Junction City Oregon is a relatively small community located in northern Lane county.

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The first Catholic Church in Junction City, Oregon was known as Saint Mel, named after the secretary to St. Patrick, the great saint of the 5th century Ireland. St. Mel Catholic Church was dedicated in 1916 and it used to be located at 9th and Ivy Street. From 1916 on, St. Mel was a mission church of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Monroe.

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In 1927, a decision was made to close St. Mel Catholic Church and until 1959, Catholics of Junction City attended church at Monroe (Saint Rose of Lima Parish) or Harrisburg (Our Lady of Victory Parish) or at a rented facility in Junction City. In 1959, with 83 families, Saint Helen Catholic Church was established and the first resident priest was Fr. Lowell Blackburn. The first Mass was celebrated in December 1960.

For a short period the Grange Hall in Junction City was used for Masses by the Catholic Community of Junction City. In 1960, construction for a building was begun on the present seven-acre site on 6th Avenue. The constructed building, which is now the church building of Saint Helen Catholic Church, was meant to be the gymnasium for the parochial school that was originally planned to be established. There were also plans for construction of convent buildings for teaching sisters. But with changes in the economy and Church life in the 1960’s, the plans for a parochial school and convent for teaching sisters were filed away.

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Since 1959 the Catholic Community at Saint Helen has grown and solidly placed its roots on West 6th Avenue. With the Hispanic Community, the congregation now numbers around 300 families. In 1985, thanks to the donations and pledges of our parish family, a parish hall was constructed next to the church.

Saint Helen Catholic Church now embraces the future with a sense of thanks to all who have formed our past.