St. Joseph's Church

ANNUAL PEW COUNT Bishop Byrne has requested that the Planning Office conduct a parish headcount this October as a means of quantifying the effect the pandemic has had on our parishes. The headcount will be conducted on the LAST two weekends of October (Oct. 23-24 & 30-31) and the FIRST weekend in November (Nov 6-7).

Please welcome Deacon Bob Esposito - Dear St. Joseph Parishioners, I am very excited to announce that I was recently assigned the role of deacon at your parish. I am already acquainted with so many of you and I look forward to getting to know those of you I haven’t met yet. My most recent assignment was at Sacred Heart Parish where I was a deacon for 14 years and Director of Religious Education for 40. I have known Msgr. Mike as a friend and advisor for many years. I am grateful to now have the opportunity to assist him in meeting the spiritual needs of the St. Joseph Parish community. Please pray for me in my new role. I promise to pray for you as my new parish family. In the love and protection of St. Joseph, Deacon Bob

Once again the St. Anne Society will sponsor a takeout Italian Dinner on Saturday, October 23 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm featuring pasta with homemade meat sauce and meatballs, plus our special old world recipe, chicken parmigiana. It will also include Italian Bread and dessert for $15. Reservations must be made by calling the Rectory at 445-5789 before October 19. Credit cards will be accepted. This is one take-out dinner you won’t want to miss!

RCIA classes begin October 20 at 6:30 p.m.

October 17— K through 9 regular classes. Confirmation class of 2021 will be confirmed at 11:30 mass. Confirmation class of 2022 will meet at St. Joseph’s Center 5:30 to 7:30 pm. October 24—Regular classes K-9 and October 31 –Regular classes K-9.

CALLING ALL LECTORS - All present Lectors and those who would like to become Lectors are asked to come to a learning and review session on Wednesday, October 27th at 6:30 pm in the church. It will be conducted by Msgr. Mike and Gerry Dahrouge and is a requirement for certification to serve as a Lector in the Parish. Please put the date on your calendar and make every effort to attend. Tell Msgr. if you are not able to be there that evening, and schedule another appointment.

October is Right to Life month. Please remember the unborn in your prayers: Jesus, I beg You to spare the life of the unborn babies who are in danger of abortion. Amen

THANKSGIVING ANGEL PROGRAM - This year, as in years past, St. Joseph’s Parish is responsible for providing the gravy for the meal. Unlike years past, we have found an excellent deal on gravy packets when purchased in bulk. Therefore, we are respectfully requesting CASH donations so that we can take full advantage of the gravy packet bargain. Thank you in advance for your unceasing generosity. May God bless you and your families this holiday season.

We are happy to announce that our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 20 at 7 p.m. in the Parish Center. Fr. Michael Goodreau will be our guest speaker. We will be serving Bartlett’s cider and donuts. All women are welcome to join us for an evening of faith and fellowship. Please wear your masks.

Our ministry provides nearly 1,500 Thanksgiving dinners to area families who are food insecure and/or in need of assistance. This is a multi-denominational effort, with many faith based organizations donating specific parts of the meals. This year, as in years past, St. Joseph’s Parish is responsible for providing the gravy for the meal. Unlike years past, we have found an excellent deal on gravy packets when purchased in bulk. Therefore, we are respectfully requesting CASH donations so that we can take full advantage of the gravy packet bargain. Thank you in advance for your unceasing generosity. May God bless you and your families this holiday season.

Rehearsal will be Saturday, October 16 at 10 AM. Please be prompt so we can get started on time. The celebration of confirmation will take place on Sunday, October 17 at 11:30 AM. Students are asked to be at the South chapel at 11 AM. If you have any questions, please contact me John A. at 413-822-1297 or emailjohnaccd@gmail.com

October is Right to Life month. Please remember the unborn in your prayers: Jesus, I beg You to spare the life of the unborn babies who are in danger of abortion. Amen

A journey of Faith. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults will begin on Wed. Oct 20th at 6:30pm. These sessions last about one hour and are open to any adult wishing to learn more about the Catholic faith and about joining the Church. For more information please speak to Msgr. Mike or Fr. Michael or call the Rectory at 413-445-5789.

LIVESTREAMING VOLUNTEER(S) WANTED - Are you interested in helping the parish broadcast weekly and holiday masses to those who are homebound or parishioners who are out of town? If so, we want to hear from you! By lending your talents we can help sustain this important ministry. Please call Michael at 413-822-3654 or email at michael.d.wheeler1973@gmail.com. Familiarity with Facebook and livestreaming a plus.