The people of Central Europe have had Oplatky as part of their Christmas Eve supper for many generations. The wafer bears an image from the Christmas story and the bread signifies the “Bread of Life”, Jesus, who is among us in the Eucharist and in our lives. Oplatky is available in the Narthex for those who continue the custom of breaking and sharing bread as a symbol of love, unity and fraternalism. Your donation to help defray the cost is appreciated. (FYI - Leftover Oplatky from last year may be used for the current year. Each person receives a very small piece so the large wafer should be ample for many people).

Though many are not able to come together as a community to worship, we invite you to remember a loved one at Christmas. We will have a simple environment in this unprecedented year of COVID-19. Make a donation to the Christmas Flower Fund by using the special envelope included in your contribution envelope packet. Be sure to PRINT the names of those you wish memorialize and indicate whether your contribution is “in memory of” (deceased) or “in honor of” (living). You may also give online at https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/stjosephmantua. We ask that intentions be turned in by Monday, December 14. Donations received for Christmas Intentions will also help with liturgical expenses throughout the year.

We’re excited to announce that we are participating in #iGiveCatholic on #GivingTuesday, our nation’s first-ever Catholic day of giving! This year it will be December 1 from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM. If that date doesn’t work, there is an Advanced Giving Day phase for donations beginning at 12:00 AM on Monday, November 16, running through November 30 at 11:59 PM. Your generous support makes a meaningful difference to St. Joseph’s good works and help to keep our beautiful grounds in good shape for the future through our Paving Project. If any individual, group, organization, or business would like to participate as a matching donor or a challenge donor, please contact Kathi Trares at the Parish Office ASAP (ktrares@stjosephmantua.com or 330-274-2253).

Several opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the Christmas holidays will be offered throughout the month of December. To allow for social distancing, participants at St. Joseph's will be meeting in the All-Purpose Room. To arrange another time for Reconciliation, please contact Fr. Ed Stafford (330-575-9105). St. Joseph, Mantua: Wed., Dec. 9 at 1:00 p.m., Thur., Dec. 10 at 6:00 p.m., Tues., Dec. 22 at 1:00 p.m., Wed., Dec. 23 at 6:00 p.m. St. Ambrose, Garrettsville: Wed., Dec. 16 at 1:00 p.m.. Thur., Dec. 17 at 6:00 p.m.

This year especially, we invite you to celebrate this season by attending Mass over the “weekend of Christmas” (December 24-27). Join us during this time for joyous celebrations of Christmas with scripture readings of the season, and an opportunity to join in worship in a safe and less crowded setting. When planning to your Christmas celebration with your family, please please consider coming to Mass on Christmas Day or the weekend after to help maintain a safe environment. Click on this article's heading for a complete Mass schedule for St. Joseph & St. Ambrose.

In light of Portage County's recently issued stay-at-home advisory, we will be cancelling all in-person activities for PSR until December 18th. That includes in-person classes on December 6th and 13th. We'll keep you posted about any changes or developments as they occur. We will continue updating PSR class materials so that home study can continue uninterrupted. 

Are you looking for a great stocking stuffer or Christmas gift? St. Joe's Lottery Raffle Fundraiser follows the Ohio 3-Digit Lottery both the midday and evening drawings. Tickets are $5.00 each, good for the entire month for both daily drawings, and you may purchase the same number for the entire year. Winning tickets are worth $50.00 (payouts mailed weekly). Proceeds help with our church improvements. For tickets or more information, please call or text Deb Kruis (330-221-0272) or Mary Ann Feddor (330-842-0505). If you provide your name, address, phone number and ticket # you'd like to purchase, arrangements can be made to pull those tickets for you and get them to you. 

We are in need of someone to keep our sidewalks clear of snow and ice. If you’re interested in learning more about this paid position ($12.00/hour), please contact the Parish Office (330-274-2253).

Along with our parish website and Facebook page, the bulletin is the center of our parish communication, and we want to keep you informed. The bulletin has been available on our website at https://stjosephmantua.com/bulletins for quite some time. Thanks to our bulletin company, J.S. Paluch, registered parishioners who the parish currently has an email address for in our database receives the bulletin automatically every Saturday (be sure to check your spam folder if you do not find it in your inbox). If you do not receive this email, you can self-signup at https://ebulletin.jspaluch.com/#/ or by texting the word ‘BULLETIN’ to 94090. We will still receive a limited number of printed bulletins for those attending Mass and in the Parish Office. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to stay connected anytime. Stay kind, be generous, be hopeful, and God bless.

St. Joseph's Ox Roast Fair was one of three finalists in the Entertainment & Leisure category for the Record-Courier's Official Community Choice Awards - 2020 Best of the Best. Winners and finalists are given a window decal and a plaque or certificate to display. Although we didn't come out on top, we're proud to receive this distinction as one of the finest in the area. And even in a year when the Ox Roast Fair wasn't able to be held! Just another strange happening in a very weird year. Check out all of the contest's results at https://record-courier.gannettcontests.com/Best-of-the-Best-2020-Winners/

Our Children's Liturgy of the Word program will not take place while we are under the COVID- 19 Pandemic restrictions.

