Mark your calendars, the Parish Picnic is BACK!! Our event will be October 5, 2024 from 11am until 4pm. We'll have food, fun for the whole family, music, a live auction and all of this at no cost to you. More information to come. For now, put October 5th on your calendar.
Know anyone who is interested in learning more about following Christ in the Catholic Church? OCIA for the year is coming up soon! Our first session will be on Aug 28. For more info and how to register go to https://www.sthelenchurch.org/home/ocia/
Thank you all for showing up in a big way for Father Jim's reception(s) a couple of weeks ago after each of the masses! Here is a link to pictures that were taken at the reception as we said our farewells to Father Jim: https://sthelenchurch.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/StHelenCatholicChurch/ErC2h724IF5Eu9cTO3y21vIBOLoTvUIQZI35LCOrVgEFBA?e=sIZWcV
Dear Brothers and Sisters, I hope that everyone survived Hurricane Beryl and that we renewed friendships with neighbors during clean up and recovery. Please let me know if you have any need that we can assist you with during this time. Know that our parish faith home, St. Helen, did have roof damage to Helena Hall which we are negotiating now with our insurance company. There are also some air conditioner replacements and repairs to be completed that have been on hold until recently. Our Church and campus all have power now so Masses this weekend and all activities will resume as normally scheduled. Please also welcome our senior priest in residence, Fr. Joseph Manapuram - recently retired with 54 years of ordination. Fr. Joseph will reside at the rectory and assist at times with masses and confessions. May God bless our parish family and the community of Pearland. Fr. Philip Wilhite, Pastor
We still have no power on campus, like many of you in our surrounding area. Given that, and with no idea when power might be restored, we're going to keep the campus closed on Tuesday, July 9. We will still have daily Mass at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (unless nobody shows up, we will repose early). We'll take it day-by-day. We hope we can be back open on Wednesday. Until then, I pray your clean-up goes quickly and your lights and cell service will be back at full strength soon. Let's check on our friends and neighbors, too, especially the elderly and shut-ins. Peace!
Our St. Helen parish offices and campus will be closed on Monday, July 8. Weather permitting, we will celebrate the 7 p.m. daily Mass in the chapel, but otherwise we will be closed for the entire day. Please heed local authorities and police if you are going to venture out. Use good judgment and stay safe. We plan to reopen on Tuesday, again weather permitting. The Mexico Pilgrimage Pre-departure meeting is canceled for Monday and has been rescheduled for Wednesday evening. All other meetings and ministries on campus are asked to exercise good judgment. We will keep you updated. Until then, keep safe and stay off the roads as much as possible. Let's pray for our brethren along the Gulf Coast and low-lying areas as they brace for the wind, rain, and storm surge. God bless our first responders, too! – Fr. Luis
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the death of Herma Nell Tafelski. As many of you know Herma Nell was our receptionist here at Saint Helen for many years, decades actually! She was the voice of Saint Helen when you called and the face of Saint Helen when you walked in the door. She was patient, kind, generous, loving, intelligent, and thoughtful. Her work here at Saint Helen was not a job, but a vocation and she did it with grace and dignity. She was a true servant of God and of Saint Helen, she is sorely missed by her biological family and her church family. Her arrangements are as follows. Friday June 28th a rosary will be held at Saint Helen at 9:00 a.m. to be led by the Catholic Daughters. Her mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 a.m. in the church. Internment will take place at South Park Cemetery. There will be a meal, all are invited, that will be held at Helena Hall immediately following the burial. Let us give thanks for all Herma Nell did for our parish and let us now pray that she rest in peace. Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her, may her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen Fr. Jim
"The Heart of the Matter": 18th Annual Family Catholic Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Do you feel as though you’re in the midst of a storm? In today's culture of hustle and hurry, we often push prayer to the margins of our busy to-do lists, leaving us dry and burned out. But what if you could hear from God directly, just as you would from a close friend? Do you ever wonder if he really wants to hear from you? Shouldn’t our first priority be to learn how to hear Him? Catholic Spirituality is what it really means to have a personal relationship with God. Therefore, this August, Fullness of Truth invites you to their exciting 18th Annual Catholic Family Summer Conference titled “The Heart of the Matter: Unleashing the Power of Catholic Spirituality,” at the newly-renovated Hyatt Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas, August 16th – 18th, 2024. Register here: https://www.fullnessoftruth.org/sa24
There is a change in the air! Just in case you have not yet heard!!! This summer I turn 75 years old, which is the retirement age for priests in our Archdiocese. Therefore I will be retiring as pastor of Saint Helen as of July 1, 2024. The new pastor is Fr. Philip Wilhite who comes to us from Sacred Heart in Conroe where he has served the church so well the past 13 years. More information yet to come, as I hope that you will keep me in your prayers as I will keep you in mine. God Bless Fr. Jim
We’re hoping to start this men’s group, That Man is You, here at St. Helen’s this fall! If you are interested in finding out more or being a part of the core team, go to https://forms.gle/fxcCxqyZiy9RX48n8 or contact Paul Ambro at [email protected]
Fantastic conference opportunity in Galveston coming up! Apr 26-28 in Moody Gardens Hotel More details here: https://www.fullnessoftruth.org/galv24/
Howdy y'all and happy Easter! Starting on Wed, April 24, I'll be offering a 12-session study on Wednesday evenings, called Fulfilled, that goes into more of what we heard at the Made for More event with Christopher West. Even if you didn't go, we'd love for you to participate in this study! We did offer this study back in 2022 as well but wanted to offer it again. You can find more info here as well as how to register: https://www.sthelenchurch.org/home/catholic-faith-scripture-study/#Fulfilled
