With deep sadness, the Diocese of Youngstown announces the passing of Reverend David Bridling, pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Kent, Ohio & University Parish Newman Center. Reverend Bridling served the Diocese of Youngstown for the past nine years. Eternal Rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. Arrangements are pending at this time. For more on the life of Reverend Bridling, visit: https://catholicecho.org/2025/05/21/in-memoriam-rev-david-bridling/

As fields are plowed and crops are sown for this year’s growing season, the Church offers a blessing of fields to anyone who would like one. If you would like to arrange for one of our priests or deacons to visit your farm or field for a blessing, please contact the Office of St. Joseph & St. Ambrose Parishes (330-274-2253) at your earliest convenience.⁣

We are in need of volunteers for three positions at the fair this year . . . chair or co-chair for meat wrapping and slicing along with some volunteers for that group, chair or co-chair the Pop North (by the tractor pull area) along with some volunteers for that group, and chair or co-chair for the Soft Serve Booth and volunteers to help in the booth. Should you or anyone you know have any interest in helping out, even if it's just for an hour or two, we would love to have you! Please call Debbie Kruis at 330-221-0272 should you have any interest or want to find out what the booth requires.

Rev. James P. Lang and his family invite you to join him in celebrating his 50th anniversary as an ordained priest in the Roman Catholic Church. He will preside at the 6 p.m. Mass on Saturday, June 7, at St. John Neumann Parish, St. Joseph Church, 2643 Waterloo Rd. (Randolph), Mogadore, OH  44260. An open house will follow at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 2697 Waterloo Rd. (Randolph), Mogadore, OH 44260, immediately following the Mass.

Following the United States Flag Code, the Fr. Cassidy Assembly #3034 of the K of C 4th Degree will sponsor a flag disposal ceremony for all worn and weathered American flags on Saturday, June 13, at 3 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. Gather your worn or torn symbols of our nation's courage and bring to the Narthex for this reverent disposal. For more info., please contact Stan Carlisle (330-283-5609).

Bishop Bonnar extends his heartfelt gratitude for the prayers and contributions of our diocese's faithful supporters. As of May 16th, 92 families have pledged $26,435.00 toward our parish goal of $33,400.00 (79.15%). If you haven’t yet made a pledge or gift to the 2025 Annual Diocesan Appeal, we invite you to do so today. Brochures with information on giving are available in the Narthex. Make your gift by completing a pledge card in your pew or by using the QR code to give online at doy.org/appeal. For more information, visit doy.org/appeal.

The Mantua K of C Council #3766 along with St. Joseph Parish will be hosting a Mass for People with Special Needs on Sunday, June 8, at 9 a.m. We all know people with special needs resulting from physical, emotional, mental, or cognitive conditions are all around us in society:  at school, at work, and in our families. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be challenging for these important members of our society to participate in liturgies due to physical and social barriers or even family member anxiety. Celebrating a Mass for People with Special Needs can be the first of many steps toward integrating them into regular weekly or even daily Mass and more deeply into all the sacraments and other aspects of parish life. Putting their faith into action, the Knights of Columbus are hosting this Mass and hopes to spread the message that all God's children are welcome under the parish roof and that every person is an integral part of the parish family. After attending Mass, everyone is invited to join us for light refreshments in Hughes Hall. 

Registration for Portage North's Vocation Bible School, June 23-27, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Aurora is now open! All children incoming Kindergarten to 5th grade in Portage North are welcome to attend. Registration fee is $50.00 (payable to Our Lady of Perpetual Help - online, cash, or check). Sign up at https://www.olphaurora.org/vocation-bible-school--vbs to discover your vocation!

Rev. Joseph Ruggieri will celebrate his 30th anniversary of ordination the weekend of May 17/18 at his parishes of St. Paul in Salem and St. Patrick in Leetonia (Columbiana County). For more info. or reservations, call 330-332-0336. Cards may be mailed to Fr. Joe at St. Paul Church, 935 East State St., Salem, OH 44460.

We are happy to report that Fr. Michael Balash has greatly improved and is now recovering at home following hospitalization and rehabilitation from Haemophilus influenzae just before Holy Week in April. Prayers are helping! We ask that everyone continue to pray for a complete recovery. Please also respect the privacy of Fr. Balash and his family. May God’s healing hands assist the doctors and staff and may God bring strength to Fr. Balash.

