Current Events and News
From the Diocese
Directives for the Distribution of Ashes
Faithful are invited to Ash Wednesday Masses at parishes throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Click HERE for a schedule of Masses at parishes. This year, because of the pandemic, and as previously announced, Bishop Mark has directed that ashes are to...
Ash Wednesday Mass Times
Faithful are invited to Ash Wednesday Masses at parishes throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. This year, because of the pandemic, and as previously announced, Bishop Mark has directed that ashes are to be sprinkled on the heads of those who approach. This is a...
Reconciliation Opportunities
Bishop Mark has asked pastors to make various opportunities for Confession available at their parishes throughout Lent. The Bishop has instructed the clergy to not sponsor the usual Communal Penance Services because of the continuing pandemic.The Diocese of...
Take-Out Fish Lunches/Dinners
Bishop Mark is permitting parishes to sponsor fish lunches/dinners this Lent, but only in the format of take-out service. There is to be no indoor dining, according to his directives, and anyone who assists in food preparation and serving must be screened by...
Catholic Schools Week Message from Bishop Mark
Will Hegemann loves school and attending Mass every week with his classmates. Even at his young age, the first grader at Saint Michael School in Loretto realizes how lucky he is to be in a learning environment in which Jesus Christ is the center of everything. Will is...
Bishop’s Directives for the Blessing of Throats
January 2021The current pandemic is a sufficient pastoral reason to avoid the blessing of individuals in the usual manner of touching the throat of each person with crossed candles while saying the words of the blessing. Among the challenges is the sanitizing of the...
Bishop’s Directives for Distribution of Ashes
January 2021During this time of Pandemic, the Holy See has modified the method of distributing ashes as contained in the following Note from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued January 12, 2021: NOTE ON ASH...
2021 Plans for RCIA, Confirmation, First Holy Communion
By Tony DeGolProclaim!There is an old saying in entertainment that no matter what happens, the show must go on. Here in the Catholic Church, the sacramental life of our faith communities must go on as well, even in the midst of a pandemic. As the Diocese of...
Bishop’s Directives for Parish Lenten Fish Dinners
January 2021Ash Wednesday, February 17, marks the beginning of the holy season of Lent. It is also the starting date for annual Fish Dinners in parishes throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. In many of those places it is a regular fundraiser to support parish...
Bishop’s Directives for Distribution of Palms
January 2021Ample instructions for the Commemoration of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem are found in the Roman Missal for the celebration of Palm Sunday. Three Forms are provided for this observance. Given the circumstances of the COVID pandemic, and in order to...
Saint of the Day
St. Romaric: Saint of the Day for Sunday, December 08, 2024
In the account of St Amatus of Remiremont it is related how he brought about the conversion to God of a Merovingian nobleman named Romaric, who became a monk at Luxeuil; and how they afterwards went together to the estate of Romaric at Habendum in the Vosges, and...
St. Maria Giuseppe Rossello: Saint of the Day for Saturday, December 07, 2024
Foundress of the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy. She was born at Albisola Marina, Liguria, Italy, in 1811, and was baptized Benedetta. At sixteen she became a Franciscan tertiary, and in 1837, she and three companions, Pauline Barla, Angela, and Domenica Pessio, found...
St. Nicholas: Saint of the Day for Friday, December 06, 2024
The great veneration with which St. Nicholas has been honored for many ages and the number of altars and churches all over the world that are dedicated in his memory are testimonials to his wonderful holiness and the glory he enjoys with God. As an episcopal see, and...
St. Sabas: Saint of the Day for Thursday, December 05, 2024
Sabas was born at Mutalaska, Cappadocia, near Caesarea. He was the son of an army officer there who when assigned to Alexandria, left him in the care of an uncle. Mistreated by his uncle's wife, Sabas ran away to another uncle, though he was only eight. When the two...
St. John of Damascus: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, December 04, 2024
Saint John Damascene has the double honor of being the last but one of the fathers of the Eastern Church, and the greatest of her poets. It is surprising, however, how little that is authentic is known of his life. The account of him by John of Jerusalem, written some...
