About St. Helen · Fort Lauderdale, Florida
St. Helen Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in Lauderdale Lakes (a Fort Lauderdale suburb), Florida, within the Archdiocese of Miami under Archbishop Thomas Wenski. Founded on November 14, 1968, it is a notably diverse, multilingual community that celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, and French/Creole, and has been described as a 'small United Nations' drawing parishioners from across the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. The parish operates Saint Helen Catholic School (opened 1973) and Creative Learning Center (acquired 1989), and it has historically hosted the archdiocese's Vietnamese Apostolate before that community founded its own parish in 2014.
- Established
- 1968
- Patron
- Saint Helen (St. Helena), mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great
- Rector
- Rev. Father Lucien Eugène Pierre, Ph.D.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Miami
Why belong here
St. Helen is a true mosaic of nationalities, with weekend Masses offered in English, Spanish, and French/Creole that draw families from the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe — a place where newcomers can find their language and culture celebrated while joining one united Catholic family. It is anchored by a parish school (PreK–8) and Creative Learning Center, a robust Religious Education program for sacramental preparation, and active lay ministries including the Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Council of Catholic Women, St. Vincent de Paul, Respect Life, Black Catholic Ministry, LifeTeen youth ministry, Lay Dominicans, and vibrant music and dance ensembles. With daily Mass, First Friday Holy Hour and Benediction, the Monday Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena, and the monthly Our Lady of Mount Carmel Devotion, it offers a steady rhythm of devotions for anyone seeking a multi-ethnic, sacramental, and service-oriented parish home in central Broward.
Mass times at St. Helen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Holy Hour & Benediction every First Friday after the 9:00 a.m. School Mass — Benediction at 12:00 Noon (English) and 7:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- Adoration Friday 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (First Friday, per Discover Mass listing)
Parish Overview & Mission
Saint Helen Catholic Church describes itself as 'a diverse Community united in Faith and Fellowship, embracing Saint Helen's Strength and Determination; aspiring to spread the Gospel through worshipping, living a sacramental life and compassionate service so that the Kingdom of God be revealed to all.' The parish is a Roman Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Miami under Archbishop Thomas Wenski, and it intentionally structures its life around three language communities — English, Spanish, and French/Creole — that worship as one parish family.
- Roman Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Miami, under Archbishop Thomas Wenski
- Located in Lauderdale Lakes, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Known locally as a 'small United Nations' for its multi-ethnic composition
- Founded November 14, 1968 by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll
History of the Parish
St. Helen was established in 1968 with Father Patrick J. Murnane as its founding administrator. The community worshipped successively at Dolphin Lane Bowling Alley, a neighboring Lutheran church, and a renovated warehouse before the first church was dedicated in 1970. A 1973 fire destroyed the church, but Mass continued in the parish hall within three days, and the rebuilt church was rededicated in 1974. The parish school opened in 1973, the Creative Learning Center was added in 1989, the Vietnamese Apostolate departed in 2014, and a major 2023 renovation brought a new marble altar, new liturgical furniture, and new Stations of the Cross. See the full history section above for the complete narrative.
- 1968 — parish established; first Mass at Dolphin Lane Bowling Alley
- 1970 — first dedicated church building
- 1973 — Saint Helen School opens (first new archdiocesan school in 10+ years); church destroyed by fire
- 1974 — rebuilt church rededicated
- 1989 — Creative Learning Center acquired
- 2014 — Vietnamese Apostolate relocates to Our Lady of La Vang, Hallandale Beach
- 2015 — Father Lucien Pierre appointed administrator
- 2018 — 50th anniversary concluded with golden jubilee Mass
- January 21, 2023 — new altar consecrated and Father Pierre installed as pastor
Liturgical Schedule & Devotions
St. Helen offers a rich schedule of daily and weekend Masses, with three language communities worshiping under one roof. Weekday Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 8:00 a.m. in the chapel (entered from NW 30 Street), with an additional School Mass every Friday at 9:00 a.m. The Sunday schedule provides four English Masses, one Spanish Mass, and one French/Creole Mass. Devotions include the Monday evening Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena, First Friday Holy Hour and Benediction (in English at noon and Spanish at 7:00 p.m.), the monthly Our Lady of Mount Carmel Devotion, and ongoing Haitian and Spanish prayer groups.
