PARISH LIFE
New Catholics and practicing Catholics are warmly invited to join our parish as registered members. You will find St. Helena to be a wonderful family. We have a strong tradition of volunteerism, which allows new members to meet people quickly. We are a healthy mix of laborers, teachers, professionals, small business owners, and self-employed persons. We have everyone from singles to young families to retirees. Our neighborhood is becoming younger and we are seeing that in our new membership. We are community that looks out for each other materially and spiritually.
Get Involved Today!
Choir
Our beautiful acoustic space is filled each Sunday at 10AM Mass with our talented parish choir and gorgeous pipe organ. The choir rehearses on Sunday just before and after 10AM Mass, so there is no extra weeknight commitment.
Interested singers should contact David Bartlett at 651-239-6914.
Council of Catholic Women
The CCW is an association of women in the parish who assist with raising money for special purposes, such as special gifts to the school, Mass intentions and stipends, and other needs of the parish. The CCW also coordinates funeral luncheons in the social hall. For more information, please contact Mary Kay Tessman at 763-439-0572.
Donuts and Coffee
Each Sunday after 10AM Mass we offer coffee and donuts in our social hall as a way to provide hospitality for members and visitors. This is a popular weekly tradition for adults and children alike. Each week one family takes charge of the set up and clean up for the morning. Children enjoy this immensely. For more information please contact John Sondag at 612-729-7321.
Eucharistic Minister
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist the presiding priest at Mass in distributing communion to the faithful. These ministers receive a brief training session, and operate on a rotating schedule.
Funeral Support
St. Helena has a group of volunteers who pray the rosary before each funeral. This is a very special gift to the family of the deceased. If you would like to volunteer for this ministry, please contact Gary Schott at 612-729-1144.
Lector
Lectors assist at Mass by reading some of the scriptural texts for Sunday Mass along with the weekly prayer intentions. Lectors receive a brief training session, and operate on a rotating schedule.
Men's & Women's Breakfasts
Several times per year, St. Helena hosts a breakfast gathering for men and women on Saturday mornings. The morning begins with Mass at 8AM, followed by a hearty breakfast and a guest speaker. This is a popular and growing event.
Music Outreach
St. Helena Musical Troupe is a small group of adults and children to make visits to various nursing homes to bring the joy of music to residents. The performers take turns singing or playing instruments, and then lead the residents in a few songs. If you are interested in getting involved in this important ministry, please contact John Sondag at 612-729-7321.
Nursery Help
Our church has a fully equipped nursery room which is staffed by a volunteer during the 10AM Sunday Mass. Parents can drop their young ones off upon arrival and pick them up after Mass, and then enjoy some coffee and donuts. If you would like to volunteer for this valuable service, please contact John Sondag at 612-729-7321.
Parish Festival
The Autumn Daze Festival is a 75 year old tradition in south Minneapolis. This is our major event of the year which brings together people from all over the south end of the city and beyond. To learn more about the festival, including volunteer opportunities, please visit the festival page.
Quilting
St. Helena has a quilting group who makes beautiful hand-made quilts for the Autumn Daze festival. This group meets most of the year, usually on Monday mornings and Wednesday evenings to work on the quilts. If you are interested in volunteering for this project, please contact Lucy Koller at 612-729-9445.
Sacristy Aide
Sacristy Aids clean the Church Sanctuary and launder the Church linens. There are six groups of sacristy aids who rotate duties. Each group is assigned about eight times throughout the year to clean the Church sanctuary once a week. There is also one volunteer who cleans the Church linens once a week for a month. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Elaine Bruce at 612-729-7344.
Senior Luncheon
Seniors meet the third Wednesday of the month, for a Senior Luncheon in Rowan Hall at 12:00 P.M. Cost is $5.00. Join us for fellowship, bingo and an occasional speaker. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call the Parish Office at
612-729-7344.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
The St. Vincent de Paul Society is a poverty relief organization which assists those who are in immediate need of material help. This group meets to discuss projects as well as special urgent matters. To learn more about the Society, please contact
John Sondag at 612-729-7321.
Usher
Ushers assist with the collection at Mass and also with a few logistics before and after Mass. If someone has special needs with seating, the ushers can help out with this as well. Interested persons should contact John Sondag at 612-729-7321.