St. Francis Xavier: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, December 03, 2024
St. Francis Xavier was a Navarrese-Basque Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre on April 7, 1506. His father was a privy counselor and finance minister to King John III of Navarre. He was the youngest in his family and resided in a castle which...
St. Bibiana: Saint of the Day for Monday, December 02, 2024
St. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr (Feast day - December 2nd) Other than the name, nothing is known for certain about this saint. However, we have the following account from a later tradition. In the year 363, Julian the Apostate made Apronianus Governor of Rome. St....
St. Eligius: Saint of the Day for Sunday, December 01, 2024
Eligius (also known as Eloi) was born around 590 near Limoges in France. He became an extremely skillful metalsmith and was appointed master of the mint under King Clotaire II of Paris. Eligius developed a close friendship with the King and his reputation as an...
St. Andrew the Apostle: Saint of the Day for Saturday, November 30, 2024
St. Andrew, also known as Andrew the Apostle, was a Christian Apostle and the older brother to St. Peter. According to the New Testament, Andrew was born in the village of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee during the early first century. Much like his younger brother,...
St. Saturninus: Saint of the Day for Friday, November 29, 2024
St. Saturninus Bishop of Toulouse and Martyr November 29 A.D. 257 St. Saturninus went from Rome by the direction of pope Fabian, about the year 245, to preach the faith in Gaul, where St. Trophimus, the first bishop of Arles, had some time before gathered a plentiful...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Sunday, December 08, 2024
Reading 1: Baruch 5:1-9, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 126:1-6, Reading 2: Philippians 1:4-6, Reading 2: Philippians 1:8-11 Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
Daily Readings for Saturday, December 07, 2024
Reading 1, Genesis 3:9-15, 20 9 But Yahweh God called to the man. 'Where are you?' he asked.10 'I heard the sound of you in the garden,' he replied. 'I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.'11 'Who told you that you were naked?' he asked. 'Have you been eating...
Daily Readings for Friday, December 06, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 29:17-24 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 27:1, 4, 13-14 1 [Of David] Yahweh is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear? Yahweh is the fortress of my life, whom should I dread?4 One thing I ask of Yahweh, one thing I seek: to dwell in Yahweh's house...
Daily Readings for Thursday, December 05, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 26:1-6 1 That day, this song will be sung in Judah: 'We have a fortress city, the walls and ramparts provide safety.2 Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in, the nation that keeps faith!3 This is the plan decreed: you will guarantee peace,...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, December 04, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 25:6-10 6 On this mountain, for all peoples, Yahweh Sabaoth is preparing a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of succulent food, of well-strained wines.7 On this mountain, he has destroyed the veil which used to veil all peoples, the pall...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, December 03, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 11:1-10 1 A shoot will spring from the stock of Jesse, a new shoot will grow from his roots.2 On him will rest the spirit of Yahweh, the spirit of wisdom and insight, the spirit of counsel and power, the spirit of knowledge and fear of Yahweh:3 his...
Daily Readings for Monday, December 02, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 2:1-5 1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.2 It will happen in the final days that the mountain of Yahweh's house will rise higher than the mountains and tower above the heights. Then all the nations will stream to it,3...
Daily Readings for Sunday, December 01, 2024
Reading 1, Jeremiah 33:14-16 14 "Look, the days are coming, Yahweh declares, when I shall fulfil the promise of happiness I made to the House of Israel and the House of Judah:15 In those days and at that time, I shall make an upright Branch grow for David, who will do...
Daily Readings for Saturday, November 30, 2024
Reading 1, Romans 10:9-18 9 that if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved.10 It is by believing with the heart that you are justified, and by making the declaration...
Daily Readings for Friday, November 29, 2024
Reading 1, Revelation 20:1-4, 11-21:2 1 Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the Abyss in his hand and an enormous chain.2 He overpowered the dragon, that primeval serpent which is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years.3 He...