About St. Joseph · Mantua, Ohio
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish in the village of Mantua, Portage County, Ohio, in the Diocese of Youngstown. Its Catholic mission dates to 1864, when Cleveland Bishop Amadeus Rappe established it as a mission for Irish settlers in the area. The parish was officially canonically erected on August 17, 1923, by its first resident pastor, Fr. Edward J. Gracey, and it now belongs to the Portage North collaborative of four parishes formed in 2022. The community celebrates Sunday and weekday Mass in English, runs weekly Eucharistic Adoration, operates an acclaimed youth Faith Formation program, and is known region-wide for its annual Ox Roast Fair—founded in 1964 and still going strong. Today the parish is led by Fr. Frantisek "Francis" Katrinak (Pastor), Fr. Scott Kopp (Parochial Vicar), and a team of deacons, religious-education staff, and lay ministers.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- St. Joseph (spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, patron also invoked especially for employment)
- Rector
- Rev. Frantisek "Francis" Katrinak (Pastor of the Portage North parishes since May 1, 2023)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Youngstown (Mantua was transferred from the Diocese of Cleveland when Youngstown was erected in May 1943)
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a small but lively faith community where you can be known by name. Worship is offered with a single Sunday Mass (9 a.m.) and weekday Masses on Wednesday evening and Friday morning, plus a Wednesday Holy Hour with Exposition and Adoration, a rosary before Sunday Mass, and weekly Reconciliation. The parish supports Portage North's Family Faith Program, OCIA (formerly RCIA), a Children's Liturgy of the Word, and a host of lay-led groups: Men of St. Joseph, the Sisterhood of St. Joseph, Knights of Columbus, St. Joseph Cares, and the parish Pastoral Council. Its signature outreach is the Ox Roast Fair, a major summer festival run by hundreds of parishioner volunteers that helps fund the parish's educational and sacramental ministries.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:00 PM (immediately before the 6:30 p.m. Mass)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 7:00–8:00 p.m. Exposition & Adoration (following the 6:30 p.m. Mass)
- First Wednesday of each month 7:00–8:00 p.m. Holy Hour for Vocations
History of St. Joseph Parish, Mantua
Mantua's Catholic community dates to 1864, when Cleveland Bishop Amadeus Rappe established a mission for Irish settlers moving into the northern Portage County villages. From the 1860s through the early twentieth century the community was served by priests traveling from Cleveland Holy Rosary (now Holy Name), Niles, and Warren, who said Mass in parishioners' homes; from 1903 to about 1910 the Jesuit community at St. Ignatius College (today John Carroll University) ran the mission from Mantua, with Mass twice a month. Cleveland officially erected St. Joseph as an independent parish on August 17, 1923, with 35 to 40 families. The 1963 dedication of a new $1.5 million church/school/auditorium complex on 96 acres ushered in the parish's modern era. In May 1943 Mantua left the Diocese of Cleveland for the newly formed Diocese of Youngstown, and on May 28, 2022 St. Joseph joined the Portage North collaborative of parishes.
- 1864 – Mission established by Cleveland Bishop Amadeus Rappe
- 1871 – First frame church built (largely with funds from railroad workers)
- 1903–c.1910 – Jesuit fathers from St. Ignatius College staff the mission
- August 17, 1923 – Parish canonically erected; Fr. Edward J. Gracey first resident pastor
- May 1924 – New brick church on Prospect St. dedicated
- 1943 – St. Joseph transferred to the new Diocese of Youngstown
- 1963 – Church/school/auditorium complex dedicated on 96 acres
- 1964 – First Ox Roast Fair organized by Associate Pastor Fr. John Wirtz
- 1973 – Parish 50th anniversary
- 1983 – Parish 60th anniversary
- 1998 – 75th anniversary: time capsule buried, carillon installed, interior painted
- May 28, 2022 – Portage North collaborative formed
- May 1, 2023 – Fr. Frantisek 'Francis' Katrinak installed as pastor
- 2023 – 100th anniversary celebrated with feast-day dinner and other events
- April 10, 2026 – Fr. Scott Kopp assigned as parochial vicar
Worship & Liturgy
Public worship at St. Joseph centers on one Sunday Mass, two weekday Masses, and a weekly Wednesday Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration, complemented by a Sunday Rosary and Reconciliation before the Wednesday evening Mass. Music ministry is led by Music Director Bill Davies, and Liturgy-of-the-Word-with-Communion is offered Tuesday mornings for those who cannot attend a Mass. A Liturgy committee, chaired by Deacon Gerry Scopilliti, helps coordinate the parish's liturgical life, while Sacristan Maryann Feddor oversees the sanctuary and sacred furnishings.
