Model of Faith:  Saint Nicholas
Feast Day - December 6
Saint Nicholas (280-343), the patron of children, was orphaned at an early age and raised by an uncle. Like his uncle, he later became a bishop. After entering the priesthood, he became renowned for his charity and good deeds. Tradition says that he secretly filled the stockings or shoes of a few young women with enough money to ensure a decent dowry and marriage. This is the origin of our custom of hanging stockings at Christmas. On the eve of his feast day children put their shoes outside the door for him too fill with small treats (especially in other countries). He is sometimes referred to as "Nicholas the Wonderworker," because he is believed to be the cause of many miracles. Saint Nicholas, pray for us!

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Patronal Feastday of the United States of America
December 8th
A Holy Day of Obligation in the United States, this is the day on which we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, the conception of Mary in the womb of her mother. This feast intensifies our preparation during Advent, remembering how God prepared for Christ's birth by creating Mary free from original sin at conception. What makes her conception immaculate is not that she was conceived by the Holy Ghost of a virgin, as was Christ Our Lord, but that from the very moment of her conception, she was filled with grace by God, Who knew, in His omniscience, that she would say "yes" to the Angel Gabriel and become the Mother of the Savior. Chosen by God, Mary reverses the sin of Eve. Because of her obedience, God's Salvation is made known to all the nations.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Wednesday, December 7th
6:30 p.m. Vigil Mass at St. Joseph, Mantua

Thursday, December 8th 
8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Joan of Arc, Streetsboro
9:00 a.m. Mass at Our Lady, Aurora
6:30 p.m. Mass at Our Lady, Aurora
6:30 p.m. at St. Ambrose, Garrettsville
7:00 p.m. Mass at St. Joan of Arc, Streetsboro

St. Joseph Church will present a Live Nativity on Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. Come out and enjoy a live reenactment that really makes the first Christmas come alive. Donations of cash or non-perishable items for local food cupboards accepted. Volunteers to serve as actors, greeters, carolers are needed. Live animals would also be a wonderful addition to our event. To volunteer or for more information, please contact Kathy Paroff (616-723-3091 or mypalskip422@gmail.com).

The use of the Advent wreath with four candles has been an Advent ritual for hundreds of years. The Advent wreath is a symbol of the four-week wait for Jesus’ birth. The green branches remind us of the new life we have in Jesus, the circle represents the eternity of God’s love for us (with no beginning and no end), and the candles represent the light and hope Jesus brings into a dark world. There are three violet (purple) and one rose (pink) candles, each representing 1,000 years. Added together, the four candles symbolize 4,000 years that humanity waited for the Savior. Violet is a liturgical color that is used to signify a time of penance, sacrifice, and prayer. Rose is a liturgical color that is used to signify joy. The second Advent candle, called the "Bethlehem candle", symbolizes faith, and reminds us of Mary and Joseph's difficult journey to Bethlehem.

Annual Giving Tree
Our annual Advent tradition of the Giving Tree begins the weekend of November 12/13. Coordinated by Marcy Fleming, this community outreach provides those in need with a little brighter Christmas (this may be the only gifts they receive). As in the past the “wish lists” were obtained from Catholic Charities of Portage County.
To participate, please select a tag (remember to sign the list), shop, and return your wrapped gifts to the Narthex with the tag securely attached and visible by Sunday, December 4.
Assembling of the family gift bags will take place on Monday, December 5. To volunteer to help with this project or for more info., please contact Marcy (330-274-2253, 205-401-8548 or mfleming@stjosephmantua.com).

2022 Advent Reconciliation Opportunities
Several opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the Christmas holidays will be offered during December. In addition to our usual 6 p.m. Wednesday evening offering, the following times will be available for confessions.

As we prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas we want to be ready to accept his love and be able to do whatever he asks of us. In order to do so, the Church encourages the parish community to come together to hear the Word of God, to pray and to sing in a formal liturgy called the Rite of Penance (Penance Service). Gathered together we recognize our individual sinfulness and the harm it does to the whole community, and so, pray for one another as well as for ourselves. With song, prayer and scripture we ready ourselves for the opportunity for private confession and absolution. 

Our PSR program's pageant, "Story of Christmas", is typically held the Sunday before Christmas. It features readings from the Gospel of Luke, Christmas carols, and all of our PSR kids!  All families, friends, and parishioners are welcome to attend this wonderful holiday event celebrating the reason for the season, the birth of Jesus. Our annual Christmas Cookie Party will immediately follow in Hughes Hall. Join us on Sunday, December 18, at 10:15 a.m. in the church and then for cookies in Hughes Hall. 

Ordinary Time is celebrated in two segments: from the Monday following the Baptism of Our Lord up to Ash Wednesday; and from Pentecost Monday to the First Sunday of Advent. This makes it the largest season of the Liturgical Year. This first installment of Ordinary Time has anywhere from four to nine Sundays, depending on how early or late Easter falls in a given year. Its season's focus is Jesus' manifestation of Himself as God during His public ministry.

How is the Date of Easter Determined?
Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full Moon that falls on or after March 21 (not, as commonly believed, the first Sunday after the first full Moon in Spring). The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22, and the latest possible date for it is April 25. Future dates for Easter are April 9, 2023, March 31, 2024, April 20, 2025, April 5, 2026, March 28, 2027, April 16, 2028, April 1, 2029, April 21, 2030.

In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church. Please pray for all those who have made commitments in the consecrated life, and be sure to thank them on their special day. May they continue to be inspired by Jesus Christ and respond generously to God's gift of their vocation.

St. Blaise (also spelled Blase and Blasius) was a 3rd century physician who became Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia. This was the time of persecution under Licinius, so St. Blaise hid out in a cave on Mt. Argeus. He was captured and imprisoned, and from prison cured a boy who was choking to death on a fish bone. St. Blaise was beaten, had his flesh torn by wool combs, and was beheaded, martyred along with seven women. Because of the cure of the boy's throat when the boy was choking, St. Blaise is patron against troubles of the throat, and today our throats are blessed at Mass. St. Blaise is also the patron of veterinarians and against attacks of wild animals. He is represented in art as a Bishop holding two crossed candles, with wool combs, or in a cave surrounded by wild animals. Prayer & Blessing of Throats typically takes place as we pray through the intercession of St. Blaise that God delivers us from throat ailments and from every other evil. The parish will have a communal blessing of the congregation at Masses the weekend of February 4/5, 2023.