Baptism: Please contact the parish office to schedule a time and date. A pre-baptism class is required. No baptisms during Advent and Lent.

Matrimony: By appointment six months in advance.

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA): Please call the church office at 724-981-3232.

Prayer Line: For intentions, please call 724-981-3232.

PARISHIONER PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

NAME____________________________

STREET_________________________

CITY & ZIP________________________

PHONE_________________ E-Mail_________________________

New Member Address Change Update Info

Place completed form in today’s collection basket or drop it off in the church office.

Rev. Thomas J. Whitman, Pastor Director of Religious Ed: Sr. Sandy Pedone, H.M.

Parish Secretary: Lori Vasconi Financial Secretary: Carol Koch

Maintenance: Brad Goodall Music Director: Mary Messina

Office Hours Monday - Friday,

8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (closed 12:30-1:30 PM)

Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil - 5:15 PM

Sunday - 8:30 & 11:00 AM Weekday: M, T, Th, Fri - 8:00 AM

Wed. - 12:10 PM (Check weekly bulletin for changes.)

Confessions Saturday: 4:00 - 4:30 PM or by request.

Religious Education Program Sundays, 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM

CCD Grades K-10 at Case Avenue Elem. School, Grade 11 in the church annex.

Parish Council Meetings Council typically meets on the third

Monday of each month.

Shenango Valley Catholic School System

Catholic Middle and High Schools: 724-346-5531 St. John Paul II: 724-342-2205

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2019

4th Sunday of Advent

PASTOR’S COLUMN COMING EVENTS:

CHRISTMAS DECORATING: Today, December 22, after the 11:00 Mass we will be decorating the church for Christmas. We can always use as many helpers as possible to make it go quickly and smoothly. If you can help us decorate today, we would love to have you help us. All are welcome.

CHRISTMAS MASSES will be at 4:30pm and 9:00pm on Christmas Eve and at 9:30am on Christmas Day. (Please note there will not be a midnight Mass this year).

COMEDY NIGHT: We will again host a comedy night on Friday, January 17, 2020 in the Guild Hall. The same company will provide new comedians with clean comedy. Dinner will be a part of the event. Mark your calendars. Tickets are available in the parish office or from Fr. Tom.

ADVENT PENANCE SERVICES: Please take advantage of the Penance Service offered. We have several priests hearing confessions in order to make things go quickly. Also remember that it is part of the Penance Service to be there at the start since that is when we do the act of contrition and examination of conscience. Some people come late and some of the priests have already left because there is no one in line and this drags the evening out longer. Please be considerate of others. Beloved Disciple, Grove City, December 22 – 1:00pm CHRISTMAS COLLECTION: As we have done in the past, we will Tithe the Christmas Collection. We will send 10% of the Christmas collection to the Prince of Peace Center. In years past some anonymous do-nors have matched what we give to Prince of Peace, this year I already have one donor willing to match our tithe. If you would also like to match our parish tithe, please contact Fr. Tom. Last year we sent over $6,000 to the Prince of Peace center – a little over $2,000 from the parish tithe and two donors matched that tithe. It is a great way for us to support the great work that Prince of Peace is doing and to share in the real spirit of Christmas. REFLECTION ON THE READINGS: Our readings today speak about those who do and don’t listen to God’s Word. The first reading has Ahaz as the king who doesn’t want to join the coalition of nations against the Assyrian empire. And so, the coalition attacks Ahaz and the people. Isaiah encourages Ahaz to ask for a sign and to trust God. Ahaz doesn’t want to trust God because he thinks God will want him to join the coali-tion and they will all be wiped out by Assyria. But Isaiah encourages him to ask for a sign. The sign is that a young woman will give birth to a son. The child was to be the sign of God’s presence to Ahaz in order to reassure him that he was doing the right thing. In the second reading Paul is called to be an apostle to preach that Jesus was indeed a descendant of David and also the Son of God through resurrection from the dead. Paul is fearless in his preaching of this message to all people. Paul’s experience of God makes him unshakeable in his role as an apostle. In Matthew’s story of the birth of Jesus, Joseph is the main character. (In Luke’s gospel Mary is the main character). Joseph is betrothed to Mary but they have not yet begun to live together and yet Mary is found to be with child. Joseph can only think that Mary has been unfaithful to him. But Joseph does not de-mand a public trial but wants to dismiss her quietly. The trial would have found her guilty and stoned her to death. Joseph shows his compassion and his understanding of the gentle side of the law. (I wonder if this was some of the background to Jesus and his encounter with the woman caught in adultery and his compas-sionate dealing with her.) It is the angel who appears to Joseph in a dream and informs him where this child has come from. Joseph takes Mary into his home and claims the child as his own. Since Joseph was of the house of David, Jesus now becomes a descendant of David through Joseph claiming Jesus as his own son. It is a powerful reminder of how we need to be careful how we judge a situation when we do not know all the facts. It is also a testimony to the law abiding and compassionate person that Joseph was.

