During Fr. Shawn Conoboy's pastorate
(May 28, 2022 to date),
the following associate serves St. Joe's:

Rev. Joseph Ruggieri, Parochial Vicar ~ July 1, 2022 to date

Bishop Bonnar appointed Rev. Joseph Ruggieri as parochial vicar at St. Joseph Mantua, St Ambrose, Garrettsville, Our Lady of Perpetual Aurora, and St Joan of Arc Streetsboro effective July 1, 2022. Many remember him from his seminary days when he spent a year at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church during his priestly formation.

Fr. Joe, born March 18, 1967 and a native of Austintown, was ordained in 1995 after receiving a Master of Divinity at Mount St. Mary Seminary. He served as parochial vicar at St. Patrick in Kent from 1995 to 2000, then as parochial vicar at St. Joan of Arc in Canton from 2000 to 2003. He has also served at Lady of Mount Carmel and Mother of Sorrows in parishes in Ashtabula, and Christ the Good Shepherd in Campbell as well as at Regina Coeli in Alliance, St. Joseph in Washington Township, and most recently at St. Rose in Girard. In addition, he has served on the Priests’ Personnel Board, the Diocesan Cemetery Board, the Presbyteral Council and has been a chaplain for the Kent State Police Department.

During Fr. Francis Hughes pastorate
(Nov., 18, 1960-June 17, 1966),
the following associates served St. Joe's:

Rev. John Wirtz, Associate Pastor ~ 1962 - 1964
Attending St. Mary College in St. Mary, Kentucky, and St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland, Father Wirtz was ordained December 18, 1954. He was Associate Pastor of St. Brendan in Youngstown, Mother of Sorrows in Ashtabula, Immaculate Conception in Wellsville, Immaculate Conception in Youngstown, St. Joseph's, St. Paul in New Middletown, and St. Edward in Youngstown. He was the founding organizer of St. Joseph's Ox Roast Fair.
He also started the roller skating program for families in the parish hall which lasted through the 1970's (skates were purchased from a Pittsburgh wholesaler), the 300 Club (raffle benefit for the school), and Saturday evening dances for high schoolers. Shortly after leaving St. Joe's, Rev. Wirtz left the ministry and later married (1966) and had a family. He is now retired from the financial planning business and resides in Poland, Ohio (wife Evelyn pictured in 2007, passed away in 2011).

Rev. Norbert Rupprecht, O.S.B., (Interim) Associate Pastor ~ 1964
There were Benedictines from Latrobe, PA and Benet Lake, WI serving in the Diocese at the time. It is probable that Fr. Norbert may have served at St. Joseph's while he was assigned to the Mission Band for his order. Although, records from St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, PA, show that he was pastor in a Pittsburgh parish at the time. Rev. Rupprecht, a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died on December 28, 1996, at the age of 88, after an extended illness.

Rev. Martin E. Matulik, Associate Pastor ~ 
May 7, 1965 - Aug. 25, 1967
Ordained May 30, 1952, Father Matulik attended St. Thomas Seminary in Denver. He served as Associate Pastor at Immaculate Conception in Canton, St. Joseph in Canton, St. Mary in Warren, and St. Joseph in Mantua. Father Matulik was then Pastor of St. Philip in Dungannon and Our Lady of Lourdes in East Palestine. He also was Diocesan Tribunal Notary and was involved with development activities for St. Jude Children's Hospital in Denver. Rev. Matulik died February 19, 1998.

Rev. Donald L. Marchand, Associate Pastor ~ 1966
Father Marchand was ordained May 27, 1966 and attended St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati. Diocesan records show he served St. Joseph's as summer and weekend help. His assignments included assistant pastor of Holy Family Parish in Poland, Ohio and teacher at Cardinal Mooney High School.  He also was chaplain at St. Joseph's Hospice Louisville, Ohio and pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Canton.  While a pastor in Canton he taught at Canton Central Catholic. In addition, he was chaplain for the Daughters of America, Knights of Columbus and St. Joseph Hospice. He left the ministry in 1978  to become a self employed owner-operator of Brookfield Bake Shoppe in Massillon, retiring in 2013 after 35 years. Donald Marchand died from cancer on October 21, 2004, at the age of 74.

