1833 Settlement Rd. Norwalk, Ohio 44857

419-668-6388 Parishioners Charles and Jean Fisher

Compliments of Julie Spettel Roberts DDS

Family Dentistry

107 W. Main St.

668-1317

419-668-0612

Any Make or Model

We Can Make it Run Full Throttle

Dave & Sharon Barman

Parishioners

419-681-7637

Gregg & Sue Moore

Parishioners

Whittlesey Ave

Norwalk, OH

419-668-9344

117 Whittlesey Norwalk

668-9344

JACK SCHAFFER

131 S. Main St., Monroeville

Knights of Columbus

Monthly Breakfasts

3rd Sunday of Sept thru Mar

Serving 8 AM—12:00 PM

Estate & Retirement

Planning

Adelman Equipment Rentals LLC

Los Buenos

Amigos Authentic Mexican

Cuisine

203 Cline Street

Norwalk, Ohio

2652 Ste Rte 61 Norwalk

419-577-4989

Mini Excavator, Skid Steer, Gradall,

46’ Aerial Lift, Augerbits, Hydraulic

Hammer, Scaffold, Guardrail, Trialing

Machine, OSHA Grade Plank, Leg

Levelers, Concrete Forms, Electric Lift,

Etc.

Paul Myers Tel. 419-541-0612 Bus. 419-660-DOOR

Residential & Commercial

MEDICAL CENTER

Serving faith communities through

HEALTH MINISTRY 419.668.8101 fisher-titus.org 272 Benedict Avenue, Norwalk

Franklin

Monuments

30 Benedict Ave., Norwalk

grave stones monuments

Kevin Hipp 419-663-7866

TOFT DAIRY, INC.

3717 VENICE RD. SANDUSKY, OH 44870

800-521-4606

Store Hours: 9-5 Tue-Fri

9-3 Sat

www.hillsidewoodheat.net

98 W. Main 663-4513

Compliments of

WALKER FUNERAL HOME

Real Estate Service

Call BOB WHITACRE

419-681-1617

419-465-2526

Bob Whitacre Michael L. Moore

M Z M Y E R S - Z I E M K E INSURANCE AGENCY, INC.

HOMEAUTOHEALTHBUSINESSLIFEFARM

2 N. Main St., Suite 1CPO Box 398 Monroeville

Phone: (419)-465-2571Fax: (419)465-2016

Email: mikemoore@mzins.com

Website: www.mzins.com

ABTECH Mechanical, Inc. 419-465-2982 SERVICE/INSTALLATIONS RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL

Heating-Cooling-Refrigeration-Plumbing-Hydronics-Duct Cleaning

HVAC 10 Herrick Alley, Monroeville, Oh Bob Gillespie, President

314 E. Main St., Norwalk

Office Address: 66 Chapel Street, Monroeville, OH 44847

Phone: 419-465-4142 Email: st.alphonsus.st.joseph.office@gmail.com

St Alphonsus & St. Joseph

Mission Statement: We are a Eucharistic people, dedicated to enabling each other to grow spiritually and serve the needs of our families, parishes and community by using our time, talent, and treasure to pass on the

best of our Catholic traditions.

December 20, 2015 — The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Anointing of the Sick: Please call parish office

or have a family member to call timely.

Communion to the Shut Ins: Call parish office.

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults):

Interested in joining the Church? Please call

the parish office for details. Please patronize the sponsors of our bulletin, the above advertisers! Thank you to all of them for their support!

Settlement Rd., Norwalk (Peru)

Corner of Broad & Chapel Sts., Monroeville

Confessions: 4:00pm Saturdays before the

5pm Mass; during holy half hours prior to

each daily Mass and by appointment.