ATTENTION - FOOD PANTRY REGISTRATION All clients (new and past clients) must register as a NEW CLIENT each year. New registrations will take place on Friday, January 3, 2020 from 9:30-11:00am. St. Joseph Food Pantry is open to anyone that meets within the govern-ment guidelines. To register, please come prepared with: • VALID PHOTO ID (driver’s license or state issued ID) • PROOF OF INCOME FOR ALL HOUSEHOLD

RESIDENTS (Pay stub, food stamps, Compass form, SS, SSI, SSD unemployment benefits, etc.)

• PROOF OF ADDRESS (lease, utility bill, etc.)

PLEASE PRAY FOR: Lorraine Penhos, Tony Perry, Gerrie Derr, Tess McCallen, Jackie Hoffman, Catherine Bell, Catherine DeBonis, Adrianne Ward, Frankie Frolick, Ford Bartle, Kim Anglin and Grover McKnight.

HOSPITAL STAY For both Sharon and Farrell Hospitals: If you or a loved one become hospitalized, please call the church office at 724-981-3232 to notify us of your family name and room number so we will be able to visit and distribute Holy Communion to you or your loved one.

St. Joseph Parish Welcomes You!St. Joseph Parish Welcomes You!St. Joseph Parish Welcomes You!

ST. JOSEPH PARISH PRAYER LINE St. Joseph Parish Prayer Line has

been operating in our parish for over 20+ years. The Prayer Line is a special chain of people that in your time of prayerful needs branch out to each other and begin to pray immediately for the sick. If you are someone who can pray for the sick, one who physically cannot volunteer but still feels the de-sire to volunteer or one that can find the extra time to pray for those in need, please consider becoming a volunteer for our Prayer Line. There are no meetings to attend, only a phone call from our prayer chain leader to let you know prayers are desperately needed. To become part of the prayer chain team, please call the church office at 724-981-3232.

FEATURED FOOD PANTRY ITEM Next week’s featured item - toothpaste. Please place your donation in the shopping cart located in the Gathering Space.

UPCOMING FEATURED ITEMS Canned Fruit - Cereal - Crackers

The Food Pantry is in need of volunteers! Distribution days are the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month. If you’d like to volun-teer for one or both sessions, please report to the church’s lower level at 8:00am on our next distribution day, Friday, January 3.

SUPPORT ST. JOSEPH PARISH!

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support St. Joseph Church every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to St. Joseph Church. Simply log onto https://smile.amazon.com/ch/25-0938306 to sign up and to support St. Joseph Church!

CHRISTMAS MASS SIGN UPSCHRISTMAS MASS SIGN UPSCHRISTMAS MASS SIGN UPS LectorLectorLector---Eucharistic MinistersEucharistic MinistersEucharistic Ministers---Altar ServersAltar ServersAltar Servers

If you know which Christmas Mass you will be attend-ing and can serve, we ask that you please sign the sign-up sheet located in the Gathering Space. Christmas Masses this year are: Christmas Eve, at 4:30 and 9:00pm and on Christmas Day at 9:30am. (Our online schedul-ing program is not available for sign ups.)

