Mass Times: Monday-Friday: 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. Saturday: 8:30 a.m. FOR SUNDAY OBSERVANCE: Saturday: 5:30p.m. Sunday: 7:30; 9:00; and 10:45a.m.; 12:15 and 5:30 p.m. HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION Please note: When a holy day (except the Immaculate Conception -December 8th or Christmas - December 25th) falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the obligation to attend Mass is removed although the Feast is still celebrated liturgically and people are encouraged to attend Mass. The Holy Days observed in the United States and the Diocese of Phoenix are: December 8 - Immaculate Conception December 25 - Christmas January 1 - Mary the Mother of God Easter Sunday - date varies Ascension of the Lord - 7th Sunday of Easter Time August 15 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin November 1 - All Saints Holy Day Mass Times (except Christmas, January 1st, & Easter) Vigil Mass (the evening before the feast): 5:30 p.m. On the day of the Feast: 6:30 & 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. CHRISTMAS MASSES ON CHRISTMAS EVE 4:00pm (both in Church and in the Hall) 6:00pm (both in Church and in the Hall) 8:00pm (Church - in hall if needed) 10:00pm (Church - in hall if needed) 12:00 Midnight - Church CHRISTMAS DAY 9:00 and 10:45 a.m. 12:15 p.m. No 5:30pm Mass on Christmas Day NEW YEAR'S DAY Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God New Year's Eve - December 31st - 5:30p.m. New Year's Day 7:30 a.m. 9:00am 10:45am 12:15pm No 5:30pm Mass on New Year's Day ASH WEDNESDAY ASH WEDNESDAY MASS TIMES 6:30 and 8:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. Ashes are distributed after the homily at Masses.   HOLY WEEK AND EASTER Holy Thursday 7:00 p.m. Mass of the Lord's Supper - Adoration until midnight Good Friday 3:00pm - Stations of the Cross 7:00pm Passion, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion - this service is not a Mass Holy Saturday 12:00 noon - Blessing of Easter Food Baskets 7:00pm - Solemn Easter Vigil - Blessing of Easter fire, Blessing of Easter water, Sacraments of Initiation, First Mass of Easter EASTER SUNDAY 6:00am - Church 7:30am - Both in church and hall 9:00am - Both in church and hall 10:45am - Both in church and hall 12:15pm - in Church and in hall if needed There is no 5:30pm Mass on Easter Sunday THANKSGIVING DAY MASSES 6:30 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 10:00 A.M. At the 9:00 a.m. Mass, we would ask everyone who attends to bring a can of food to be distributed to the poor. Thank you. *** *** *** *** Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confessions) Saturdays: 4:00pm until 5:00pm Other times on request, please call a priest ADVENT RECONCILIATION SERVICE: Tuesday, December 21, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. LENTEN RECONCILIATION SERVICE: Tuesday, April 3, 2001 at 7:00pm There are no confessions heard during HOLY WEEK *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Pastor: Rt. Rev. Robert D. Skagen Associate: Rev. Louis Mraz, O.S.C. Weekend Assistance: Rev. Robert Kramer,C.S.C. Deacons: Rev. Mr. Rudy Campas, Rev. Mr. Joe Shinske Parish Administrator: Mrs. Loretta Wilkes CATECHETICAL MINISTRIES: Adult - Mr. Joseph De Frier High School/Youth -  Mrs. Sharon Matson Junior High - Mr. Bruce McWhorter Elementary - Mrs. Marcy Nixon Pre-school - Marcia Henderson For more information, click on "parish preschool" at the end of this page Small Faith Communities - Joe De Frier Perpetual Adoration - Mrs. Edith Surkala Gift Shop/Bookstore - Mr. Leo (Mary Jo)Ohnemus O.C.I.A. - Mrs. Vicki Day Baptism Preparation - Joseph De Frier Marriage Annulments - Deacon Rudy Campas Marriage Validations - Deacon Joe Shinske Care of the Sick - Deacon Joe Shinske Bereavement - vacant at this time Music/Liturgy - Mr. Jay Soto

 

PRIESTS AND DEACONS Pastor: Rt. Rev. Robert D. Skagen cell phone:  (602) 361-0626 home phone: (602) 242-4246 e-mail: frskagen@diocesephoenix.org Fr. Skagen's residence: 3301 W Del Monico Ln Phoenix AZ 85051-3840 Associate Pastor: Rev. Louis Mraz, O.S.C. office phone: (623) 979-4202 e-mail: st_helen@diocesephoenix.org Fr. Mraz's residence: 5503 W Cortez St Glendale AZ 85304-3324 Deacons: Rev. Mr. Rudy Campas Rev. Mr. Joe Shinske

