READINGS FOR MARCH 5

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

Romans 5:12-19

Matthew 4:1-11

With heartfelt thanks for your

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE

February 18 & 19

Adults $16,114.62 Children .50

IN THE MILITARY Please pray for those serving in the military.

“Lord, protect our military as they sacrifice for us;

bless them and their families for their

continuing selflessness.“

ST. HELEN CHURCH

RIVERSIDE, OHIO February 26, 2017

As we begin our Lenten journey

this week, you are invited to partici-

pate in Catholic Relief Services’

Rice Bowl program. Throughout

Lent we will pray, fast, learn, and

give as a way to encounter Jesus

through others, especially through

the most vulnerable in our world. Please be sure to

take home a Rice Bowl packet and follow this simple

but powerful Lenten practice. One way to help us

share with our brothers and sisters is by using the cal-

endar, which is inserted in the rice bowl. The dollar

and cents amounts are only suggestions. What is im-

portant is that we realize how blest we are and share

some of this bounty with those in need. And don’t for-

get to download the CRS Rice Bowl app!

2017 CATHOLIC MINISTRIES APPEAL

(CMA) We thank everyone from St. Helen who has

participated in the 2017 Catholic Ministries Appeal.

Our pledges let us provide paths of hope through six

important Catholic ministries right here in our archdi-

ocese.

IT’S KAIROS COOKIE TIME! Bakers of the parish, it’s that time again!

More than 20,000 dozen cookies are need-

ed to make the Kairos retreat a success.

The next retreat will be held at the Lebanon Correc-

tional Institution, March 9-12. Bags and instructions

are available in the vestibule this weekend. Please

ensure all cookies meet the guidelines included in

the bag and are dropped off at the parish office by

Tuesday, March 7th. Thank you for all you contin-

ue to do for this ministry!

FIRST FRIDAY

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Next Friday, March 3rd, is First Friday

and our parish day of Eucharistic Adora-

tion. Adoration begins at 10 AM in the Blessed Sac-

rament Chapel and closes from 5-6 p.m. with exposi-

tion of the Blessed Sacrament. Any questions or to

sign up and commit for a specific time, please call

426-9954. All are invited to also attend First Friday

Mass at Immaculate Conception followed by Rosary

and Benediction.

JOIN US MARCH 5TH

IN THE SMITH BUILDING,

FOLLOWING MASS,

FOR COFFEE & DONUT SUNDAY!

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES

This information is on the Lenten Flier in the bulletin, but we are highlighting

it here as well because Ash Wednesday and Lent are upon us this week!

As usual, we will have Mass on Wednesday, March 1st with the distribution of

ashes at 6:30 a.m., 8:15 a.m., and 7:00 p.m.

New this year will also offer Liturgy of the Word (without Communion) and distribution

of ashes at NOON for those who may need to come on their lunch hour.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Novena-CH 9:00 a.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Rosary-BSC 9:00 a.m.

Bible Study-SJN 9:00 a.m.

Leisure Club Meeting-SB 1:00 p.m.

Shrove Tuesday Evensong-CH 7:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1

Ash Wednesday Mass Times: 6:30 a.m., 8:15

a.m., and 7:00 p.m.

Liturgy of the Word with Distribution of Ashes

12:00 p.m. (No Communion)

Centering Prayer-SJN 3:15 p.m.

CtBS Meeting-SJA 7:00 p.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 2

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

Regional Mass at Immaculate Conception

First Friday Eucharistic Adoration-BSC 10:00 a.m.

Stations of the Cross-CH 7:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 4

5:00 p.m. Mass-Fr. Satish

SUNDAY, MARCH 5

8:00 a.m. Mass-Fr. David Brinkmoeller

10:30 a.m. Fr. David Brinkmoeller

EIGHTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATIONS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26

8:00 a.m. Pat Forsthoefel (The Whitneys)

10:30 a.m. Joe Burkhardt (Peggy)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27

8:15 a.m. Anna Lee (Anonymous)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28

8:15 a.m. Gerry Kaufhold (Alice Griffin)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1

6:30 a.m. Louis Ciambro (Paul Tarlano)

8:15 a.m. Shirley Moore (Dale Moore)

7:00 p.m. For all deceased parishioners

THURSDAY, MARCH 2

8:15 a.m. Helen Mattes (St Helen Leisure Club)

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

8:15 Regional Mass at Immaculate Conception

SATURDAY, MARCH 4

5:00 p.m. For the ill of our parish

SUNDAY, MARCH 5

8:00 a.m. Bill Potts (Ray Koester & Family)

10:30 a.m. Maria Burkhardt (Peggy)

THANK YOU FOR YOUR

SUPPORT OF FAIR TRADE! Equal Exchange has acknowledged St.