Marriage: Please call the parish office, and

provide at least six months’ notice for prep

Baptism: Call the parish office to schedule Prayer Chain : Joanne Miller (SJ) 419-660-9049 Catherine Raftery (SA) 419-668-5030

PSR Directors: Deacon Mike Wasiniak Diane Wasiniak

419-668-5623

419-512-1713 nurse21853@aol.com

RCIA Coordinators: Theresa Fries

Charlie Nay 419-465-4142

SJ School Principal: Dave McDowell 419-465-2625

dmcdowell@msjcs.org

SJS Admin. Asst: Amanda Dixon 419-465-2625

sjs@msjcs.org

Office Hours: M—F 9:00am - 3:30pm Bulletin deadline 1pm Monday

Pastor: Rev. Ronald A. Schock 419-465-4142

fatherronschock@gmail.com

Deacon: Michael L. Wasiniak

419-668-5623

Office Coordinator: Cherri Schaffer 419-465-4142

SA Facilities Mgr: Catherine Raftery 419-668-5030

Bookkeeper: Mary Ivory

419-465-4142

SA & SJ website: stalphonsus-stjoseph.org

Historic SA Website: historicstalphonsus.org

Advent Reflections of a Country Priest Happy 4th Week of Advent! Here we

are my friends in the final days before we celebrate Christmas! There is much happening all around us in these final

days of preparation before celebrating the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the greatest ways of preparing is to present Jesus with the gift of our oneness with Him in all aspects of

our lives. Jesus himself gives us the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And in this Jubilee Year of Mercy we are re-

minded of receiving as well as giving the Divine Mercy of Jesus. So, in that spirit, I will be in the confessional on

Wednesday from 9:00a.m. until 12:00p.m. at St. Alphonsus and then from 1:00p.m. until 5:00p.m. at St. Joseph and

finally at St. Alphonsus from 6:00p.m. until 9:00p.m. Please take advantage of this opportunity to give yourself the

greatest gift of Christmas, peace of heart, mind and soul.

I pray you can join me and most of my family on Sunday, December 20 from 2-4 p.m. at the parish rectory for

our Advent Open House. Just come, enjoy some refreshment, take a look around the rec-

tory and enjoy yourself. The hours are pretty set in stone, so don't come too early, be-

cause we might not be ready and afterwards, I am headed to Vermillion St. Mary's to help

with confessions. I have instructed my family not to share to many embarrassing stories!

Finally, since this is the last bulletin before Christmas, I want to wish you and your

families a very Merry Christmas! May God's blessing come upon you and yours

and remain with you now and forever! Sincerely yours in Christ, Fr. Ron

Auto *Home*Life*Health*Business

Brent Lloyd

Lloyd@isoninc.com 27 East Main St., Norwalk

(419) 663-1220 www.insuranceservicesofnorwalk.com

Insurance Services of Norwalk will donate $10 to the St.

Alphonsus & St. Joseph’s PSR program for each free/no

obligation insurance quote (per household). Call/email Brent

Monroeville

MASS INTENTIONS

Sat. Dec 19 - Advent Weekday

4:00 PM (SJ) Confession

5:00 PM (SJ) Don Reer, Edmond Martin (1 yr),

Dec’d members of Wm Bauer Family

Dec’d members of Tyler & Gies Families

Sun. Dec 20— 4th Sunday of Advent

8:00 AM (SJ) Arden Miller (2nd Anniv), Clifford,

Vera, & Paul Sheeley, Bill Miller

9:30 AM (SA) Rolande, Doug, & Marc Jones,

Mike Martin, Richard & Marie Raftery,

Eugene Kamann

Mon. Dec 21- Advent Weekday No Mass

Tues. Dec 22— Advent Weekday

6:15PM (SA) Silent Adoration/Confession

7:00PM (SA) Deacon George Stepanic Wed. Dec 23— Advent Weekday/DAY OF GRACE

7:15AM (SJ) Silent Adoration/Confession

8:00AM (SJ) Francis Ruffing

Thurs. Dec 24 — Vigil of the Birth of Jesus

4:00PM (SJ) Leroy Bauer

6:00PM (SA) Deceased Parishioners

11:00PM (SJ) Edmond Martin

Fri. Dec 25— The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

9:00 AM (SA) Deceased Parishioners

Sat. Dec 26 - St. Stephen, The First Martyr

4:00 PM (SJ) Confession

5:00 PM (SJ) Dorothy McFadden, Leonard Wilhelm,

Charles Fitch, Alf Schafer

Sun. Dec 27—The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

8:00 AM (SJ) Helen Didion, Mabel C. Martin,

Karl & Lavina Powley,

Paul & Ortrude Smith

9:30 AM (SA) Mary Ann Schaffer

Angela Schlotterer & Doris Schaffer

ADVENT & CHRISTMAS IDEAS

Sunday, Dec 20th — Why not take your loved ones out to a great breakfast! K of C Breakfast in Monroeville serving 8am til noon.

