St. Helena’s Roman Catholic Church at Belgrade Lakes is a mission of St. Theresa’s Parish of Oakland. The mission originated from meetings during the summers of 1907–1910 at the Great Pond cottage of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. McCormack. From 1910 until 1913, Catholic masses were held in the card room at The Belgrade, through arrangements made by the hotel owner, Charles Hill, and Reverend Father Kealy.
In 1913, Mr. McCormack acted as agent for Father Kealy and purchased the land where the church now stands, and the building soon became a reality. The first wedding at the church was that of McCormack’s son, Frank, in 1926, followed two years later by the wedding of their daughter, Catherine. In August 1928, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Alter of New York were married, marking the last wedding to be celebrated at St. Helena’s for more than three decades.
In 1959, Elizabeth Clement, daughter of Donald Clement, became the first bride to be married at St. Helena’s in 31 years. Fittingly, her godparents were Mr. and Mrs. Alter, the couple who had been the last to wed at the chapel in 1928.
For many years, John Casale of Rome Farms generously funded the maintenance and upkeep of the church and its grounds, ensuring the chapel remained a welcoming place for parishioners and visitors.
Over the years, land to the east of the chapel has been cleared for a parking area, and interior improvements have been made to the flooring and pews.