SACRAMENTAL REGULATIONS - DIOCESE AND PARISH Welcome to our section on the various rules and regulations of the Diocese of Phoenix and the Parish of Saint Helen. In this section we will explain the requirements for the reception of the sacraments of the Church. Please read through these areas carefully, and if you have any questions, please feel free to call the parish office at 623-979-4202. Thank you. THE SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH The Sacrament of Baptism To receive the sacrament of Baptism, a child's family must be registered in the parish. They should call the parish at least three months before the desired date of baptism so that arrangements may be made to attend the pre-baptismal classes required by the Diocese of Phoenix. This may certainly be done during the pregnancy. Baptisms are held on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month (possible exceptions happen, such as if Christmas falls on the 3rd Sunday) at 1:30 p.m. The priests and deacons rotate the celebration of the sacrament. We do not administer the sacrament of Baptism during Mass unless the person being baptized is also going to receive the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. If you wish to have your child baptized by immersion (submerging the child -except for the face- in the baptismal water) please let the celebrant of the baptism know before the ceremony.  Please call the parish office at 623-979-4202 for information on setting up your pre-baptismal classes.  As far as godparents go, at least one must be a practicing Catholic who has received the sacrament of Confirmation. Another baptized Christian may be a "Christian Witness" whose name will also be included in the baptismal register. If a godparent cannot be present for the ceremony, a "proxy" godparent may be used. If the godparent is not a registered member of St. Helen's parish, then we need a letter from their parish stating that they are baptized, confirmed and practicing Catholics. The Sacrament of Confirmation In the Diocese of Phoenix, the Sacrament of Confirmation is normally received when a person is 16 years old or a Junior in high school, whichever is older. In St. Helen's parish we have a two year program of religious education for the sacrament of Confirmation. To receive the sacrament, the individual must be registered in the parish, attend the classes, participate in the retreats (the Confirmation retreat is mandatory), and perform the required service hours. Please contact the Youth Ministry office at St. Helen's (623-979-8282) for complete information. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance, Confession) A person normally receives the sacrament of Reconciliation in the third grade. To receive this sacrament, the family must be registered in the parish, and the child must have been in our Religious Education program for two years (or have attended Catholic school). The Sacrament of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) A child normally receives the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the spring of third grade. The usual date is on the 2nd Sunday after Easter (the 3rd Sunday of the Easter Season - Easter being the 1st Sunday of the Easter Season). The child's family must be registered in the parish and must have attended the Religious Education program (or been in a Catholic school) for two years. For additional information, please call our R. E. Elementary Education department (623-979-8282). The Sacrament of Matrimony (Marriage) This section is divided into three parts: 1)Normal process, 2)Getting a current marriage blessed in the church (called a "validation"), and 3)the Annulment process. 1.) The Normal Marriage Process: A couple wishing to be married in the Catholic Church at St. Helen's parish, must contact a priest or a deacon at least 6 months before the desired wedding date. They should not set a date and have people make travel arrangements, etc., before contacting the priest or deacon, because the church might already be scheduled for that time, or weddings may not be allowed on a particular date. Weddings are not allowed on Saturdays after 2:00pm, on Sundays, on the Feast of All Souls, and during the season of Lent. To be married in the church, all of the documentation required must be completed, and the "foccus" and the marriage preparation programs required by the Diocese of Phoenix must be completed. If a couple has not done these things, then the wedding must be cancelled. Fees required by the parish must be paid before a date can be set. Please contact the priests or deacons at the parish office for complete details. 