Sorrowful Mother Shrine– invites you to the woods

for a peaceful walk, music and lights from Dec. 13 til

Jan. 3. Come and reflect on the joy of the season.

The entire woods is decorated! Open daily until

9:30pm. Movie Night at the shrine cafeteria is Sun-

day, December 27th. Popcorn and Movie start at

6:30pm for the cost of a donation. ?s 419-483-3435

THE WORD BECAME FLESH FOR YOU! Unite with

Christians around the globe in the celebration of

Christmas! Attend Mass in Vatican City with Pope

Francis, enjoy beautiful musical concerts from Europe

and travel to the sacred sites of the Holy Land—all by

watching EWTN! Find EWTN in your area by visiting

www.ewtn.com and enrich your Faith this Advent and

Christmas season!

Still don’t know what to get someone for Christmas?

Consider donating to a charity in their name…..

The Norwalk Area Food Bank has beautiful

handmade Christmas cards that are available with a

donation of $25.00 or more. These beautiful cards

can then be given to the person/family in whose name

you make the donation. If you are interested you can

stop by the Food Bank (behind Rite Aid-Norwalk)

Tuesdays or Thursdays 10am —12n or 1—3pm. Or

call Kathy Wilkins @ 419-681-1857.

December Health Ministry– Gift giving is not the

only thing you can do this holiday season. Show

kindness, it doesn’t take much time or effort. Ways

to spread kindness: take time to listen; give praise

when earned; forgive someone who hurt you; apolo-

gize for something you have done wrong; do a favor

for someone in need; give hugs; compromise instead

of fighting; take time to listen and hear the other per-

son’s situation; problem solve in a caring manner.

Remember kids are watching and learning from you.

May kindness abound this holiday season! “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of they people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:18 _____________________________________________________________________________

EYE GLASS REPORT: We collected 70 pairs of

glasses and 7 extra lenses! Thank you from the Lions

and know we will do this again next year! Thank you

Pat Didion for helping!

LITURGICAL MINISTERS

Saturday, December 26— 5:00 p.m. – St. Joseph

L Judi Bollenbacher

U Jeff Clark, Bob Stieber, Roddy Holland

CU Jaxon/Brooklyn Hedrick

EM Deacon Mike, Sheila Meikle, Ellen Wensink,

John Miller, Brent Bollenbacher

S Stacia & Aiden Stieber, Braylee Wise

Sunday, December 27—8:00a.m.—St. Joseph

L Brooke Stieber

U Dave Mahl, Marie & Ken Bischoff

CU Audra Hohler

EM Deacon Mike, Ron Betchman, Jane Kramer,

Cherri Schaffer, Linda Laux, Chris Raftery-C

S Garrison & Alayna Hohler, Kevin Brown

Sunday, December 27— 9:30 a.m. —St. Alphonsus

L Erin Lendrum & Barb Chase

U Bill Brooks, Dennis Foltz, Gary Long,

Chuck Furey

CU Willow Burger

EM Gregg & Sue Moore, John & Ian Miller,

Vicki Schaffer, Ruth Ann Foltz

S Ryan & Cayla Sowders, Anna Mainzer

G Karen, Mike and Nate Silcox

COMMUNION TO SHUT-INS Dec 27 Linda Laux

COUNTERS – December 21 Bob & Alice Crist,

Catherine, Ruth Schaffer, Judy Trushel.

K of C Club Winners $50: St. Anthony Church

$25: Mike Volker, Pat Kamann

A 2016 New Year’s SND NunRun—sponsored by

the Sisters of Notre Dame. Sat., Jan 2 at 9:30am,

Sun., Jan 3 at 1:30pm in Toledo. College aged and

young adult women are invited who are open to the

religious vocation. Cost $20 and a food item to

share. Visit with the sisters. This is your chance to

ask questions. Register: trichards@toledosnd.org

CONTRIBUTIONS—December 8—St. Alphonsus

Contributions received at the Immaculate Conception Mass:

Christmas Flowers-10, Immaculate Conception-288,

Needy-30. December 13—will be available next weekend.

