About St. Helen's Church · Chasm Falls, New York
St. Helen's Church is a small Roman Catholic parish church situated at 755 County Highway 41 (Fayette Road) in the hamlet of Chasm Falls, New York, about nine miles south of Malone in northern Franklin County. It was founded in 1877 by Father Jean Baptiste Legrand, the first pastor of Notre Dame Parish in Malone, to serve more than 70 scattered Catholic families on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains. Since July 1, 2014, St. Helen's has been a worship site of St. André Bessette Roman Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, sharing pastors, staff, and a coordinated schedule with Notre Dame Church in Malone. Today the parish is led by Father Scott Seymour (pastor), Father Dennis M. Ombongi (parochial vicar), and three deacons.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- St. Helen
- Rector
- Rev. Scott R. Seymour
- Diocese
- Diocese of Ogdensburg
Why belong here
St. Helen's offers a small, intimate Catholic community in the rural Adirondack foothills of northern New York, where weekly Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM is celebrated in a historic church first dedicated in 1877. As one of two worship sites of St. André Bessette Parish (alongside Notre Dame Church in Malone), it gives parishioners access to a full sacramental life — weekday and Sunday Masses, daily Eucharistic Adoration, regular confession, RCIA, and Communion brought to the homebound — combined with a robust network of outreach ministries that include the Good Samaritan Food Pantry, St. Vincent Thrift Store, St. Angela's Café (a free Wednesday community meal), Baby World, the 'Helpful Haven' respite program, and a prayer ministry. It is a place where the small-town Catholic heritage of northern Franklin County is still very much alive.
Mass times at St. Helen's Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- St. Helen's Church — First Sunday of the month before Mass
- Notre Dame Church — Monday, 11:15–11:45 AM
- Notre Dame Church — Tuesday, 11:15–11:45 AM
- Notre Dame Church — Friday, 11:15–11:45 AM
- Notre Dame Church — Saturday, 3:00–3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament at Notre Dame Church — Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Adoration at Notre Dame Church — Thursday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM
- Daily Holy Hour at Notre Dame — 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Our History
St. Helen's was established in 1877 by Father Jean Baptiste Legrand, founding pastor of Notre Dame Parish in Malone, to serve the French-Canadian Catholic families scattered across what was then Titusville (later renamed Chasm Falls), nine miles south of Malone on the edge of the Adirondacks. The parish was incorporated on June 21, 1877, the land was donated on September 7, and the church was dedicated on October 2 of the same year. Father Legrand personally raised the building funds from benefactors in his native France.
- Founded October 2, 1877
- First resident pastor: Father Donald Halde (1888)
- Planting mission churches in Mountain View (St. Elizabeth's, 1907), Owls Head (St. Joseph's, 1923), and Lake Titus (St. Mary's, 1925)
- Began sharing a pastor with Notre Dame in 1985 — the same arrangement that existed when it was first founded
- In 2003, joined the 'Malone Catholic Parishes' cooperative with Notre Dame, St. Joseph's, and St. John Bosco
- On February 28, 2014, Bishop Terry LaValley decreed the four parishes consolidated into St. André Bessette Parish, effective July 1, 2014
Mission Churches Born from St. Helen's
From its home in Chasm Falls, St. Helen's established three mission churches to reach Catholic families in the surrounding Adirondack communities of Mountain View, Owls Head, and Lake Titus.
- St. Elizabeth's (Mountain View) — founded 1907; closed 1959
- St. Joseph's (Owls Head) — founded 1923; last regular Masses 2007
- St. Mary's (Lake Titus) — founded 1925; last regular Masses 2007
The 2014 Merger into St. André Bessette Parish
St. André Bessette Roman Catholic Parish was canonically erected on July 1, 2014, by decree of Bishop Terry LaValley of the Diocese of Ogdensburg, uniting the four historic Catholic parishes of Malone — Notre Dame (1869), St. Joseph's (1848), St. John Bosco (1935), and St. Helen's (1877). The consolidation had been announced in August 2013 by Father Joseph Giroux, then pastor of the 'Malone Catholic Parishes' cooperative that had shared a pastor and staff since 2003.
- Unified under the name St. André Bessette Roman Catholic Parish
- Saint André Bessette, C.S.C. (Brother André), was the Canadian doorkeeper-saint of Montreal's St. Joseph's Oratory
- The parish coat of arms features a blue shield, a red St. Andrew's Cross, and a birch tree with four roots — symbolizing the four founding parishes
Our Mission
St. André Bessette Parish's published mission is: 'With Jesus Christ as our center, and the Holy Spirit as our guide, we are called to be a community of saints making saints — encountering the Lord in Word and Sacrament, and opening doors for our neighbors to experience the loving mercy of God.'
