As we approach the season of Lent we traditionally clear our homes of the old palms from last year’s Palm Sunday. Each Ash Wednesday we sign ourselves with the ashes of our palms form the previous year. If you would like to recycle your palms for the burning of the palms, please drop them off in the designated basket in the Narthex. Our PSR classes be burning the palms in front of the church on Sunday, February 19, after the 9 a.m. Mass.

The Sisterhood of St Joseph is sponsoring a casino bus trip to Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, PA, on Monday, February 20. Participants will receive $20 in slot freeplay and a $5 food voucher. The cost is $50. The bus will depart from St Joseph’s parking lot at 8 a.m. and return at approximately 6 p.m. For reservations, please contact Mary Ann Feddor (330-842-0505) by February 7th.

The Men’s Renewal Team of St. Joseph Church invite all men 18 years and older to a Men’s Renewal Weekend February 18 & 19, 2023. Held in St. Joseph's Hughes Hall and school building, this is a free, two-day gathering of adult Christian men (Catholic and non-Catholic) coming together in faith to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ and other Christian men. Participants gather at 8 a.m. on Saturday and conclude with Mass on Sunday afternoon. Take some time for yourself. Come enjoy fellowship, laughs, and good food. This is a weekend you will not regret and never forget. Come for yourself, your wife, your son, your daughter. You will be fed in mind, body, and spirit. You're guaranteed to leave FULL. Questions? Please contact Don (330-903-0928) or Matt (330-507-8467), email [email protected] or visit https://stjosephmantua.com/mens-renewal-weekend.

If you wish to have your 2022 contribution statement from St. Joseph Church, there are several ways to obtain it beginning the week of January 29th: Electronically through My Own Church, requesting a pdf be emailed to you, or sign-up to have a printed copy made available in the Narthex.

Did you know that St. Joseph Church will celebrate it's 100th anniversary as a parish this year?! We became a mission in 1864. On August 17, 1923, Father Gracey became Mantua's first resident pastor and St. Joseph's became a parish. Plans are in the works to celebrate this big occasion throughout 2023. Watch for more details in the coming weeks and months. To learn more about the history of St. Joseph Church, please visit https://stjosephmantua.com/parish-history-timeline.

Please keep Fr. Ed in your continued prayers as he returns from medical leave and begins his assignment as parochial vicar of Blessed Sacrament Parish and Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Warren. If you would like to send a card or note to him, please address it to him at Blessed Sacrament, 3020 Reeves Rd., N.E., Warren, OH 44483.

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!

All women 18 years and older are invited to attend the St. Ambrose & St. Joseph Women’s Spiritual Renewal Weekend, April 22-23, 2023, at Camp Asbury (10776 Asbury Rd., Hiram). The weekend begins with 7:30 a.m. check-in on Saturday and ends by 2 p.m. on Sunday. This is a free, two-day gathering of adult Christian women (Catholic & non-Catholic) coming together in faith to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ and other Christian women. Take some time for yourself, come enjoy fellowship, laughs, and much more! Self care includes your spirit. Ladies, it can start with renewal. Brochures with a registration form are available in the Narthex or through the links section of this page. Questions? Text or call Cindy (330-221-2694) or Jessica (440-223-4404) or visit https://stjosephmantua.com/womens-renewal-weekend.

Your generous support makes a meaningful difference to St. Joseph Church’s good works and helps to keep our beautiful grounds in good shape for the future. We are so grateful for all of the backing from everyone helping us to get closer to the estimated $120,000.00 goal to complete our Parish Paving Project in 2023. Giving Tuesday Campaign Results: $3,925.00 from 30 donators!!! Didn't get a chance to participate in Giving Tuesday? You can still help by donating any time to our Building & Grounds Maintenance Fund.

Is God calling you to bring Christ in the Eucharist to those unable to join us for weekend Mass? Anyone wishing to join the team of Homebound Ministers for St. Joseph Church or St. Ambrose Church is required to receive initial training. If you currently take Communion to someone, whether it be a member of your family, a friend or a neighbor, you are also expected to receive this formation. Thank you to all those who are interested in performing this important and rewarding service to others. Questions? Please contact Deacon Gerry ([email protected] or 330-569-4795). In addition, if you are aware of a homebound person who would like to receive Communion, please contact the Parish Office (330-274-2253) with their name and contact info.

Fr. James-Peter Trares, OP, recently received the License in Theology, which prepared him for his current doctoral program at the Angelicum in Rome. The degree certifies him to teach at the graduate level in seminaries. He continues on for the next two years with in-depth research to complete a doctorate, opening up opportunities to be a full-time professor. Congratulations and God bless.

A number of you have informed me that you have received unusual requests from me, via email or text, asking for your assistance or for gift cards. Unequivocally, these are scams. In my communications with you, I will only reach out to you from known email addresses. And, as a rule, I do not use texting from my personal phone for parish ministry.  

On April 21, 2022, the United States announced a key step toward fulfilling President Biden’s commitment to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion: Uniting for Ukraine. Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole. For more information on providing financial support, becoming a sponsor, or making a connection, visit: https://www.ccdoy.org/2022/07/29/uniting-for-ukraine/

From Sister Rose Anne Krantz: I have been comforted and humbled by all your prayers and support as I journey with my diagnosis of cancer. I recovered amazingly fast and well from both my hysterectomy (July 6) and breast surgery (July 25). I credit not only my doctors but even more all those who have lifted me up in prayer. I  feel encircled in love. The next step in my journey is chemo which will begin August 18 and continue for 18 weeks in three week cycles. I cannot put into words my gratitude for your continued prayers.  May God bless you as only God can.    Sr. Rose Anne Krantz, CDP, our Pastoral Minister Sept. 1, 2006 - June 30, 2010, has asked for prayers as she faces cancer. If you wish to send a card, her address: Sisters of Divine Providence, 9000 Babcock Blvd., Allison Park, PA 15101.

The Parish Community of St. Joseph is a very busy place with dozens of groups using the facilities year round. Please check with the Parish Office to confirm a date whenever you are planning a meeting, event, fundraiser, etc. Don’t assume that a space or date is available before you check the master calendar through the Parish Office staff (330-274-2253 or [email protected]). They should always know what is going on throughout the buildings and on the grounds not only for organizational purposes but also for safety and security concerns. For Hughes Hall rental information, please contact Debbie Kruis (330-221-0272). We also take pride in accurately publicizing the many activities in the bulletin and on the parish website and Facebook pages. We appreciate your assistance in help to keep the parish running smoothly and efficiently by following good rules of communication:  clear, concise, complete, correct, and courteous.

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 Parish Office (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.

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, you can signup to have the bulletin emailed to you by visiting 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.