Helen's Parish for it's commitment to small farm-

ers! Last year our sales of Fair Trade products put St.

Helen's in the top 5% of congregations and communi-

ty groups Equal Exchange works with around the

country. Stop by the Fair Trade table during coffee

and donuts on March 5th to purchase delicious Fair

Trade products and continue St. Helen's support of

small farmers!

IT’S LEISURE CLUB

TIME AGAIN Parishioners 50 and over are

welcome to join this great group for

conversation, cards, and games.

Join us at 1:00 in the Smith Build-

ing this Tuesday!

Our Parish Family

Welcome

into our

Parish Family

Craig & Cary Dutiel

and family

Mark & Karen Goff

Samantha Jo Newport

Daughter of Michael & Erica

Madison Lindsay Duchein Daughter of Cory & Chelsea

We Remember

Our Deceased

Lorraine Rounds Jan. 9

Gerry Kaufhold Jan. 10

Teresa Caselin Jan. 22

Cary Dutiel Feb. 10

FIRST FESTIVAL TICKET TURN-IN

Monday, March 6, 2017

7:00-8:30 in the

Smith Building.

You can also drop your tickets in the

collection basket.

First Early Bird drawing of $50

ST. HELEN CHURCH

RIVERSIDE, OHIO February 26, 2017

Preparing to Live Lent Purposefully

“Lent is the opposite of dry. Lent is dripping-wet spring. Lent is life struggling to be

born amid thunderstorms and tempests.”

(Diana Macalintal, GIA Quarterly, Vol. 28, 1.)

During Lent we recalibrate our lives to be mindful of our sinfulness, to trust in Jesus’ gift of living water, to have sight that sees beyond sin, and to know that we will rise again from the sinfulness of our lives.

Lent has a two-fold nature of repentance and Baptism. During Lent, we support

those who are preparing for the Sacrament of Baptism and reflect on the im-portance of our own baptismal commitment to live in Jesus and to follow him.

Ash Wednesday, March 1, and Good Friday, April 14, are days of abstinence from meat and also days of fast, that is, days limited to a single full meal. With regard to Good Friday, the teaching of the Second Vatican Council should be recalled. "Let the paschal fast be kept sacred. Let it be celebrated everywhere on Good Friday and, where possible, prolonged throughout Holy Saturday, so that the joys of the Sunday of the Resurrection may be attained with uplifted and clear mind." Constitution on the Liturgy, No 110. The other Fridays of the season of Lent are days of abstinence from meat. The law of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years and older. The law of fasting binds all Catholics from their 18th birthday until their 59th birthday (canons 97 and 1252).

WHAT IS GOD INVITING ME TO CHANGE THIS LENT?

What would help me grow in freedom? That's the question to ask. For some of us, it could be, committing ourselves to give up judging others, every single day of Lent. For others, it could be giving up a bad habit we've developed. For still others, it is obvious what seems to be the important choice for me during Lent. For many of us, the choice may not be to give something up, but to add something to our daily lives during Lent. We may commit ourselves to extra prayer time. We may decide to do some service to the poor, once a week during Lent. We may choose to increase our almsgiving to the poor - perhaps re-lated to something we choose not to do, e.g., some might choose not to go out to eat one night a week, and to give that total amount to the poor. Whether it is fasting, abstaining, or other acts of penance, the whole desire we should have is to use these means to help us grow closer to our Lord and prepare

For our Lenten “take home” this year, we will offer tools to help each of us be mind-ful of this two-fold nature of Lent: A small card with “The Examen” to pray each evening as a means of seeing God in our lives each day, and a small bottle filled with water from the baptismal font reminding us of who we are and who we follow.