2.)Getting a marriage "blessed" in the Church. A Catholic whose marriage did not take place in the Catholic Church or outside of the Catholic Church with permission of the Bishop, is not considered to be in a sacramental marriage. He/she is legally married, but the marriage is not yet a sacrament. To receive the sacrament, the couple should call Deacon Joseph Shinske at 623-979-4202. In general, the requirements are the same as in number 1 above. 3.)The Annulment Process A Catholic who has been married in the church or a non-Catholic who was married to a Catholic in the Catholic church or to a non-Catholic and now wishes to enter another marriage in the Catholic church after their divorce from the previous spouse(s), must first obtain an annulment or a decree of nullity from the Diocese of Phoenix. Please contact Deacon Rudy Campas at 623-979-4202 to begin this process. A wedding date cannot be set until the diocese has annulled the previous marriage(s). This process can take up to two years or more. Once the previous marriage has been declared null by the Church, then the normal process to bless the current marriage or a new marriage can be begun. The Sacrament of Holy Orders (Diaconate, Priesthood) 1. The Permanent Diaconate: A person who wishes to become a permanent deacon, that is, a person who would like to be an ordained minister of the Church, but not a priest, should contact one of the priests or deacons of the parish. Married men may become deacons, but men who become deacons may not get married (for example, they may not marry again if their wife dies after they have been ordained to the Diaconate). Candidates for the Diaconate must complete a 5 year training program through the Diocese of Phoenix. 2. The Priesthood: A man who wishes to become a priest should contact his pastor and then contact the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Phoenix (602-257-0030)or the Vocations Director for a particular religious order (such as the Crosiers). The preparation period consists of 4 or 5 years of Graduate School in theology after graduation from college. A person may enter a college seminary with the approval of the Diocese or a particular Religious Order. A Vocation to Religious Life (a sister or a brother): A man who wishes to become a religious brother, or a woman who wishes to become a religious sister (a nun) should contact their pastor first, and then the Office of Religious for the Diocese of Phoenix which can give them guidance as to how to contact a particular order they might be interested in. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick This sacrament was formerly referred to as "The Last Rites". This is not the case now. Any time a person is seriously ill, they should receive the Sacrament for the Sick. This should be done while the person is still conscious and able to participate in the prayers with his/her family. The person need not be in the immediate danger of death. To receive the sacrament, please do the following: 1) If the sick person is in a hospital: Please ask the nurse to call the Catholic chaplain of the hospital. The reason for this is that the local chaplain is much closer and can get to the hospital more quickly than your local parish priest. Every hospital has a Catholic chaplain from a nearby parish. Please call the hospital chaplain first. If you cannot contact him, then immediately call St. Helen's and we will contact the chaplain or one of the priests from St. Helen's will go to the hospital. 2)If the sick person is at home within the parish or at a rest home within the parish: If a person is sick at home within the parish boundaries (or in the home of a registered parishioner even if they are not within the parish boundaries) or at a rest home within the parish, please call the parish at 623-979-4202 at any time of the day or night. At night you will be given numbers to call for the priests. Please do not wait. If a person is sick and should receive this sacrament call a priest BEFORE it becomes an emergency. Let the sick person take part in the beautiful prayers of the sacrament.

