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 Assumption refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary being assumed — body and soul — into heaven at the end of her earthly life. “Assumption” is different than “ascension” because one is passive (i.e. one is assumed) and the other is active (i.e. one ascends). It is by the power of God Mary was assumed. On this day we recall Our Lady's being assumed into Heaven and crowned Queen. Mass will be at 9:00 a.m. at St. Joseph’s and at 11:00 a.m. at St. Ambrose, Garrettsville.

If you think you might like to spend a little more time reaching out, teaching and sharing our Catholic Faith with kids and their families, this could be the ministry for you. We are looking for volunteers who could be comfortable in the classroom or online. Does this idea interest you? Contact Peg Haney for more information.

Starting August 13th, check our parish website, (https://stjosephmantua.com/families-growing-in-faith) for the latest information about our PSR program which will be reopening this fall.

Although the 2020 Ox Roast Fair had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, we will mark this unprecedented time with a commemorative t-shirt. This limited edition t-shirt features more Ken Zander designs (front and back) with our Ox facing the crisis wearing his mask with hope for 2021. Offered in blue to honor first responders and medical workers, shirts are available on a pre-order, pre-pay basis only. You may place your order by August 16 online through our Ox Store (https://oxroastfairstore.company.site/) or use the order form in the bulletin or available for download at https://stjosephmantua.com/ox-store.

Thank you to everyone who has so generously responded to the needs of our brothers and sisters served throughout our county and diocese by the Annual Bishop’s Appeal for Charity and Church. The appeal also makes a variety of ministries in the diocese possible. Even with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and our being away from church for three months, our parish has generously achieved 32% participation towards our goal of 100% participation with 158 of our parish households contributing $31,523.00 (as of August 3rd). There are three ways in which you can participate: PRAY for the success of the Annual Bishop’s Appeal; DONATE to the Appeal; VOLUNTEER your time and talents to any of the ministries of the Church. For more information, please visit www.ccdoy.org/give/bishops-appeal.

Not able to attend Mass? Don't forget that the church still has bills and ministries that need funding. If you'd like to support your parish, simply mail your contribution to the parish office. Or better yet, sign up for online giving (https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/stjosephmantua). It can be done as a one time donation or recurring. Check it out all the details on our website (https://stjosephmantua.com/parishsoft-giving). Thank you for your consideration.

This fundraiser that follows the Ohio 3-Digit Lottery evening drawing continues in 2020. Tickets are $5.00 each, good for the entire month, and you may purchase the same number for the entire year. For the month of June, July, and August, your $5.00 ticket purchase, including those that bought for the whole year, will give you 60 chances to win. We will pay on both daily drawings, midday and evening. 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. 

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).

We truly appreciate Fr. James-Peter Trares, OP, & Fr. Vincent Davila, O.P. for presiding at our Sunday, July 5th Mass. Fr. James-Peter, who grew up in the parish, and his Dominican classmate, Fr. Vincent are both in the Central Province of the Dominican Order. What a blessing to have them share their time & talents with our parish.

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.

Along with our parish website and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/stjosephmantua/), 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, we are now going to be sending the parish bulletin directly to your email every week. Any registered parishioner who the parish currently has an email address for in our database will receive 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 to keep on hand 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.

Our Sunday bulletin is an important way for us to communicate with you, especially during these days of the Coronavirus pandemic. It might be the only way that we can reach some of you. Every bulletin that you receive is paid for through the generosity of the businesses that you see advertised. Most of these advertisers are members of our local community, and many belong to our parish. We urge you to think of them when you decide to have a meal or other item delivered to your door. Tell the business owners that you appreciate their support of our parish through their advertisements in the bulletin. This is one small way that we can work within our own community to weather the challenges that we face. Together we can help each other make it through. © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.

During the summer of 2020, Fr. James-Peter Trares, OP will be moving to Rome to begin studies in the Fall at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (commonly known as "the Angelicum")! He'll be pursuing a Doctorate in Spirituality, which should take about four years, after which he'll be qualified to teach full time, to work in seminaries, to do spiritual counseling, and assist with the formation of the order's younger brothers. Since his ordination May 20, 2017, he has been assigned as a campus minister and theology professor at the University of St. Thomas based in the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN. He resides at St. Albert the Great Priory, 2833 32nd Ave., South, Minneapolis, MN  55406 with eight other Dominicans. We congratulate him and wish him well in his new adventure.

We would like everyone at St. Joseph’s to feel welcome as a part of our parish community family. Your assistance in keeping our records up-to-date helps to ensure that no one becomes “just a member. ” 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. To register or to update your information, please contact the Parish Office (330-274-2253 or ktrares@stjosephmantua.com). If you have started the process, but have yet to return the blue registration form, please do so ASAP.