- Daily Mass: Mon–Sat 8:00 a.m. (Chapel); Fri 9:00 a.m. (School Mass)
- Vigil Mass: Saturday 4:00 p.m. (English)
- Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 a.m. (English); 12:00 Noon (Spanish); 5:00 p.m. (French/Creole)
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:00–4:00 p.m. or by appointment
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena: Mondays 7:00 p.m.
- Holy Hour & Benediction: First Friday, after School Mass (Noon English; 7:00 p.m. Spanish)
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Devotion: 3rd Friday of the month, 7:00 p.m.
- Praise & Worship: First Friday of the month
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Father Lucien Eugène Pierre, Ph.D., who has served as administrator since 2015 and was formally installed as pastor on January 21, 2023. Day-to-day operations are coordinated by Parish Manager Marcelle Chery, with secretarial and bookkeeping support. The school is led by Principal Mrs. Farah Barrat, supported by School Secretary Mrs. Marie Neptune. A deacon position is currently vacant; Rev. Mr. Benjamin Roa previously served in that role.
- Pastor: Rev. Father Lucien Eugène Pierre, Ph.D. (ext. 7208)
- Parish Manager: Marcelle Chery (ext. 1002)
- Secretary: Maria Goretti Franck (ext. 1001)
- Bookkeeper: Anny Valdes (ext. 1003)
- Religious Education Office (ext. 1006)
- School Principal: Mrs. Farah Barrat
- School Secretary: Mrs. Marie Neptune
- Deacon: vacant (formerly Rev. Mr. Benjamin Roa)
Saint Helen Catholic School & Creative Learning Center
Saint Helen Catholic School, opened in 1973, was the first parochial elementary school to open in the Archdiocese of Miami in more than a decade. Today the school serves PreK through 8th grade at 3340 W. Oakland Park Blvd, with a free breakfast and lunch program, before- and after-school care, and a strong faith-based curriculum. The Creative Learning Center, acquired in 1989, educates the parish's youngest children. The Daughters of Our Lady of Visitation (a Vietnamese religious community) teach at the school.
- PreK–K: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
- Grades 1–8: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Extended Day (after-school care): 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
- Free Breakfast and Lunch Program
- Phone: (954) 739-7094
- Website: https://www.sainthelen.net/
Religious Education & Sacramental Preparation
The parish Religious Education program is directed by Sr. Therese Duong Phan and serves students preparing for First Communion (ages 7+) and Confirmation (entering 6th grade). Two consecutive years of Religious Education are required before receiving a sacrament. Classes meet Sundays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., with families expected to attend the 9:00 a.m. Mass together. Curriculum uses 'We Believe' by Sadlier and 'God's Gift Eucharist & Reconciliation' by Loyola Press for First Communion, and 'Confirmed for Mission' (Diocese of Lincoln, 2020) along with the New American Bible for Confirmation.
- Religious Education classes: Sundays 10:30–11:30 a.m.
- Family Mass: Sundays 9:00 a.m.
- First Communion: child must be at least 7 years old; 2 years preparation
- Confirmation: entering 6th grade; 2 years preparation
- Catechists include Sr. Therese Duong Phan, Mrs. Marcelle Chery, Mrs. Marie Neptune, Mrs. Carmen Onudbia, Mr. Daniel Dames, Mrs. Marjorie Irving, Mrs. Marcelle Calixte Cadet, Mrs. Annette Cardoza, Ms. Jeaelle Neptune
Parish Ministries & Community Life
St. Helen's active lay life is organized into a wide range of language- and culture-specific ministries alongside traditional Catholic apostolates. The Knights of Columbus, Council of Catholic Women, Legion of Mary, and St. Vincent de Paul provide the institutional Catholic backbone, while separate Haitian, Spanish, and English communities each have their own prayer groups, choirs, and lay leaders. The parish is also home to a LifeTeen youth ministry with its own Praise Dancers, a Black Catholic Ministry, a Respect Life group, Lay Dominicans, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, lectors, hospitality ministers, and pastoral family outreach.
