Sunday: 8:00AM, 9:30AM, 11:00AM, 12:30PM and 5:00PM

Are you new to St. Helen Parish? If so, please remember to stop in at the Rectory to register your family!

January 3, 2016 ___ ______Page 2

Policies Regarding Infant Baptism at St. Helen Parish

Parents seeking Baptism for their children who live within the territory of St. Helen Par-ish 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. Hel-en. 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.

JANUARY—FEBRUARY 2016

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

January 10 & 24 and February 7 & 21

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

January 10 & 24 and February 7 & 21

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

Howard Beach 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, as well as educational and recreational activities, case assistance, entitlement counseling and advocacy are also available. 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.

The Center will be conducting basic beginner computer classes in their new computer lab begin-ning Friday, January 8th at 10:30AM. If you know nothing about computers, this is the class for you! Please call the Center to register.

Thursdays: 9:30-11:30AM & 12:30-2:30PM: art classes with a certified teacher. Fridays: 10:00-11:30AM: a new craft class with different projects every week!

For further information please call the Center at 718-738-8100.

F A M I LY M A S S The last Sunday of every

month at 9:30AM

Families with young children are encouraged to sit in the reserved pews in the front of the church.

The homily will be geared towards children.

The Children’s Choir will lead the congregation in sacred music.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Congratulations to the following Lucky Calendar Winners for the period of

December 15-21, 2015:

12/15: #—507: No Winner $ 20.00

12/16: #—172: Ali & Robbie Galante $ 20.00

12/17: #—982: No Winner $ 20.00

12/18: #—121: Novara Family $ 20.00

12/19: #—438: No Winner $ 25.00

12/20: #—047: No Winner $ 25.00

12/21: #—392: Turner Family $ 20.00

January 3, 2016 ___ ______Page 3

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

ON INDULGENCES FOR THE JUBILEE OF MERCY

1. What is an indulgence? An indulgence is, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “a remission be-fore God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been for-given.”

2. What does the phrase “temporal punishment” mean?

Sin has a double consequence. One consequence is the destruction, or at least the weakening, of the sinner’s relationship with God. One who dies not having repented of a mortal sin will undergo “eternal punishment,” meaning unending separation from God, also known as hell. Another consequence of sin is the unhealthy attach-ment to creatures. This second consequence is what we call “temporal punishment.”

3. What happens if someone dies who must still undergo temporal punishment?

Someone who dies in a state of grace who still has to undergo temporal punishment will experience purgatory. It is much better for us to try to make up for temporal punishment in this life.

4. Does the concept of punishment for sins mean that God is vengeful?

No. Eternal punishment and temporal punishment are natural consequences of sin. When we sin, we choose to turn away from God, either partially in the case of venial sin or completely in the case of mortal sin. When we sin, we attach ourselves in an unhealthy way to some created person or thing. In order to be in the presence of God, we must repent of our sins and allow the Lord to repair the damage that we have inflicted upon ourselves by sinning.

5. What is the basis for the Church’s granting of indulgences?

This practice is grounded in the notion of “the treasury of merit.” The sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is of infinite value. The Lord has entrusted the transmission of the merits of this sacrifice to the Holy Church. The good deeds of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints are also part of the treasury of merit. From this infinite treas-ury, the Church is able to dispense indulgences, which free us from the temporal punishment that we have incurred because of our sins.

Continued...

January 3, 2016 ___ ______Page 4

6. What are the different kinds of indulgences?

An indulgence is either plenary, which gives us freedom from all temporal punish-ment, or partial, which frees us from only some temporal punishment.

7. What are the conditions for receiving an indulgence?

To receive any indulgence, it is necessary to be in a state of grace, which means that one is free from mortal sin. It is necessary to perform a prescribed work for which the Church grants an indulgence. To receive a plenary indulgence one must go to confession and receive Holy Communion about 20 days before or after per-forming the prescribed work. One must pray in a general way for the intentions of the Holy Father and be free of any attachment to sin, even venial sin.

8. For what works can one receive an indulgence during the Jubilee of Mercy?

During the Jubilee, until November 20, 2016, one can receive a plenary indul-gence under the conditions above by passing through a Holy Door at a designated church and reciting the creed. In our diocese, the churches designated are: the Ca-thedral-Basilica of St. James in Downtown Brooklyn, the Co-Cathedral of St. Jo-seph in Prospect Heights, the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Bensonhurst, the Church of St. Thomas Aquinas in Flatlands, the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Astoria, and the Shrine Church of St. Gerard Majella in Hollis. In his letter an-nouncing the Jubilee indulgence, the Holy Father states that those who are home-bound because of illness or age may obtain the Jubilee indulgence by “living with faith and joyful hope this moment of trial, receiving communion or attending Holy Mass and community prayer, even through the various means of communication.” One can also gain the indulgence by performing one of the spiritual or corporal works of mercy.

