About St. Helen · Vero Beach, Florida
St. Helen Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Vero Beach, Florida, and the first Catholic church established in Indian River County (founded 1919). It belongs to the Diocese of Palm Beach (which it joined in October 1984) and today serves roughly 3,500 registered families — about 8,000 people — making it the largest Catholic parish on Florida's Treasure Coast. The parish complex centers on a 1955 Romanesque-style church with pink marble, Italian statues, and stained glass, and it operates St. Helen Catholic School (PK–8) on an adjacent campus at 2050 Vero Beach Avenue.
- Established
- 1919
- Patron
- Saint Helena (Helen) of Constantinople, mother of Emperor Constantine the Great
- Rector
- Father Matthew DeGance (ninth pastor, installed July 2023)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Palm Beach
Why belong here
St. Helen is the historic anchor Catholic parish of Indian River County with a 100-year-old community and the largest Catholic congregation on the Treasure Coast, offering eight weekend Masses (including a daily Spanish Mass), perpetual adoration in the Christian Living Center chapel, a wide sacramental and devotional life (RCIA, CCD, weekly Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, monthly Anointing of the Sick), and a vibrant PK-8 parish school. Members find a Stewardship-centered culture with strong outreach through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul thrift store and the parish Outreach Office, plus age-specific ministry for youth, young adults, and families — making it a welcoming place both for longtime residents and for newcomers to Vero Beach.
Mass times at St. Helen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
- By appointment (call 772-567-5129)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration — Chapel of the Christian Living Center
- Monday in the Church — following the 8:30 AM Mass; Rosary at noon; Evening Prayer 5:30 PM; Benediction 6:00 PM
Parish Overview and Centennial Heritage
St. Helen Catholic Church in Vero Beach, Florida, is the first Catholic parish established in Indian River County (founded 1919) and today is one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Palm Beach. The parish traces its origin to a single Mass celebrated by Benedictine missionary Father Rupert Gabriel in June 1919 at the home of Anna and Louis Schlitt. From those 20 founding members it has grown to roughly 3,500 registered families, anchored by the 1955 Romanesque-style church, the adjacent St. Helen Catholic School (PK–8), the Christian Living Center, and the Parish Center. The parish celebrated its centennial in 2019 with a multi-year Centennial Renovation of the church that wrapped up in 2022.
- Founded 1919 — first Catholic parish in Indian River County
- Centennial celebrated 2019; multi-year church renovation completed 2022
- About 3,500 registered families; eight weekend Masses
History
The parish's first decade was led by missionary priests who traveled in from Fort Pierce; the first resident pastor, Father Michael Mullally, arrived in 1929 and in 1940 founded St. Helen Catholic School with three Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan. Construction of the present church was begun under Father Patrick O'Brien (1950) and completed under Father John F. McKeown, who added the stained-glass windows, pink marble, and Italian statues that still define the sanctuary; the church was dedicated March 6, 1955. Subsequent pastors built the Parish Center (1975), launched the Stewardship community model, joined the new Diocese of Palm Beach in 1984, and oversaw the 2018–2022 Centennial Renovation executed by Conrad Schmitt Studios.
- 1919 — first Mass at Schlitt home; wood-frame church built December 1919
- 1929 — Father Michael Mullally becomes first resident pastor
- 1940 — St. Helen Catholic School opens (Sept 16, 27 students)
- 1955 — current church dedicated March 6, 1955
- 1965 — first Harvest Festival funds the church air-conditioning
- 1967 — St. Helen Service Center opens in Gifford
- 1975 — Parish Center opens; statue of St. Helen erected
- 1984 — joins the Diocese of Palm Beach
- 2019 — parish centennial
- 2022 — Centennial Renovation of nave and transepts completed
Centennial Renovation and Architecture
The 1955 Romanesque-style church was transformed between 2018 and 2022 by artists from Conrad Schmitt Studios of Berlin, Wisconsin, in three phases beginning under Father Kevin Nelson and finishing under Father Matthew DeGance. The nave and transepts were redecorated in gray and gold tones evoking the era of St. Helen's life (c. 244–333 AD). Faux-marble columns symbolize the 'living stones' of the Church (1 Peter 2:5); pilasters rise from them entwined with acanthus plants symbolizing resurrection. The wooden rafters of the ceiling evoke shipbuilding (nave from Latin navis), and the blue panels above are hand-stenciled with gold stars.
- Two large murals: Constantine's Vision of the Chi Rho (312 AD) and St. Helen finding the True Cross (after 325 AD)
- Six nave medallions depicting St. Joan of Arc, St. John Bosco, the Blessed Mother, St. Cecilia, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, and St. Francis de Sales
- Lamb of God on the great arch surrounded by blossoming roses on gold
- New Romanesque-style wooden altar of repose housing the tabernacle (23 kt gold-leaf accents) — designed with New Holland Church Furniture
- New Stations of the Cross and painted faux-marble columns
Devotions and Other Services
Beyond Mass and Confession, the parish keeps a steady rhythm of devotions: a weekly Tuesday Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help after the 8:30 AM Mass, monthly Anointing of the Sick on the first Saturday, a Monday day of Adoration with rosary at noon and Solemn Benediction at 6:00 PM, and special music-led celebrations by the parish choirs throughout the liturgical year.
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena — Tuesdays after 8:30 AM Mass
- Anointing of the Sick — first Saturday after 8:30 AM Mass, or by appointment
- Monday Adoration with Rosary (noon) and Evening Prayer + Benediction (5:30/6:00 PM)
- Nursery available during the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass (closed June–August)
Faith Formation and Sacraments
Faith formation at St. Helen is led by Director of Religious Education Paige Fies and covers children, youth, and adults. The parish runs a full CCD/Religious Education program, sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in second grade, the Rite of Initiation of Children (RCIC), the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), Baptism preparation for parents, and a school-year youth ministry with separate middle-school and high-school tracks plus a high-school mission trip program (St. Helen Youth on a Mission) that includes a Bahamas trip.