Mass Intentions

+Indicates Mass Time

Monday, December 23-Mal 3: 1-4 , 23-24 / Lk 1: 57-66

+8:00 Albert Nicastro (Family)

Tuesday, December 24-Is 9: 1-6 / Ti 2:11-14 / Lk 2: 1-14

The Nativity of the Lord-Christmas Eve +4:30pm Gary Douglas (Family) +9:00pm Jim Kaibas (Ted & Louise Ferrara)

Wednesday, December 25-Is 9: 1-6 / Ti 2:11-14 / Lk 2: 1-14

The Nativity of the Lord-Christmas Day +9:30am Genevieve Wiesen (Joe, Christine Walsh & Family) Thursday, December 26-Acts 6: 8-10; 7: 54-59 / Mt 10: 17-22

OFFICE CLOSED

Friday, December 27-1 Jn 1: 1-4 / Jn 20: 1a, 2-8 OFFICE CLOSED +8:00 Katherine Howard (Dr. & Dorothy Yao)

Saturday, December 28-Sir 3: 2-6, 12-14 / Col 3: 12-21 or 3: 12-17 / Mt 2:

13-15, 19-23 | The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph +5:15 M/M John Kutchenriter, Sr. (son, John)

Sunday, December 29-Sir 3: 2-6, 12-14 / Col 3: 12-21 or 3: 12-17 / Mt 2: 13-

15, 19-23 | The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph +8:30 Genevieve Wiesen (Carol, Bill & Grace McCurdy) +11:00 Deceased Members of the Parish

Ministry Schedule for December 28/29

LECTOR Volunteer

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

S. Messina, T. H. Cole, D. Dach, P. Dach, F. Smeraglia, Volunteer X2

ALTAR SERVERS A. Jordan, M. Jordan, N. Jordan

GREETERS GS: B. Charles, F. Giroski Fr: J. Bello

LECTOR J. Necastro

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

B. Maffey, G. Maffey, P. Emery, J. Walsh, L. Vasconi, C. Necastro, Volunteer

ALTAR SERVERS S. Pass, N. Schupp

GREETERS GS: Volunteer

LECTOR G. Beshero

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

G. Smith, D. Ranelli, G. Pacsi, U. Goda, J. Grandy, D. Yao, V. Mulligan, L. Dach, P. Piccirilli, J. Sherbine, M. Goodwin

ALTAR SERVERS A. Anzevino, B. Dach, C. McKnight

GREETERS GS: B. Anzevino, M. A. Smith CL: O. Pacsi Fr: M. Smith, Volunteer

Vigil Saturday, Dec. 28,

2019

Vigil 5:15 PM

Mass

Sunday, Dec. 29,

2019

8:30 AM

Mass

Sunday, Dec. 29,

2019

11:00 AM

Mass

WEEKDAY-HOSPITAL Dec 29- Sunday Ministry Dec. 24 - Closed SRMC - G. Smith Dec. 25 - Closed Nugent - P. Dach Dec. 26 - Closed Clepper - F. Smeraglia

DECORATING THE CHURCHDECORATING THE CHURCH FOR CHRISTMAS!FOR CHRISTMAS!

Join us TODAY, Sunday, December 22, at 12:15 pm (following the 11:00 Mass) to string lights on

the trees that will grace our church for Christmas. Food and drink will be enjoyed after the lighting. AND as an extra bonus for students

- you can earn SERVICE HOURS!

We hope you will come! The more hands, the more fun, the quicker we're done!

~~COMEDY NIGHT~~ ~~COMEDY NIGHT~~ ~~COMEDY NIGHT~~ ST. JOSEPH ANNUAL ST. JOSEPH ANNUAL ST. JOSEPH ANNUAL

FUNDRAISER!FUNDRAISER!FUNDRAISER! DON’T FORGET TO DON’T FORGET TO DON’T FORGET TO

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR PURCHASE TICKETS FOR PURCHASE TICKETS FOR THAT SPECIALTHAT SPECIALTHAT SPECIAL

STOCKING STUFFER!!!STOCKING STUFFER!!!STOCKING STUFFER!!!

St. Joseph Staff wishes you and your family a very Merry Christmas.