Thanks to a partnership with our ParishSoft Online Giving and Ministry One, we now have a new St. Joseph Church mobile app that’s free! You’ll be able to view events, links & sign-ups, give to the parish directly from your smartphone, contact the office, submit prayer requests, view our parish YouTube Channel videos, and receive church news and reminder messages. As the app is enhanced and improved, we’re looking forward to being able to access our My Own Church database plus the development of additional features. On your mobile device, go to https://parishsoft.ministryone.com/landing/LndL (this direct link is also available on our website’s home page under the “Stay Connected” section), download the St. Joseph Church app through Google Play or Apple App Store, open it, and explore! Let us know what you think by emailing Kathi (ktrares@stjosephmantua.com).

Following the United States Flag Code, the Mantua Knights of Columbus will sponsor a flag disposal ceremony for all worn and weathered American flags on Sunday, September 13, at the Sentinel Party Center (aka Knights of Columbus Hall, 11845 St. Rt. 44, Mantua). Gather your worn or torn symbols of our nation's courage and bring to church for this reverent disposal (see any K of C member). All Sir Knights and family members are invited to attend this impressive ceremony at 3:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Stan Carlisle (330-283-5609).

Our sidewalks around the parish have been raised and leveled to alleviate trip hazards especially next to the curb. This is step one of our anticipated Repaving Project (the last time everything was paved was 1996!). Fundraising efforts (such as the Lottery Raffle and aluminum cans), donations, and money set aside in our Renovation Fund will allow us to take on this much needed project as soon as funding permits. If you’d like to donate toward this effort, use the green Special Contribution Envelope in your contribution packet and designate it to Building & Grounds Maintenance. You may also give online at https://giving.parishsoft.com/dl/?uid=stj1104203.

Fr. Ed’s email continues to have issues with hackers that pop up every few months. If you receive a suspicious email or text that looks like it’s from him, please do not respond and report it as phishing and/or mark it as spam. Please pay close attention to the email address or number it’s coming from (you’ll notice it’s not from estafford@stjosephmantua.com). In fact, Fr. Ed most likely won’t send out emails or texts but rather will communicate with a phone call or in person. Thank you for helping to deter these fraudulent attacks. For information on how to recognize and avoid phishing scams, go to https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams.

The Free Clothing Giveaway at the old Mantua Center School has been going strong for six years. During the COVID outbreak, it had to close down. The next giveaway is on Saturday, August 8. Unfortunately, the current space is not working out as organizers would like. They are trying to find a new venue as they feel Portage County has a great need for this ministry. Not a lot of space is needed—just one or two rooms to sort, leave the clothes, and use for the giveaway. In the past, this event was held four times a year. Funds to rent a whole building are not available, but the hope is to find somewhere close to Mantua to hold these in the future. If you know of any place that could be used for this event, please contact Lynn Kelley (330-990-8912). Thank you in advance for any help. God Bless. —St. Joseph Cares

Although the 2020 Ox Roast Fair had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, plans are to have the Main Raffle still take place with the same prizes & tickets at next year’s event. Tickets are on sale through next year's Ox Roast Fair, July 16, 17, 18, 2021. Ticket sellers are reminded to continue to turn in their sold tickets and money. For anyone who would like a refund for purchased tickets because of the cancellation of the 2020 Ox Roast Fair, please contact Cindy Olesh (colesh@stjosephmantua.com or 330-221-2694).

The Fundraising Committee is starting an easy way to generate some funds for parish improvements through recycling aluminum cans. Collect your clean cans in plastic bags, crushing if possible, and deposit in the designated containers in front of the church or in the All-Purpose Room. They will be picked up every weekend after Sunday Mass. Thank you in advance for your participation. If you would like to assist in any of our fundraisers, please contact John or Debbie Kruis (330-618-3604 or 330-221-0272).

Dear St. Joseph Parish Community ..... After consultations with my religious community, I have made the decision to retire from active ministry. I related this to Fr. Ed in mid-May and he was most gracious in his response, for which I am very appreciative. Now I wish to inform the parish at large and to express my appreciation for the privilege of ministering among you for the past 10 years. I have been part of the joy and the pain in many of your lives. I have been a teacher of the faith among you. You have been teachers as well to me in your devotion to St. Joe’s, in the incredible summer Ox Roast, and in your fidelity to our Catholic faith. Thank you. There is no opportunity to “celebrate” at this time of COVID. You cannot even celebrate the life of so many loved ones who have died during these times of safe social distancing. And, I’m not going anywhere, but will remain at my Mantua residence at least for the coming year, so you will see me round about and available as a friend, confidant, visitor, and one who cares about you. If I were to consider the highlight of my time here, it would be this: that God in his provident goodness allowed me to complete my formal ministry life as a Sister of Notre Dame in this wonderful parish and in this wonderful town. With love, Sr. Joyce

The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 Eagle of the Cross Award. The Eagle of the Cross, created by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry and introduced to the diocese in 1999, is given each year to a group of extraordinary high school juniors and seniors who model the dedication, integrity, values and promise for Church and society. The award is presented to teens in the six counties of the Diocese of Youngstown who model Christian discipleship and exemplify the qualities of moral integrity, prayer, good works and Christian leadership in their school and parish communities. We are pleased to announce that St. Joseph parishioner, Connor Rowe is among the 2020 recipients! Due to the novel coronavirus situation, the Awards Mass and Banquet scheduled for April 29 has been cancelled, however the diocese did want the public to be aware of these amazing teens. Certificates & gifts were delivered to parishes who will recognize their teens in their own way.