CONTRIBUTIONS—December 8—St. Joseph

Contributions received at the Immaculate Conception Masses:

Offertory-30, Christmas Flowers-20, Immaculate Conception-

604, Solemnity of Mary-20, Fuel/Utility-5, School Support-15.

December 13—will be available next weekend.

SJS 2016 Annual Fund-15,243

When You Care Enough......to love the very best in your marriage, treat your marriage to a Worldwide Marriage

Encounter Weekend. What better gift for your spouse than the gift of yourself for an entire weekend? A Worldwide

Marriage Encounter Weekend gives you the time and tools to revitalize romance, deepen communication, and nourish the

spirituality in your marriage. The next weekend in the Toledo Diocese is January 15-17, 2016 in Perrysburg, OH.

Census Update in Progress—Please take the time to update

your registration with current phone number, email, and

family names. BLANK REGISTRATION FORMS are in back

of church if you are interested in joining or can be used to up-

date your information. Your children 18 and older are to be reg-

istered separately if they are out of college. Please call the

office if you have not received your registration by mail yet.

Help! Volunteers are needed for the parish pictorial directory—for both of our parishes—sign ups

after Masses (starting end of Jan.) PLEASE call the parish office to volunteer! If you have a nice camera we are looking for volunteers to photograph our parish events for the activity pages.

Help for those in Need can be found at The Salvation

Army, 55 Whittlesey Ave, Norwalk—their Winter

Warm Up January and February Monday thru Friday

8a til 4:30pm will be distributing clean, warm unused /

new coats, boots, knitted mittens and hats. Families in

emergency need are welcome. To donate or for more

information call Debra Ebinger 419-668-4090

Wed. Dec 23 DAY OF GRACE Confessions (SA) 9:00AM til Noon

(SJ) 1:00PM til 5:00PM

(SA) 6:00PM til 9:00PM

Parish Office Closed – December 24, 25, &

January 1 ( Dec 31 open til noon) Merry Christmas!

Zachary Brown, of Attica is our adopted Seminarian. You can mail a card or care package to him at:

Pontifical North American Colllege

00120 Vatican City State

EUROPE

Please take the envelop or package to the post office because

rates to Europe are different. Or if you want to drop a card to

him in the collection we will mail them off from the parish

office. He will appreciate hearing from people back home!

PARISH CALENDAR

Thurs., December 24 —4:00pm St. Joseph

L-Logan & Camryn Hedrick, U-Ted Kluding, Ron Schaffer, Joe Brown, Reid Stieber, Frank Edwards

CU-Volunteer, EM- Paige & Kara Schafer, Logan Hedrick, Carol Martin, Barb Mahl, Ross Stieber S-Stacia Stieber, Mason & Ethan Kluding,

1 volunteer

Thurs., December 24 —6:00pm St. Alphonsus

L-Sr. Rose & Mindy Kamann, U-Chris Smith, Dennis Perry, Jim Pfeiffer, 1 volunteer,

CU-volunteer, EM-Deacon Mike & Diane, Tom Smith, John Miller, Sue Schindley, Bob & Alice Crist S-Cathy & Carli Schnellinger, Lance Mainzer.

Thurs., December 24 –11:00pm St. Joseph L-Grace Newell, U-Bob Wilhelm, Ken & Marie

Bischoff, 1 volunteer, CU-volunteer, EM-Deacon Mike, Geri Myers, Jane Kramer, Cherri Schaffer, 1

volunteer, Barb Smith-C, S- Ben & Zeb Schafer, 2 volunteers

Friday, December 25—9:00am St. Alphonsus L-Robin Welch & Larry Hanneman, U-volunteers, CU-volunteer, EM-Deacon Mike & Diane Wasiniak,

Robin Welch, Nancy Wilson, 3 volunteers, S-volunteers

Advent Open House at the Rectory

2pm til 4pm All are Welcome!

This Sunday!

Merry Christmas!