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The Christian's version of "New Year's Day" is the First Sunday of Advent, when we begin again the entire cycle of the year. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Even as the secular culture around us blares its songs of reindeer and tinsel, as if Christmas were already here, the Christian calendar sets aside four weeks of quiet preparation.
Advent has a two-fold character: as a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ's first coming to us is remembered; as a season when that remembrance directs our mind and heart to await Christ's second coming at the end of time. Advent thus is a period of devout and joyful expectation.
The Advent wreath is part of our long-standing Catholic tradition. At St. Joseph Catholic Church, we are inviting individuals or families to participate in lighting the Advent wreath at the beginning of Masses on the four weekends of Advent. Families or individuals to light the Advent Wreath will be chosen as they arrive for Mass. An usher will guide you through the steps in lighting the candles prior to the Mass.
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Annual Giving Tree
This venture begins in late November with Portage County's Catholic Charities providing the names of families in our area for which your donation may be their only gift this Christmas.
Like everything else this year, our Giving Tree will look a bit different. Catholic Charities is asking for gift cards. Any amount is appreciated, but they suggest $25.00 for Wal-Mart or Giant Eagle, their most popular requests. If you’d like to participate, simply place yourgift card donations in the gift wrapped box under our Giving Tree in the Narthex by November 28/29 (there will not be tags to take). -
Communal Penance Service
As we prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas we want to be ready to accept his love and be able to do whatever he asks of us. In order to do so, the Church encourages the parish community to come together to hear the Word of God, to pray and to sing in a formal liturgy called the Rite of Penance (Penance Service). Gathered together we recognize our individual sinfulness and the harm it does to the whole community, and so, pray for one another as well as for ourselves. With song, prayer and scripture we ready ourselves for the opportunity for private confession and absolution. Due to the Coronavirus no Communal Penance Service has been scheduled.
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the Story of Christmas
PSR's annual Christmas Pageant & Cookie Party will be not be held in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Story of Christmas includes readings and singing by the students and those who attend. All PSR families share dozens of their favorite cookies. All families, friends, and parishioners are welcome to attend this wonderful holiday event. -
2019 Christmas CheerCookie Project
If you know of anyone who could use a gift of homemade cookies for the holidays, we invite you to share their name for this special parish activity. Please submit them on the Narthex sign-up sheet by Sunday, December 8. Or you may contact the Parish Office (330-274-2253).
Donating Cookies
Each baker is asked to donate
5 dozen homemade cookies
weekend of December 14/15
Assembling Boxes
Monday, December 16
10:00 a.m. Parish Center
Making Deliveries
Week of December 16
Please sign-up in Narthex to participate
in the various aspects of this project.
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