SAINT HELEN'S PARISH POLICIES PARISH REGISTRATION: In order to receive many of the benefits which St. Helen's Catholic Parish offers, an individual or a family must be registered in the parish. To register as a member of the parish, simply stop in the office after one of the Sunday morning Masses or call the parish office at 623-979-4202. They will then tell you what to do and when the next new parishioner class is being held (usually on the last Sunday of the month at 10:30 a.m.). Be sure to scroll down to the "New Members" section to see the new members' calendar for 2000. Being a member of Saint Helen's parish has not only many benefits, but also some real obligations. As a member of our worshipping community, you are expected to take part in our Sunday liturgies on a regular basis praising God and giving thanks for the blessings He has bestowed on you. Saint Helen's is also a stewardship parish. That means that we ask parishioners to be good stewards. We ask that, based on your love of the God who has given you so much, you return to God a portion of your time (by volunteering to help in various ministries of the parish), talents (giving of the gifts you have to the benefit of the parish) and treasure (giving financial support to your parish). Financially, we suggest the biblical tithe of 10% of your total pre-tax income as a goal - 5% to the parish, 1% to the Diocesan CDA appeal, and 4% towards Catholic school or Religious Education expenses and other charities. Now we know that many cannot begin at 10%, but we do ask you to give some percentage of your income to the parish and other charities. Benefits of registering in the parish: As a registered member of Saint Helen's parish you will be able to enroll your children in our Religious Education programs, be married in the parish church, rent the hall for receptions, etc., join any or all of our 40 or so parish organizations and receive the benefits of membership in them. Registered, active and contributing members of the parish can also receive very substantial discounts on the tuition in our Catholic elementary and Diocesan high schools. In addition, registered parishioners are eligible for parish and parish organization tuition and book fee scholarships and grants to Catholic High Schools and Colleges. All of this is but a small part of what being a registered member of Saint Helen's parish has to offer you. Join our family, register today! Getting tuition discounts at Catholic schools: In order to get tuition discounts for your children in Catholic elementary or Diocesan high schools you must fulfill the following requirements: 1. You must be a registered, active, and contributing member of the parish. 2. You must be contributing at least $10.00 per week (which is less than our average envelope user) either in an envelope or by check. We cannot track cash in the collection, so it must be by check or in a contribution envelope. If you cannot make such a financial donation to the parish, you should speak to the pastor well in advance of your child's entering Catholic school. If you are new to the parish, we will sign the tuition waiver and then keep track of your donations for a semester. OTHER PARISH POLICIES: 1. Receiving the Sacraments: Please see the previous section on the sacraments (above). 2. Renting parish facilities: Some parish facilities may be rented by parishioners, especially for things such as wedding receptions. Please contact the parish administrator for specific policies and fees for specific areas. 3. Checking out keys: Keys may be checked out from the parish office if a registered parishioner or parish organization needs access to a room or area of the parish. The person checking out the key must be a registered parishioner. If the person is a member of a parish organization and is checking out the key for that organization, he must be on the list of "key persons" authorized to check out keys in the name of the organization. Keys that are to be kept overnight must be checked out by the Parish Administrator during regular office hours (9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday). If you need an overnight key, please be sure to plan ahead, so that if there is a holiday and the office is closed you will not be left without a key. Other keys may be checked out at the front desk until 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on weekends. The parish office is closed for national holidays. A person who checks out any key must fill out a key checkout form giving his/her name, address, telephone, the date and time the key was checked out, and the area for which the key was checked out. If the office is closed before a key is returned, the key may be put through the mail slot in the office door. The buildings are on an alarm system. No one may enter any building before 7:00 a.m., on a holiday, or after 9:30 p.m. without making previous arrangements with the Parish Administrator. Any person or organization who sets off the parish alarm will be fined $50.00 to cover the parish's cost for a false alarm call. We are making every effort to make keys available to parishioners, but we do need to make sure that certain rules are followed. We appreciate your cooperation.

NEW MEMBERS OF SAINT HELEN'S PARISH New Member's Coordinator: Marge Andreacci (623-979-9491) Volunteer members of Saint Helen's Catholic Community host a monthly meeting to introduce prospective and new parishioners to our church. The meetings are usually held on the third Sunday of the month in the Social Center (the parish hall) beginning at 10:30 a.m. A brief introduction is followed by a 10-minute video proudly displaying the many ministers and ministries that work together to bring so much spirituality as well as all the social functions for the many who participate. The registration forms are distributed and at that time a question and answer period assists those who need other information such as whom to contact regarding: marriage, baptism, religious education (both for adults and for children), annulments, etc. Refreshments are served and baby-sitting is provided. The meeting usually lasts approximately 45 minutes. If a person is unable to attend any of the scheduled dates, then a personal meeting is arranged by contacting the office at 623-979-4202 or the coordinator listed both at the head of this article and on the front cover of the parish bulletin.