Saint Joseph Catholic Church - South Bend, IN

Happening now at Saint Joseph...

Haiti Sister Parish Fund

On December 8, the Church throughout the world will celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. In addition to celebrating this feast at Saint Joseph with our Holy Day Mass schedule, our sister parish in Haiti will be celebrating Our Lady as their Patronal Feast! Let us keep our brothers and sister in Haiti in prayer in a special way this week.

For the past four years, Saint Joseph and Mary Immaculate Parishes have been working to develop a relationship of mutual prayerful support, share knowledge of our cultures and daily lives, and when possible, give resources.

One of the first projects that our parish was able to assist is the lunch program for students enrolled at Mary Immaculate School! We also began a micro-loan partnership with parishioners of Mary Immaculate. An exciting development this academic year is the regular “electronic-gatherings” that St. Joseph and Mary Immaculate students can have with one another. Though language can be challenging, the smiles on both ends of the cameras are contagious!

Mary Immaculate Parish has been constructing an addition to their school. It has been an exciting project to observe and this year our fundraising efforts will be directed towards the completion of the roof of the school. Special collections will be taken on the feast of the Immaculate Mary (December 7-8) and the following weekend (December 11-12). You may also contribute online now or send a check written to Saint Joseph Parish with “Haiti” on the memo line if you wish to contribute.

Let’s continue to keep our brothers and sisters at Mary Immaculate Parish in prayer – especially as they celebrate their feast day!

Digital Advent Calendar

One of the most popular Advent traditions (after the Advent wreath) is the Advent calendar, counting down the days until Christmas. The St. Joe Christian Formation Commission has again put together a digital Advent calendar for our parish that will include various opportunities for prayer, reflection, and celebration each day.

Beginning Sunday, November 28, you may follow this link to access the calendar, where each day individuals and families can open up a new "door" to discover what new opportunities that day holds. You will have the chance to pray together as families, hear personal testimonies from various members of our community, lift up your hearts and voices in song, spend time in quiet prayer, prepare to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation, and more! Please do not hesitate to share the calendar with family and friends! May we all join together in joyful and hopeful anticipation of the coming of our Lord this Advent season.

Advent Lessons & Carols

Join us for Advent Lessons and Carols on the Feast of St. Nicholas, Monday, December 6, at 6:00pm in the church. Advent Lessons and Carols is a service that alternates the reading of “lessons” (Scripture passages or reflections) with the singing of Advent carols. It points us toward the Incarnation as we walk in preparation through the Advent season. Music will be led by a combination of our parish Adult Choir, Handbell Choir, and Children’s Choir. Any children in grades 1-8 who would like to sing in the Children’s Choir can register here. Contact Theresa Slott with questions at tslott@stjoeparish.com.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Please join us at Saint Joseph Parish for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Mass times are Tuesday, December 7, at 5:30pm, and Wednesday, December 8, at 7:00am, 12:15pm, and 7:00pm.

An Evening with Mary & Joseph

To commemorate the end of the holy Year of St. Joseph and to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the St. Joe Christian Formation Commission is planning a special event on Tuesday, December 7, from 6:15-7:45pm (immediately following the Vigil Mass). We are inviting members of our community to a dinner, presentation, and discussion about the married life of Joseph and Mary, and how we may learn from their example of living and striving together to be a holy couple and holy family. The event will be held in Founders Hall at the Ackles Parish Life Center (please enter through door #5 on the east side of the building).

This event will be especially geared toward married couples but is open to all members of our community! Child care (including food) will be provided and dinner will be served, so RSVPs are strongly encouraged by completing this form.

Giving Tree
Our parish Giving Tree will be up in the church this year, but we will also have a virtual option. We will be supporting the important work of Hope Ministries, the Catholic Worker, Women’s Care Center, St. Margaret’s House, the Robinson Community Learning Center, and Refugee Resettlement. Thank you for your generosity this Christmas!

Weekly Adoration

Saint Joseph Church offers Eucharistic Adoration each Thursday from 7:30am to 9:00pm. We need at least two people for every time slot to ensure that there are always people in the church throughout the vigil. To sign up for a time slot each week, please follow the links below. For more information or to sign up for a recurring weekly time slot, please email adoration@stjoeparish.com.

December 9 | December 16

Christmas Children’s Choir
All children of the parish in grades 1-12 are welcome to participate in the Christmas Children's Choir that sings at the 4:00pm Mass on Christmas Eve, with preludes that begin at 3:30pm. View more details on the online signup form. Instrumentalists are also welcome to sign up online or contact Theresa Slott at tslott@stjoeparish.com.

Witness of Fatherhood Series

The St. Joe Christian Formation Commission is closing out these last couple of months of the Year of St. Joseph with a "Witnesses of Fatherhood" series, in which we will be highlighting the stories of different fathers within our St. Joe community -- covering all different types of fatherhood. Beginning Wednesday, October 6, you may tune in to our parish YouTube channel each week (until December 8th) to view a short testimony of what it means to be a father, in all different ways.

Parish Women's Retreat

Please join us in the Basil Moreau Room in the church on January 15, 8:30am-5:00pm, for a day of sisterhood and prayerful refreshment at our Saint Joseph Parish Women's Retreat - for women of the parish, by women of the parish! This year's theme: "God's Peace: Peace the World Cannot Give."

Cost is $15 per person and includes continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshments. Online signups are open now.

Participants are also invited to attend the Related Event for Women on Friday, January 14, 6pm-8pm: Ignatian Meditation as Prayer. Discover this tried and true method! This event is also located in the Basil Moreau Room (basement of the church).

Questions? Contact Andrea Kane at (574) 850-0096 or andreakane61@gmail.com.

Advent Candles in Procession
Individuals and families are invited to carry the Advent candle(s) to the Advent wreath in our entrance procession. If you are interested, please sign up online or contact Theresa Slott at tslott@stjoeparish.com.

Thank You for Supporting the Annual Bishop's Appeal

The Annual Bishop’s Appeal is an opportunity for Catholics to help the diocese participate in the Church’s mission of bringing God’s saving hope and love to others through its many ministries and service. ABA funds support Catholic education, seminarian formation, priests’ retirement, evangelization ministries, communication efforts, services to the needy, and support to parishes. Parishes are given a collection goal for each year’s appeal, and any amount of money collected above the set amount is returned to the parish for its use.

To donate online, visit diocesefwsb.org/ABA, and be sure to select that you are giving on behalf of St. Joseph South Bend. Or, checks may be made payable to Annual Bishop’s Appeal and submitted to the collection basket or to the parish office. Thank you for your generosity this year!

Youth Group

The Saint Joseph Parish Youth Group meets weekly for games, food, service, and more! Youth are invited to join us most Tuesdays (see calendar below) in the Basil Moreau Room (BMR) — enter through the sacristy door at the back of the church.

Middle School (6th-8th), 3:30-5:00pm
High School (9th-12th), 6:30-8:00pm

Snacks provided for middle schoolers; dinner provided for high schoolers. See the calendar for the rest of 2021. For any questions about Youth Group, please feel free to reach out to Mary Catherine McDonald at mmcdonald@stjoeparish.com.

COVID-19 Information

Please note that anyone, whether vaccinated or not, that is ill should not attend Mass in person. For those unable to attend in person, the 5:00pm Saturday Vigil Mass will continue to be broadcast live and on demand on our parish YouTube channel and Facebook page each week. Face coverings are optional at public liturgies in our diocese. Saint Joseph Church will provide seating on the north side of the church for those who wish to sit in a mask-only section.