9. Can I receive the Jubilee indulgence more than once?

A plenary indulgence can only be gained once a day. Aside from that restriction, any time one performs one of the acts mentioned above under the usual conditions, one can earn an indulgence.

10. Can I obtain an indulgence for someone else?

One can obtain an indulgence for the souls in purgatory, but not for other living persons.

January 3, 2016 ___ ______Page 5

Mon., Jan. 4: 1 John 3:22–4:6; Matt 4:12-17, 23-25 The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. I often turn on the radio to catch the morning news while I’m brewing my first cup of coffee. Some days I feel helpless by the outpouring of violence and destruc-tion. Where does one begin to alleviate

such pain? The letter from John tells us that the power of Christ lives in each of us. Together, in and with Christ, we have the ability to bring light into a world of dark-ness. The first step is to believe it is possible and to be-lieve in the power of hope. When the sorrow of the world seems overwhelming, O Lord, may we be reminders for each other of Christ’s power within us all. Tues., Jan. 5: 1 John 4:7-10; Mark 6:34-44 Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. Throughout the history of humanity, the name of God has been used to promote the agendas of unscrupu-lous people. Even within our own Christian history, lead-ers have portrayed God in their own image to justify acts of aggression and abuse. In politics, such rhetoric still exists today to promote war and discrimination. If the policies and laws proposed by our leaders are not rooted in love, compassion and forgiveness, then we cannot pro-fess that God is “on our side.” Scripture reminds us con-stantly that the only side God is on is the side of love. When asked to support policies proposed by those who lead us, O Lord, may we discern their value through the perspective of your mercy. Wed., Jan. 6: 1 John 4:11-18; Mark 6:45-52 One who fears is not yet perfect in love. I’ve heard it said that the more one has, the more one is afraid of losing it. Perhaps it’s true because we live in a culture that, despite its great wealth and comforts, spends a great deal of ener-gy promoting fear. We are constantly being told we must beware of strangers, terrorists, germs, physical imperfec-tions, etc. When we live in fear, we erect emotional walls and we lose trust in ourselves, in each other and, saddest of all, in God’s love and care for us. I admire people who trust deeply in their faith, for they live with a freedom of heart that allows them to reach out easily to others and to life itself. Teach us to trust you, O Lord. Help our unbe-lief!

Thurs., Jan. 7: 1 John 4:19–5:4; Luke 4:14-22 Whoever does not love a brother or sister whom he has

seen cannot love God whom he has

not seen. For years I lived as though baptism meant be-coming a member of a privileged group of people with similar outlooks, and only we had the right to worship in our “holy country club.” Over time, however, I have come to believe that being a disciple of Christ is both a gift and a commitment to put on the mind and heart of Christ every day, with everyone I meet, whether I ap-prove of them or not. When we, as church, refuse to wel-come those whom we judge unworthy or isolate those who do not live by our standards, can we truly call our-selves the body of Christ? Open our hearts and minds, O Lord, that we may love and welcome without judgment. Fri., Jan. 8: 1 John 5:5-13; Luke 5:12-16 Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” According to Jewish purity laws, Jesus made himself “unclean” by touching the man with leprosy. He would then be required to go through extensive purification rituals before he could celebrate the most basic aspects of his faith. He showed respect for the traditional laws of Moses by sending the healed man to the priest for cleansing, but he also showed that he valued the dignity of the social outcast above the letter of the law. How often are we tempted to value rules over compassion? Correctness over forgiveness? Give us the insight and courage we need, O Lord, to uphold the dig-nity of those who seek to be accepted among us. Sat., Jan. 9: 1 John 5:14-21; John 3:22-30 He must increase; I must decrease. After a few years of teaching a familiar curriculum, it becomes easy to get lazy and neglect to write out daily lesson plans in full. A good lesson plan asks the questions: What is the aim of the lesson? What do I need to do to accomplish this goal? After completing the lesson, you assess: Did I achieve the aim of the lesson? When working in leadership roles within our faith community, we sometimes need to ask ourselves similar questions. What message am I pro-claiming? How can I model this message most effective-ly? Was I a true vessel for God’s plan, or my own agen-da? We all need a reminder that ego has no place in pro-claiming the good news of Christ. When doing the work of your kingdom, O Lord, may your will increase and my ego decrease.

WEEK AFTER EPIPHANY

Homiletic starters and scriptural

reflection points for each day of the month