About St. Helen's Catholic Church · Fresno, California
St. Helen's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in southeast Fresno, California, belonging to the Diocese of Fresno. The parish traces its roots to 1948, when St. John's Parish purchased a 10-acre pumpkin patch that would become the site of the church, school, convent, and rectory. The mission school opened in 1953, and on December 8, 1955 the community received parish status. Today St. Helen's serves a bilingual congregation with weekend Masses in English and Spanish, a parish school serving PreK–8th grade, and a devotional life that includes weekday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- St. Helen (Saint Helena), mother of Emperor Constantine the Great
- Rector
- Rev. Walter Martínez (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fresno
Why belong here
St. Helen's is a welcoming bilingual Catholic parish in southeast Fresno that celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish each weekend, offers weekday Masses and Eucharistic Adoration, and provides the Sacrament of Reconciliation weekly. Families can send their children to the parish's own NCEA-accredited PreK–8th grade Catholic school on the same campus, and the parish community comes together around fundraisers, devotions, and shared pilgrimages like the trip to the Shrines of France.
Mass times at St. Helen's Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday / Miércoles: 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Grant Ave. Chapel)
Adoration times
- Thursday: 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
- Monday & Tuesday (Weekdays): 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (Weekdays): 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Welcome to St. Helen's Catholic Church
St. Helen's is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in southeast Fresno, part of the Diocese of Fresno. The parish website invites visitors to 'Come Visit Us,' highlighting weekend Masses in English and Spanish, the parish school, and a current fundraising pilgrimage to the Shrines of France.
Parish History
St. John's Parish bought a 10-acre pumpkin patch in 1948 to develop a church, school, convent, and rectory for the growing southeast Fresno community. The school opened in 1953 under the Holy Cross Sisters, the temporary church was remodeled from a surplus government building in 1954, and on December 8, 1955 the mission became the parish of St. Helen's.
- 1948 — St. John's Parish purchases 10-acre pumpkin patch
- 1953 — Mission school opens (grades 1–5) under Holy Cross Sisters
- 1954 — Surplus government building remodeled into first church
- 1955 (Dec. 8) — Mission formally established as St. Helen's Parish
- 1956 — First permanent classroom wing and administration building; cafeteria converted from old barracks
- 1959 — New convent built; stained glass windows installed by Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio, San Francisco
- 1961 — Second classroom wing and library added
- 1966 (Easter Sunday) — New church completed, designed by James J. Nargis and Edwin S. Darden
- 1982 — Kindergarten building added
- 1986 — Computer lab established
- 1995 — Kindergarten playground completed
- 2001 — Spencer-Conway Building added
- 2007 (May 18) — New state-of-the-art library dedicated by the Bishop of Fresno
St. Helen's Catholic School
St. Helen's Catholic School is a PreK through 8th-grade parish school located on the same campus, accredited by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). Founded in 1953 as a mission school originally staffed by the Holy Cross Sisters and then the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the school is now led by a dedicated lay faculty and enrolls approximately 175 students from the parish and surrounding community. The curriculum integrates Catholic identity through prayer, religion classes, Mass attendance, and sacramental preparation, complemented by P.E., band, vocal and music classes, performing arts, Science Olympiad, and after-school sports.
- Founded 1953 as a mission school (grades 1–5)
- Original staff: Holy Cross Sisters (Year 1), School Sisters of Notre Dame (from Year 2)
- Grades: PreK–8
- Enrollment: ~175 students
- Accreditation: NCEA
- Campus milestones: Spencer-Conway Building (2001), new library dedicated May 18, 2007
Pilgrimage to the Shrines of France
The parish is currently promoting a pilgrimage to the Shrines of France, open to all parishioners and friends. Spaces are limited and about half the slots had been filled at time of publication; an interest form is available through the parish office.
- Pilgrimage to the Shrines of France — open to all
- Raffle tickets: $20 each, available at the office and on Sundays after Mass
- Interest form available from the parish office
Visit and Contact
St. Helen's Catholic Church is located at 4870 E. Belmont Avenue in southeast Fresno. The Parish Center and Office, where administrative business and pilgrimage interest forms are handled, is at 4875 E. Grant Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727.
- Church address: 4870 E. Belmont Ave., Fresno, CA 93727
- Parish Center / Office (mailing): 4875 E. Grant Ave., Fresno, CA 93727
- Phone: (559) 255-3871
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.sthelensfresno.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/StHelensFresno
- Directions: one block east of Chestnut Ave., two miles west of Clovis Ave., off Hwy 99 Exit 180 East
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently administered by Rev. Walter Martínez and assisted by Deacon Daniel Sandoval.
- Rev. Walter Martínez — Administrator
- Deacon Daniel Sandoval