Lenten Opportunities for Prayer, Fellowship,

Reconciliation, and Service!

SHROVE TUESDAY February 28, 7:00 p.m.

Evening Prayer and

“Burial” of the “Alleluia” Banner

Burning of the Palms

The Feast Before the Fast

in the Gym

ASH WEDNESDAY

MASSES With Distribution of Ashes

6:30 a.m., 8:15 a.m., 7:00 p.m.

Liturgy of the Word With Distribution of Ashes

at NOON (no Communion)

STATIONS OF

THE

CROSS

Fridays 7:00 p.m.

March 3

March 10

March 17

March 24

March 31

April 7

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

PASTA + PIZZA+

STATIONS! Friday, March 10,

6:00 p.m.

Dinner in the Smith Building

followed by

Stations of the Cross in the church.

Register online soon or by calling the

office by Wednesday, March 8.

RECEIVE THE

SACRAMENT OF

RECONCILIATION

“The Light in ON for YOU” on Tues-

day, March 14, from 7:00 to 9:00

p.m., in the church.

Communal reconciliation services will

also be held at Ascension on Mon-

day, March 20, at 7:00 p.m., and at

St. Helen on Tuesday, April 4, at

7:00 p.m. The St. Helen service will

be in the form of Taize prayer along

with the Sacrament.

SOUP AND BREAD

AND EVENSONG Monday, March 20, 6:00 p.m.

in the

Smith Building

followed by

Evensong

in honor of

St. Joseph.

Register online soon or by calling

the office by

Thursday, March 16.

LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUAL OR

FAMILY OR GROUP-OF-FRIENDS

SERVICE PROJECTS? Every year parishioners pitch in to clean our church...wash

down the chairs and pillars in the chapels with oil soap, clean glass,

and oil the Stations of the Cross and some of our precious

statues. There are 548 chairs in the nave, 44 on the east side,

34 on the west side, 45 in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, and

48 in loft, not to mention all the pillars and glass! Join us on

Monday, April 3, any time from 6:00 to 8:30. We will pro-

vide the cleaning liquids; you bring buckets and rags! Call

the rectory to reserve rows of chairs for your group!

Palm Fest is back! Join us Thursday, April 6, at 9:00 a.m. in the

Helen Room for a continental breakfast. We will strip

palms to prepare them for Palm Sunday while listening

to steel drum music! No experience necessary!!! Call

Mary in the rectory !!!

ST. HELEN CHURCH

RIVERSIDE, OHIO February 26, 2017

CREDIT UNION NEWS In 1956 a group of parishioners had a vision to create a

place where they could help their fellow St. Helen parishioners

with their financial needs. This vision is very much alive and

well today as the St. Helen Federal Credit Union continues to

serve its members in its 61st year of operation. The Credit Union

has listened to its members’ concerns to provide the savings and

lending programs needed to best serve its parishioners. We have

been there to help parishioners realize their housing dreams with

savings accounts and second mortgages, provide affordable car

loans when a new vehicle is needed, offer Christmas savings

accounts to attain the picture-perfect Christmas morning, teach

our young students the value of budgeting through Savings Day

programs, and sometimes just be that big shoulder on which to

release all the tension of a financial burden. If you have been a

member of the St. Helen Federal Credit Union at some point

during our 61 years, we thank you for the opportunity to work

with you in obtaining your financial goals. Because of your con-

fidence and faith in the Credit Union, you have been able to as-

sist your fellow parishioners with their financial needs.

CREATION CARE TEAM “10 Things in Your Home Linked to

Climate Change.”

#7: WATER: Every year, the average U.S.

household uses over 100,000 gallons of water. In

many developing countries, there are days families go without

access to water because of extreme drought. Some 780 million

people around the world lack access to clean water. That’s al-

most twice the population of North America. Learn 25 ways you

can save water in your home and yard from http://eartheasy.com/

live_water_saving.htm.

ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE

Recently we introduced a new and exciting way

for you to support our parish offertory and second collec-

tions: Faith Direct. Faith Direct enables parishioners to

make your Church contributions through either direct debit

from your checking/savings account or through your

credit/debit card. No more writing checks or searching for

envelopes on the way out the door. Now you can apply

the convenience of direct debit to your parish offerings in

much the same way as you may now use it to make your

mortgage, car or tuition payments.

Faith Direct also offers you personalized offertory

cards to replace your envelopes for the collection basket.

Our parish code is OH790. You can go to the par-

ish website, www.sthelenparish.org and click on the “Faith

Direct” button or go to www.faithdirect.net!

Applications for the second period are due on

February 28th.

WOMEN'S MORNING OF REFLECTION Let your Lent be rich in mercy. Please join us

on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at St. Peter's Church, for a Morning

of Reflection. The theme will be "Mercy – Accompanying, Dis-

cerning, and Integrating Weaknesses.” We will begin with Mass

at 9:30 AM, followed by a spiritual reflection, meditation, and a

social, ending at noon. Reconciliation will be available. To re-

serve Babysitting for your children please contact Heather at 867

-7332 or for further information, Connie at 620-2207. Regnum

Christi women are hostessing this wonderful opportunity for all

women.

DAY OF SERVICE Parishioners are invited to join alumni and friends of

Saint Meinrad for a Day of Service on Saturday, March 11, at

the St. Vincent de Paul Gateway Shelter for Women and Fami-

lies, 120 West Apple Street, Dayton, OH 45402.

The event at St. Vincent de Paul will begin with regis-

tration at 8:30 a.m. Work will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m.

Saint Meinrad alum and oblate Candee Mackell will be coordi-

nating the service project.

There is no cost to participate and each volunteer will

receive a free t-shirt and lunch, courtesy of the Saint Meinrad

Alumni Association. You need not be an alumnus of Saint

Meinrad to participate.

Volunteers are asked to register by March 1 to ensure an

accurate count for lunch and t-shirts. For more details or to regis-

ter, visit http://alumni.saintmeinrad.edu/dayofservice or call the

Saint Meinrad Alumni Office at (800) 682-0988.

St. Joseph’s Table

On March 20, we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary. St. Joseph dedicated his

life to the care of the Blessed Virgin and Jesus. To honor him, there is a classic Catholic tradition

we know as St. Joseph’s Table where food is set aside for the poor. Here at St. Helen Parish, we

have the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry and the “Feed the Spirit” ministry to assist those in need.

The “Feed the Spirit” ministry provides specific items used to feed hungry children in the sur-

rounding communities of Riverside, Dayton and Beavercreek.

In honor of St. Joseph, you are invited to bring non-perishable food items to Mass on the Weekend

prior to his Solemnity (March 18 – 19) or you can bring your donation to the St. Joseph Evening

Prayer on March 20. We will bless all the donations during the Evening Prayer, just like we do at

Thanksgiving.

Please place your donation by the statue of St. Joseph in the Holy Family Chapel.

Here are some of the most popular and needed

items for the food pantry:

Soups of all types, Tuna, Pancake mix/ Syrup,

Canned Ravioli, Jello/Pudding mix, Pork and

Beans/Baked beans, Dry pasta (side dishes/

mac and cheese), Canned fruit, Spaghetti sauce,

Canned Chili/Beef stew, Break fast cereal,

Canned meats, Saltine/ Graham crackers,

Canned spaghetti and meatballs, Peanut Butter

and Jelly, Cake Mixes and Icing

Here are some of the needed items for the “Feed the

Spirit” ministry:

For more information, contact Deacon Jon Danner,

jdanner@woh.rr.com, 256-5025.

Breakfast foods in individual bags or

containers (oatmeal, cream of wheat,

breakfast bars, pop tarts, cereal cups).

Individual packs of snacks (raisins, crack-

ers, pretzels, goldfish). Fruit or Vegetable

individual cans (pop top) or cups (easy

open) or applesauce. Shelf stable white

milk in single serve (small) cartons. Easy

open individual meals (must have pop top

if a can) i.e. pasta meals in cups, mac-n-

cheese in cups, cup-o-soup, any soup can

with pop top, ramen in cups, and small

jars of peanut butter.