SCRUBBING THE CHURCH HALL – We had several volunteers step forward to assist with yesterday’s scrubbing and waxing.  We will still need volunteers for next weekend, August 8, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. If anyone would like to volunteer, please contact Sr. Linda at 934-0699. 

SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS to our boys and girls who received Jesus’ Body and Blood for the first time at mass on Sunday, July 26th. They are: Lucas Gonzales, Sara Kraft, Kiera Pennington, Blake Shura, Elizabeth Sura, Conner Stere, and Jacob Wallace. Special thanks go to their parents, teachers and catechists for their guidance during their preparation process. Please continue to pray for these children that they may continue to grow in their relationship with Jesus and become the people God intends them to be. 

MASS TIME CHANGE FOR SAINT JOSEPH PARISH – The 8:00 AM Mass on Sunday Mornings will be moved to 9:00 AM, beginning September 13.  This will also move our Religious Education time to right after the 9:00 AM Mass, which will be 10:00 – 11:15 AM.  Please mark your calendars and spread the word.  

Weekend Mass intentions/requests are limited to 3 masses for the deceased per year. Please keep this in mind. Let us be kind and considerate of others and allow as many as possible in our parish family to be able to request a celebration of Mass and remember that the value of a Mass is infinite no matter when it is celebrated.

Note: We will not be accepting any new Mass intentions until January of 2021.

DONATIONS FOR THE CHURCH CARPET – We are still accepting donations towards  the payment of the Church Carpet.  If anyone is able and willing, simply place your donation in an envelope marked carpeting and either send it to St. Joseph Church or drop it in the collection basket.  Thank you. 

A meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council of St. Joseph Parish will be held this Monday, July 27. at 5:30 p.m. in the Church Social Hall. 

Celebrating a Wedding Anniversary? If you are celebrating 1, 5, 10, 25, 30, 50, 55, 60, and 60 plus years of marriage in 2020, and you would like to attend the Annual Wedding Anniversary Liturgy on Sept. 13th in Altoona or Sept. 20th in Johnstown, contact the parish office for details. Reservations to attend this mass must be made by Monday, August 24th.

CATECHISTS MEETING – A meeting of the Catechists for St. Joseph Religious Education Program will be held next Sunday, August 2, following the 8:00 a.m. Mass, 9:15-10:30 a.m. in the Parish Social Hall, with Social distancing and masks.

WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF TEACHERS (Catechists for grades 2, 9, and 10.)  Nick Lovrich has volunteered to teach grade 9, however we need a substitute for him during the Football Season.  Any takers?

WE WELCOME ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO BE A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER  (Catechist) for any grade level. Substitutes are valuable for keeping our Religious Education moving forward during that time when a Catechist is ill or may be traveling. 

PARENT BOARD FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – We would like to establish a Parent Board of 12 or more members to assist with the efforts to keep our Religious Education program growing and to keep our children involved in the parish.  Any Parent who would like to be involved in this ministry or any of the ministries above, should contact Sr. Linda as soon as possible.  934-0699.  Thank you in advance. 

REGISTRATION FORMS FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION can be found on our Website. We would like to have all children and teens complete a new registration form so that we are able to update our files. Children entering First Grade can also find a registration form online, complete it and turn it into our Church Office.  

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FIRST COMMUNICANTS – Seven children from our parish will make their First Holy Communion at a special Mass celebrated at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 26.  Please keep them in your prayers.  We are very proud to welcome to the Table of the Lord for the first time: Lucas Gonzalez, Sara Kraft, Kiera Pennington, Blake Shura, Elizabeth Shura, Conner Stere and Jacob Wallace.

We thank Paul Krug for volunteering to take their pictures.  We will display them in the church as soon as they arrive.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION will be celebrated at St. Joseph Church on Sunday, July 26, at 12:30 p.m., hopefully in the Church.

FIRST COMMUNION PREPARATION– We want to remind all parents of the second and third grade class of the upcoming retreat and practice this Wednesday, July 22, from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. The retreat will occur in the chapel with both the parents and children. Following the Retreat we will have a practice in the church. Each child will be given a banner to prepare for their pew. We look forward to celebrating this special, special event with our children and their parents.