- Knights of Columbus — Michel Alfred; Tony Pavlish
- Council of Catholic Women — Peggy Delcontivo
- Legion of Mary (Mon 5 p.m.) — Ethel Vanterpool
- St. Vincent de Paul Ministry — (954) 530-3880
- LifeTeen Youth Ministry & Praise Dancers
- Black Catholic Ministry — Charles Thompson
- Lay Dominicans & Altar Servers — Luce Jean Jacques
- Respect Life — Richard Esposito
- Pastoral Family Ministry — Dr. Ducarmel Augustin
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist — Bernadette Mathieu
- Haitian Prayer Group (Thu 7 p.m.) — Mercie Dieujuste
- Spanish Prayer Group (Tue 7 p.m.) — Ana Morales
- Men's Group Ministry — Hayward J. Benson Jr., Ed.D.
Music & Liturgical Arts
Music at St. Helen is multilingual and central to parish identity. Three distinct ensembles — English/Polish, Spanish, and Haitian — lead worship at their respective Masses, supported by a Director of Music and a Spanish Community Music coordinator. A LifeTeen Praise Dancers ensemble enhances the youth liturgy, and the parish's 50th anniversary Mass featured all three choirs alongside visiting mariachis.
- Director of Music / English-Polish: Les Blachut (954) 993-5494
- Spanish Community Music: Juan Saldivar (954) 857-8445
- Haitian Choir Coordinator: Madeleine Dubois (954) 383-6114
- Praise Dancers (LifeTeen youth ministry)
Sacraments
St. Helen celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments in English, Spanish, and Creole, with culturally appropriate preparation for each. Baptisms are scheduled on Sunday afternoons; Marriages require six months of preparation and an appointment with the pastor; First Communion and Confirmation follow the parish's two-year Religious Education track.
- Baptism — Sunday at 1:30 p.m.; one class required
- Marriage — six months preparation; by appointment with the pastor
- First Communion — age 7+, two years of Religious Education
- Confirmation — entering 6th grade, two years of Religious Education
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–4:00 p.m. or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the parish office
Facilities, Gift Shop & Getting Involved
The parish campus includes the main church, a separate chapel (entered from NW 30 Street) used for weekday Mass, the parish hall (which served as the worship space for three days after the 1973 fire), a Gift Shop open weekday mornings, and the school grounds on W. Oakland Park Blvd. Visitors are encouraged to drop by during parish office hours (Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or to browse the Gift Shop between 10:00 a.m. and noon.
- Parish Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Gift Shop: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
- Chapel entrance: off NW 30 Street
- Main church: 3033 NW 33rd Avenue
- School: 3340 W. Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
- Phone: (954) 731-7314 | Fax: (954) 733-0023
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick J. Murnane1968–
Founding administrator; Irish-born, ordained 1960 in Thurles; previously assistant pastor at St. Anthony Parish, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Coleman Parish, Pompano Beach. Celebrated the parish's first Mass at Dolphin Lane Bowling Alley.
- Rev. Lesly Jeanc. 2013–c. 2015
Pastor during the transition of the Vietnamese Apostolate from St. Helen to its own parish, Our Lady of La Vang in Hallandale Beach, in 2014. Quoted saying 'I'll miss them; they were very supportive of the parish. But I'm happy they have their own parish.'
- Rev. Lucien Eugène Pierre, Ph.D.2015–present
Appointed administrator in 2015; formally installed as pastor by Archbishop Thomas Wenski on January 21, 2023. Consecration of a new altar and dedication of new Stations of the Cross took place at the same installation Mass. Native of Haiti; oversaw the parish's 50th anniversary (2018) and 2023 renovation.