Information for Newcomers and Guests:
Praised be Jesus Christ! Welcome to the website for St. Helen and St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Churches. I hope that you will be able to visit our parishes soon and that we can have a chance to meet in person!
St. Helen and St Rose together is a parish family that seeks holiness through fidelity to the liturgy and teachings of Jesus Christ and the Church He founded 2000 years ago: the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Our parish strives to console Our Lord through our own sanctification, and by sharing the fullness of the Catholic faith to others who do not yet know the Good Lord Jesus and His Church.
On this website you will find information about the sacramental life of the parish, and about the many parish groups and activities that support the faith of our parishioners. We hope that you can visit us soon!
May God bless you,
Father John Arcidiacono
New Parishioner Registration
Welcome! Registration forms for new parishioners can be found on the table just inside the entrance to the Church. Once you have filled them out, they can be dropped off at mailbox for the main office, located just down the sidewalk to the left of the church.
Join us for Holy Mass: We welcome all newcomers, whether you are familiar with the Catholic Mass or not. You can find a list of the normal Mass and Confession times on this website. Please check the latest bulletin, as there are sometimes changes to the normal schedule.
Participating at the Holy Mass
Our primary participation at Holy Mass is to reverently adore the Lord God and offer our lives to God in union with the Holy Sacrifice of Christ, which is made present for us at each Holy Mass. In addition to this silent interior participation, each person is encouraged to be attentive to the readings and prayers, responding or singing along with the choir at the appropriate times. For this purpose, Hymnals and Missals are available throughout the pews. These books provide the hymns and readings for Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days throughout the year. If you would like to follow along with the weekly masses, there are several copies of a daily mass booklet, which offers daily meditations and the Scripture readings for daily mass.
Attire
Attire is just one of many ways in which we show outwardly our profound respect for Our Lord. Our external appearance of should reflect our internal disposition. Wearing our “Sunday best” reflects the importance we place on attending Sunday Mass and is a way to honor both God and our neighbor at mass. Current worldly fashions often do not help us to properly reverence the King of Kings at Church. The following guidelines are offered as a helpful resource to be attired appropriately on Church premises and especially while attending Holy Mass:
Women should dress in modest clothing, preferably in a knee-length (or longer) dress or skirt. Tight-fitting or revealing clothing, including miniskirts, sleeveless and low-cut tops, are not considered appropriate church attire. It is also customary (though not necessary) for women to cover their heads with a veil or similar head covering such as a hat or scarf in the church.
Men whenever possible, and especially at Sunday Mass, should wear a collared shirt and long pants, preferably with a jacket and tie on Sundays (though not required). T-shirts, shirts with distracting logos or lettering, shorts, and flip-flops are not appropriate.
Please note: However, if work or travel necessitates clothing not in conformity to the aforementioned standards this need not deter you from attending Mass.
Guidelines for the Reception of Holy Communion
Baptized Catholics in a state of grace, and who are observing the Eucharistic fast are invited to come forward for Holy Communion. By a ‘state of grace’ is meant those who are not conscious of any grave sin that has yet to be absolved by sacramental Confession.
Proper observation of the Eucharistic fast requires no food or drink (other than water) one hour prior to the reception of Holy Communion, although some may prefer to observe the older fasting discipline of 3 hours or from midnight.
If you are not Catholic, if you have been away from practicing fully the Catholic Faith, or if you are indisposed to receive Holy Communion for whatever reason, you are invited to make a Spiritual Communion, which is an act of desire to be united with Our Lord. A Spiritual Communion may be made prayerfully from your seat in the pew, or you may come forward in the communion line for a blessing. Simply bow your head and place your arms across your chest, and the priest will give you a blessing.
Guidelines for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
The steps to Confession are:
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After entering the confessional, kneel down facing the screen with the priest on the opposite side of the screen. If you have difficulty kneeling, you may sit in the chair provided.
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Make the sign of the cross as the priest says: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
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Say the following: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned; it has been [however long] since my last confession.”
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Confess your sins to the priest (Mortal sins must be confessed in kind and number)
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Conclude by saying, “ I am sorry for these sins and for all the sins of my past life.”
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The priest will give encouragement/advice (if necessary) and assign a penance for your to do after leaving the confessional.
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Recite the Act of Contrition.
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Finally, the Priest will give you absolution and dismiss you. You make the sign of the cross again when the priest again says: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In this holy moment of Absolution, God grants us the forgiveness of our sins through the infinite merits of passion of Christ and through the ministry of the Church.
If you have a question or find yourself stuck at any moment, the priest will help you in the steps of your confession.