Students, faculty and staff of St. Joseph School in Randolph recently held a surprise 70th birthday party at the school in honor of Fr. Ed Wieczorek, Pastor of St. Joseph Parish. The students each made birthday cards and presented them to Fr. Wieczorek and children from grades three and five sang songs. A birthday cake, made by 8th grade teacher Jennifer Glendenning, was presented to him and enjoyed by all in attendance.

In addition to the surprise party given by the school children, the parishioners of St. Joseph Parish held a party, organized by Joyce Landgraf at the school's social hall on November 1. The church choir, under the direction of Steve Francis sang a specially-written birthday song for "Fr. Ed" following the 8:30 a.m. mass. Several members of the choir then sang again to Fr. Ed at his reception along with the guests in attendance singing the traditional "Happy Birthday" song. The cakes were made by parishioner Mary Rodenbucher with a "Good Shepherd" theme to honor the Pastor and "shepherd' of St. Joseph Parish. Parishioners joined in a pot luck reception along with relatives of Fr. Wieczorek. Clergy from the Diocese of Youngstown and over 150 parishioners and friends greeted Wieczorek and shared many stories and memories.

" Fr. Ed" was ordained December 18, 1965 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy. Returning to the Diocese of Youngstown, he served as associate pastor at St. Columba Cathedral for three years. In 1969, he returned to the Gregorian for graduate studies in theology. He joined the faculty of Mount St. Mary's of the West Seminary in Cincinnati in 1971 for four years. He then served as associate pastor at St. Joseph's in Canton from 1975-79 prior to becoming the first pastor of Uniontown Holy Spirit, where he served from 1979-91, the year in which he was named pastor of Columbiana St. Jude. He became pastor of St. Joseph Parish in 1995.

Fr. Wieczorek also served in Synod '76 Social Justice and Responsibility committee and was an elect representative to the Priests' Senate. He coordinated a prayer group for priests and was active in the Charismatic Movement in Stark County. While at St. Columba, he served as Mahoning County chaplain to the Boy Scouts. He served on the diocesan Board of Education from 1983-86, and was President of the Lake Area Clergy Association in 1985. In 1996 he was the co-founder, along with Rev. Charles McNatt of the Methodist Church, of the S.W. Portage County Ministerial Association, where he has held various offices including president.

Pictured: Greeting Fr. Wieczorek at his birthday reception is Fr. Dan Cipar (right) of Our Lady of Lourdes in East Palestine.