- Religious Education Office — 1201 19th Place, Suite B302; 772-562-5954; [email protected]
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion prep (2nd grade)
- RCIA (adults) and RCIC (older children)
- Baptism preparation
- Youth Ministry for Middle School and High School; Young Adult Ministry
Music and Liturgy
The Music Ministry under Director Dolores Mark provides music for parish liturgies and special celebrations through five distinct ensembles — Adult Choir, Celebration Choir, Children's Choir, St. Helen Student Choir, and Contemporary Choir — covering the full range of parish worship from the 8:45 AM traditional Sunday Mass to the contemporary 5:00 PM Sunday Mass and the school Mass.
- Adult Choir — 8:45 AM Sunday Mass
- Celebration Choir — special celebrations
- Children's Choir — 10:30 AM Sunday Mass
- St. Helen Student Choir — School Mass
- Contemporary Choir — 5:00 PM Sunday Mass
Outreach and Service
Outreach has been central to St. Helen's identity since Monsignor Nugent created the Outreach Office in the late 1970s as an extension of the Neighborhood Apostolate. The parish runs an Outreach Assistance Office that helps with utility bills, prescriptions, clothing, and household needs; the Society of St. Vincent de Paul operates an all-volunteer thrift store at 1745 14th Avenue; Hispanic Ministries serves the Spanish-speaking community; and ministries to the sick visit parishioners who cannot attend Mass.
- Outreach Assistance Office — 772-567-5193; [email protected]
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul thrift store — 1745 14th Ave, Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat 9 AM–3 PM
- Hispanic Ministries — Yolanda Cardenas, 772-567-5155
- Ministry to the Sick
- Vocation Ministry
St. Helen Catholic School
St. Helen Catholic School, founded in 1940 by Father Michael Mullally with three Dominican Sisters, is a PK–8 parish school on the campus at 2050 Vero Beach Avenue. It is led by Principal Lisa Bell and serves more than 200 students as part of the parish family. Students participate in liturgy through the St. Helen Student Choir and weekly School Masses, and older students are integrated into parish Sacramental preparation and youth ministry.
- Founded September 16, 1940 with 27 students
- Originally taught by Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan
- Address: 2050 Vero Beach Avenue, Vero Beach, FL
- Phone: 772-567-5457
- Principal: Lisa Bell — [email protected]
Parish Staff and Communications
Day-to-day parish operations are supported by a staff including a Parish Manager (Deacon David Hankle), Bookkeeper (Anne Caron), Receptionist (Dena Karnehm), Communications (Laura Lewis), Maintenance Director (Tom Sangbush), Music Director (Dolores Mark), Director of Religious Education (Paige Fies), Director of Youth Ministry (Rudy Vasquez), and Hispanic Ministries Coordinator (Yolanda Cardenas). Pastor Emeritus Father Michael W. Edwards continues in a supporting role. The parish publishes The Disciple quarterly newsletter and maintains an active Facebook page (facebook.com/sthelenvero), an Instagram account for youth ministry (shvbyouth), and a myParish mobile app (text APP to 55321).
- Parish Office: 2085 Tallahassee Avenue; Mon–Fri 9 AM–4 PM
- Phone 772-567-5129; Fax 772-567-1061
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Quarterly newsletter: The Disciple
- myParish app available for iOS and Android
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Rupert Gabriel, O.S.B.1919–1926
Missionary priest of the Order of St. Benedict who celebrated the first Mass in June 1919 at the Schlitt home; oversaw construction of the original wood-frame church (Dec 1919); retired due to poor health.
- Reverend Michael Beerhalter1926–1929
Based in Fort Pierce; also ministered to parishioners of St. Anastasia in Fort Pierce.
- Reverend Michael Mullally1929–1950
First resident pastor; founded St. Helen Catholic School, which opened September 16, 1940 with 27 students staffed by three Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan.
- Reverend Patrick O'Brien1950–1954
Built a new rectory with parish offices and began construction on the present church; started religious instruction for public-school children and ran the fundraising that paid for the $250,000 church.
- Reverend John F. McKeown1954–1964
Completed the new church — stained glass, pink marble, Italian statues — dedicated March 6, 1955; converted original church to Parish Hall; built four-room classroom addition and convent; established the St. William Mission in Sebastian.
- Reverend Hugh J. Flynn1964–1969
Established weekly Bingo Night; created the St. Helen Harvest Festival (opened Nov 19, 1965) which funded the church air-conditioning; built the St. Helen Service Center in Gifford (1967).
- Reverend John B. O'Hare1969–1976
Built the present Parish Center (opened 1975); statue of St. Helen erected on the parish grounds in 1975.
- Monsignor Irvine Nugent1976–1999
Founded the Neighborhood Apostolate (1977) and the Outreach Office; remodeled the former convent into the Christian Living Center; led the parish into the newly created Diocese of Palm Beach in October 1984.
- Very Reverend Michael W. Edwards, V.F.1999–2016
Seventh pastor; led the parish's conversion to a Stewardship Community; in 2006 named Very Reverend and Vicar Forane for the Northern Deanery. Now Pastor Emeritus.
- Very Reverend Kevin C. Nelson, V.F.2016–2021
Eighth pastor; oversaw the start of the multi-phase Centennial Renovation of the church in 2018; later transferred to St. Jude, Tequesta.
- Reverend Matthew DeGance2021–present
Ninth pastor; arrived as parochial administrator in July 2021 from St. Philip Benizi, Belle Glade; installed as pastor July 1, 2023; completed the nave/transept phases of the Centennial Renovation in 2022.