Rev. Henry Fabrizio, Associate Pastor ~ 1955 - 1956
Coming to the area as a child, Father Fabrizio was born October 14, 1921 in Wilburton, Oklahoma and graduated from Ursuline High School in Youngstown in 1940. He attended Western Reserve University School of Architecture (at which time he was a member of Beaux Arts Institute of Design in Parish) and St. Charles Preparatory Seminary in Catonsville, Maryland. He was ordained from St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland April 29, 1950 by Bishop James McFadden. Parish records show that he served as Associate Pastor (1955-1956) prior to his assignments as associate at St. Nicholas Church in Struthers, St. Joan of Arc in Canton, and St. Rose in Girard. Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Youngstown from October 6, 1961 to July 1, 1973, Father Fabrizio was also a member of the faculty of Ursuline High School and taught at St. Mary's High School in Warren. During his ministry he served as dean of Mahoning Deanery, chaplain of Mahoning County Sheriff's Department and the Italian American Migration Committee, and moderator of Mahoning County Council of Catholic Nurses. Rev. Fabrizio died October 1, 1999 at the age of 77.

Rev. Paul McNally, R.P., Associate Pastor ~ 1957 - 1958
Father McNally was ordained June 14, 1930 and attended Our Lady of the Lake in Cleveland and St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, PA. Prior to serving as Associate Pastor at St. Joseph's, he was an Associate at St. Rose, Cleveland & St. Mary, Conneaut. Following his time at St. Joseph's, he was named Pastor at St. George, Lisbon and Holy Rosary, Lowellville. He also was Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters of America and the fire department before retiring June 18, 1971. He died April 9, 1973.

Rev. Thomas E. McCarthy, Associate Pastor (pro-tem) ~
Aug. 23, 1958 - Apr. 15, 1960
Father Thomas E. McCarthy (not to be confused with Thomas J. McCarthy who served 1994-2003) was ordained March 23, 1958. He received his education at Mt. St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati and also attended the seminary in Innsbruck, Austria. Serving as St. Joseph's Associate Pastor (pro-tem) from August 23, 1958-April 15, 1960, Fr. McCarthy later became Associate Pastor at St. Nicholas, Struthers, St. Aloysius, East Liverpool, and St. Rose of Lima, Youngstown. Other positions he held include Assistant Director and Director of Catholic Charities, Administrator of St. Rose of Lima, Youngstown, and Knights of Columbus Chaplain. He later left the ministry.

Rev. Kevin P. Coleman, Associate Pastor ~
Apr. 15, 1960 - Aug. 17, 1962
Father Coleman was ordained May 31, 1958 from Mt. St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Nicholas in Struthers, St. Joseph in Mantua, and St. Paul in Salem. He also was the Assistant Director of the Family Life Bureau and taught at Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown and Central Catholic High School in Canton. Father Coleman and his brother were both active priests in the Kent community. They were also affiliated with St. Patrick Church in Kent and performed duties with the youth group and youth ministry. In 1978 a group of citizens founded the Kevin Coleman Mental Health Center to provide community-based services for local citizens who were being discharged in large numbers from the state psychiatric hospitals. It was named in memory of Fr. Kevin Coleman who was an inspiration to Kent State University students and community members who came to him for counseling (in 1996 the mental health center was renamed Coleman Professional Services). The Kevin Coleman Foundation was started in 1989 as a way for the mental health center to raise philanthropic dollars in the community. Rev. Coleman died March 28, 1973, at the age of 42, from complications with internal hemorrhaging.

Coleman - A name to be proud of