The Knights of Columbus annually honors people within the Council and in the parish and community at their Founder’s Awards. On Sunday, May 4, the K of C Council #3766 held their event in Hughes Hall following Mass. The following people within the Council and in the parish and community were honored for 2025: K of C Volunteer - Tony Romano, Parish Volunteer - Mary Ann Feddor, Knight of the Year - Marvin Litz, Woman of the Year - Cathy Busch, K of C Family - Ben & Cheryl Kotkowski Family, Parish Family - Joe & JoAnn Ventresco Family, Religious Award - Andrew Turpin, Youth of the Year - Alea Eacott

The Sisterhood of St. Joseph held a Kentucky Derby Watch Party on Saturday, May 3, in Hughes Hall. Donning their derby attire, about 120 people enjoyed an afternoon and evening of fun while watching the televised race. Bourbon raffles were won by Lonna Safko, Willis Thompson, and Lonn Safko. Race winners were Lynn Woicehovich (win), Tom (place), and Mary Ellen (show). Thank you to everyone who came out and supported this fun event. Proceeds will be used to help the less fortunate in our area and give back to our parish community.

We congratulate our Mantua - FFP students who celebrated their First Communion at Mass on April 27, 2025, in their home parishes. May God fill each of you with the Holy Spirit and make you one with Christ in peace and love. We also add a prayer of gratitude for their devoted parents and their dedicated catechists, Debbie Smith & Makaylyn Spencer. Special thanks to Fr. Francis, Fr. Brian, Deacon Gerry, and Jennifer Berczik for their support as well. Look for photos at https://stjosephmantua.com/photoalbums/first-communion-2025

We congratulate our students who were Confirmed on Sunday, April 27, at St. Joan of Arc Church in Streetsboro. Bishop Bonnar confirmed 50 young people from the Portage North Parishes. We especially thank the catechists who helped prepare our students: Ruth Skocdopole, Theresa Gross, Jennifer Berczik, Greg & Lyn Best, Jeff Botos, Tim & Diane Burke, Colleen Houlahan, John Melich, Carol Rondini. God Bless these young men and women as they continue on their journey of faith! Come Holy Spirit!  View photos at https://stjosephmantua.com/photoalbums/confirmation-2025. You may view the video of the Confirmation Mass at https://www.facebook.com/sjoastreetsboro/videos/1355620715758577

Our neophytes (newly baptized) are entering the period of Mystagogy now. This is a period when we help them unpack the gifts they have been given through the sacraments and deepen their understanding of living out their faith in the life of the Church and in their own personal lives. Pray for our neophytes and all those who are now fully initiated!

In 2025, were once again hosting a 300 Club fundraiser for St. Joseph Parish. We will have 300 tickets for sale at $100.00 each (you may pay $10/month). They will be sold starting in December, 2024, and running until November 1, 2025. We will have a fantastic dinner at St. Nicholas Banquet Center, 755 S. Cleveland Ave. (Suffield Twp.), Mogadore, Ohio 44260, on Saturday, October 18, 6 to 11 p.m., where you will have a one in 300 chance of walking away with $7,500.00. Join us for an evening of fun at this beautiful banquet center and delicious food. Tickets are available for purchase by contacting Debbie Kruis (330-221-0272) or Mary Ann Feddor (330-842-0505). Good luck!

The advertisers that appear on our back page each week allow us to have the bulletin published at no cost to the parishes of St. Joseph and St. Ambrose! Won’t you help us fill our ad page? To learn more about advertising in our bulletin, please contact our ad representative, Victoria O’Donnell, at 413-815-1477 or [email protected].

The Lottery Raffle parish fundraiser follows the Ohio Lottery's 3-Digit evening drawing only. Each ticket is $5.00 and is good for the entire month (you may purchase the same number for multiple months). Only 1,000 tickets will be sold numbered #000 - #999 each month. Winning tickets are worth $50.00 (payouts mailed weekly). Proceeds to help with our church improvements and are currently being earmarked for our Parish Renovation Fund which finances future projects. For every five Lottery Raffle tickets you buy in any given month, you will get one random number given to you which is also good for that month. TICKETS MAY ONLY BE OBTAINED BY CONTACTING Deb Kruis (330-221-0272) or Mary Ann Feddor (330-842-0505) via text or phone call. If you provide your name, address, phone number and ticket # you'd like to purchase, arrangements can be made to pull those for you.

An easy way to generate some funds for parish improvements was started in 2018 through recycling aluminum cans. Collect your clean cans in plastic bags, crushing if possible, and deposit in the designated box in it's NEW LOCATION near the dumpster on the northeast corner of the school building. Thank you for participating in this effort!

To be a registered member of a parish is to have a sense of belonging to a family. Registration is important when it comes to requesting the Sacraments or becoming involved in the life of the parish family. Please do not take for granted that you are registered just because you attend Mass here. Are you on our database? Do your receive envelopes? If not, you are most likely not registered as an active parishioner. Each family member, 21 years of age or older, should be registered separately (parents–encourage adult children to register if they still consider themselves members). If you’d like to become an active registered member of the parish, please contact the Office of St. Joseph & St. Ambrose (330-274-2253 or [email protected]). Also, if you move, change your phone number, would like to add your e-mail address, or have any other family changes, please let us know. We would like everyone at St. Joe’s to feel welcome as a part of our parish community family. Thank you for helping us keep up-to-date.