- Sunday Mass — 9:00 a.m. (English)
- Wednesday Mass — 6:30 p.m.
- Friday Mass — 9:00 a.m.
- Tuesday 9:00 a.m. — Liturgy of the Word with Communion
- Rosary — Sundays 8:20 a.m.
- Reconciliation — Wednesdays 6:00 p.m.
- Exposition & Adoration — Wednesdays 7:00–8:00 p.m.
- First Wednesday Holy Hour for Vocations — 7:00–8:00 p.m.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Joseph is coordinated through the Portage North Family Faith Program (the successor to PSR/CCD), which offers Catholic instruction for children whose families do not attend a Catholic school, plus a Children's Liturgy of the Word at the Sunday Mass and OCIA for adults seeking full initiation. Programs are run by Parish Director of Religious Education Peg Haney (330-274-2268) and draw on diocesan Faith Formation & Lay Ecclesial Ministry resources from the Diocese of Youngstown. The original parish school, opened in 1963, was staffed by Dominican Sisters of Akron and continued until 2010; since then catechesis has shifted entirely to the parish-based Family Faith Program model.
- Portage North Family Faith Program – Mantua campus
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)
- OCIA / RCIA for adults
- Diocesan Faith Formation & Lay Ecclesial Ministry
- P.D.R.E.: Peg Haney
Parish Life, Groups & Pastoral Council
Beyond the sanctuary, St. Joseph runs a busy calendar of lay-led ministries. The Pastoral Council, meeting the second Tuesday every other month at 7 p.m. in the All-Purpose Room, advises the pastor in seven areas: Christian Service, Evangelization, Family Life, Worship & Prayer, Discipleship/Faith Formation, Finances, and Administration. Open seats are filled by discernment and appointment. Day-to-day, parishioners serve on the Worship Committee, Maintenance & Grounds Ministry, in the Men of St. Joseph spirituality group (which meets Wednesdays and hosts an annual Men's Renewal Weekend), the Sisterhood of St. Joseph, the Knights of Columbus, and the parish's outreach arm, St. Joseph Cares.
- Pastoral Council (chair: Annette Carlisle; secretary: Jay D'Aurelio)
- Worship Committee (Deacon Gerry Scopilliti)
- Men of St. Joseph (Doug Engelhart)
- Sisterhood of St. Joseph
- Knights of Columbus (Don Fleming)
- St. Joseph Cares (Angela Daczko)
- Maintenance & Grounds (Greg D'Aurelio)
- Youth group
Outreach & Charitable Works
The parish organizes regular charitable outreach to the local community through St. Joseph Cares, which partners with area churches to serve a monthly community meal in the parish hall for those in need, the elderly, and homebound parishioners. The Men of St. Joseph run summer bonfire evenings in the wooded clearing south of the parking lot, with the Remembrance Band providing Christian-rock and secular music. The parish also publishes a weekly bulletin (compiled by secretary Kathi Trares) and offers free digital bulletin subscriptions through Discover Mass.
- Monthly community meal in cooperation with area churches
- Parish visits and Communion calls to homebound and elderly
- Bonfire evenings with the Remembrance Band
- Weekly bulletin (print + digital via Discover Mass)
The Ox Roast Fair (since 1964)
The Ox Roast Fair is St. Joseph's signature ministry and one of the largest summer festivals in northern Ohio. It was founded in 1964 by Associate Pastor Fr. John Wirtz to help pay off the new parish school building, and it has run every year since—originally in tents borrowed from St. Mary's in Newton Falls arranged in a 'wagon-wheel' semicircle around a central dance area, and now across the parish's 96-acre campus. The Ox Roast dinner is the centerpiece: up to 3,500 pounds of sirloin roasts are cooked low-and-slow in brick-lined pits for hours and served as sandwiches, dinners, or 'sundaes' with mashed potatoes. A small Core Group (currently John & Debbie Kruis, Deacon Gerry Scopilliti, Greg & Jay D'Aurelio, Brian Hirsch, Cindy Olesh, Greg Pastor, Cathy & Donny Sherbondy, Ruth Skocdopole, and Lyle Tayerle) coordinates the work of hundreds of volunteer parishioners. The Fair now directly funds the parish's educational and sacramental ministries.
- Annual, third full weekend in July (2026 dates: July 17–19)
- Friday 6–11:30 p.m.; Saturday 1–11:30 p.m.; Sunday Noon–10 p.m.