Clergy & Parish Staff
The worship site of St. Helen's is served by the parish staff of St. André Bessette, based at 12 Homestead Park in Malone.
- Pastor — Rev. Scott R. Seymour
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Dennis M. Ombongi
- Deacons — Deacon Bryan J. Bashaw, Deacon Brent A. Charland, Deacon Nicholas J. Haas
- Business Managers — Mrs. Susan Perkins, Mrs. Linda Fish
- Administrative Assistant — Ms. Julie Carlin
- Maintenance & Cemeteries — Deacon Brent Charland, Mr. Chadd Charland
- Operations Manager — Mr. William LaPage (518-651-2946)
- Catholic Charities Assistant — Mrs. Joelle Lamica (518-651-2947)
- Respite Coordinator — Ms. Melody Ransom (518-651-2945)
Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
The parish runs the Sacraments of Initiation program (RCIA) for adults seeking Baptism, Eucharist, or Confirmation. Classes begin in September, with initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil. Inquiries are welcomed through Father Scott at the parish office.
- Open to unbaptized adults, baptized non-Catholics, and baptized Catholics needing Eucharist or Confirmation
- Easter Vigil 2027 listed as the next celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation
- Contact: 518-483-1300
Outreach & Charity Ministries
St. André Bessette Parish operates a remarkable outreach network from its St. André Outreach Center at 12 Homestead Park, Malone — the same street as the parish office. These ministries serve the wider community of northern Franklin County, and parishioners of St. Helen's are part of this mission.
- Good Samaritan Food Pantry — Monday through Thursday, 10 AM – 2 PM
- St. Vincent Thrift Store — Monday through Saturday, 10 AM – 2 PM (donations accepted Mon & Thu only)
- St. Angela's Café — free hot community meal, Wednesdays 11:30 AM – 1 PM
- Baby World — Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 AM – 2 PM
- Respite Program 'Helpful Haven' — Wednesdays, 9 AM – 4 PM
- Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Ogdensburg (parish-based liaison)
Parish Life & Fellowship
Beyond the sacraments, the parish maintains a busy schedule of fundraisers, social events, and small-group ministries, including two weekly bingo nights that bring the community together.
- Knights of Columbus Bingo — Tuesdays, 41 Elm Street, Malone, 6:30 PM (progressive bingo, pull tabs, concession stand)
- Parish Bingo — Thursdays, St. André Outreach Center, 12 Homestead Park, Malone, 6:30 PM
- Prayer Ministry — call or text Renee at 518-521-9589
- Communion brought to the homebound (Fr. Scott or Fr. Matt visit; contact the parish office)
- Diocesan Youth Service Picnic — annual gathering at Camp Guggenheim with Bishop LaValley
Sacraments
All seven sacraments are available through the parish; parishioners should contact the parish office at 518-483-1300 for preparation and scheduling.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (including homebound visits)
- Penance / Reconciliation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders (vocations support through the Diocese of Ogdensburg)
Contact, Office Hours & Location
St. Helen's Church is the rural Chasm Falls worship site of St. André Bessette Parish; the parish office is centrally located in Malone, where most staff and weekday services are based.
- Church address: 755 County Highway 41 (Fayette Road), Chasm Falls, NY 12953
- Parish office: 12 Homestead Park, Malone, NY 12953 (Mailing: PO Box 547, Malone, NY 12953)
- Office hours: Monday – Thursday, 10 AM – 3 PM; Friday, 10 AM – noon
- Main Office: 518-483-1300
- Cemeteries: 518-651-4175
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.standres.org
The Coat of Arms of St. André Bessette Parish
The unified parish's heraldic shield, titled 'Azure, saltire sanguine, a tree eradicated of four roots argent, leaved vert, and in chief a mullet of eight points,' is rich with symbolism tying together the four founding parishes — including St. Helen's.
- Blue shield — color of the heavens, signifying the faith that united the parishes
- Red St. Andrew's Cross — the apostle whose name Br. André Bessette took at vows
- Birch tree — from 'Bessette' (French for 'little birch'), with four roots for the four original parishes
- Birch tree also honors St. Joseph (carpenter), St. Helen (discoverer of the True Cross / Tree of Life), and St. John Bosco ('woods' in Italian)
- Golden eight-pointed star — for Malone ('Star of the North') and the patron of Notre Dame, the Virgin Mary
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jean Baptiste Legrand1877 (founding)
Pastor of Notre Dame who founded St. Helen's; raised building funds from benefactors in his native France.
- Rev. Donald Halde1888
First resident pastor of St. Helen's.
- Rev. Joseph Giroux2013
Pastor of the 'Malone Catholic Parishes' who in August 2013 announced the consolidation of the four parishes.