- Pit-roasted beef meals — sandwiches, dinners, sundaes
- Tractor pulls, carnival rides, antique car show, fireworks
- Run-of-the-Ox sign-up and Trade-Booth contracts available on the parish website
- Office 330-274-2268
Clergy, Staff & Parish Office
St. Joseph is currently served by Pastor Rev. Frantisek 'Francis' Katrinak (resident at St. Joan of Arc, Streetsboro), Parochial Vicar Rev. Scott Kopp (residing at St. Joseph from April 2026 in the former Parish Center & Offices, now the Rectory) and a second parochial vicar, Rev. Brian Smith. Two permanent deacons — Mr. Steven Gies and Mr. Gerry Scopilliti — assist with liturgy, faith formation, the Pastoral Council, and the Ox Roast Fair Core Group. Day-to-day parish operations are run from the Parish Center at 11045 St. Joseph Blvd. by Parish Office Manager Marcy Fleming, Parish Secretary Kathi Trares, Business Office Manager Cindy Clark, and Office Assistant Sue Wolanin. Faith Formation is coordinated by P.D.R.E. Peg Haney, liturgical preparations by Sacristan Maryann Feddor, and music by Music Director Bill Davies.
- Pastor: Fr. Frantisek Katrinak
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Scott Kopp (at St. Joseph)
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Brian Smith
- Sacramental Minister (Portage County): listed on diocean staff page
- Permanent Deacons: Steven Gies, Gerry Scopilliti
- P.D.R.E.: Peg Haney
- Music Director: Bill Davies
- Sacristan: Maryann Feddor
- Parish Office Manager: Marcy Fleming
- Parish Secretary / Bulletin Editor: Kathi Trares
- Business Office Manager: Cindy Clark
- Office Assistant: Sue Wolanin
- Ox Roast Fair Secretary: Cindy Olesh
Portage North Collaborative
On May 28, 2022, Bishop David Bonnar grouped St. Joseph (Mantua) with three other parishes — St. Ambrose in Garrettsville, St. Joan of Arc in Streetsboro, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Aurora — into the Portage North collaborative. On February 4-5, 2023 the Diocese announced that Portage North would be led by one pastor and one parochial vicar, and on May 1, 2023 Fr. Frantisek Katrinak was installed as pastor; Fr. Scott Kopp joined as parochial vicar on April 10, 2026. The parishes share administrative services, a single bulletin (combined since February 2024 for St. Joseph and St. Ambrose), and increasingly shared ministries under the Portage North name. The combined faith-formation program is delivered across the Mantua and Aurora campuses.
- St. Joseph Parish, Mantua
- St. Ambrose Parish, Garrettsville
- St. Joan of Arc Parish, Streetsboro
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Aurora
News, Bulletins & Visiting the Parish
A weekly parish bulletin, produced by Kathi Trares and distributed in print and via the parish website's 'Bulletins' page, carries the latest Mass intentions, ministry news, and event details; digital subscribers can sign up through Discover Mass to receive the bulletin by email. Office business for St. Joseph and St. Ambrose is handled from the Parish Center at 11045 St. Joseph Blvd., Mantua. Visitors are warmly welcomed at all liturgies, and the parish website publishes its Mass schedule, confession and adoration times, and current contact information.
- Office Hours / Phone: 330-274-2253
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 11045 St. Joseph Blvd., Mantua, OH 44255
- Combined bulletin (St. Joseph + St. Ambrose)
- Online bulletin archive at stjosephmantua.com/bulletins
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael F. ShannonMarch 19, 1920 – August 1923
Cleveland priest who continued to serve St. Joseph Mission while also pastor of Assumption, Royalton; effectively prepared the mission for parish status before Fr. Gracey's arrival
- Rev. Edward J. GraceyAugust 17, 1923 – August 20, 1925
Mantua's first resident pastor; erected 35-40 family parish; built and dedicated the new brick church on Prospect St. in May 1924; opened missions that became St. Rita (Geauga Lake) and St. Ambrose (Garrettsville); ordained 1913 for the Diocese of Cleveland; veteran of both World Wars as an Army chaplain
- Rev. Hugh L. Collins1925 – March 24, 1927
Transferred from Geauga Lake mission; worked a number of St. Joseph's early family/parish debts while also shepherding Geauga Lake
- Fr. Francis Hughes1960 – 1966
Opened the first parish school (originally in the basement of the old church); oversaw the 1963 dedication of the new church/school/auditorium complex on 96 acres
- Fr. John Wirtz (Associate Pastor)1964
Founded the parish's now-famous Ox Roast Fair in 1964 to help pay off the new school
- Fr. Ed Stafford2015 – 2022
Pastor during the lead-up to the Portage North collaboration
- Fr. Shawn Conoboy2022 – 2023
Served one year before accepting an appointment at the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
- Rev. Frantisek "Francis" KatrinakMay 1, 2023 – present
First pastor of the unified Portage North collaborative; resides at St. Joan of Arc, Streetsboro