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. Anicetus: Saint of the Day for Friday, April 17, 2026
Anicetus was a Syrian from Emesa. He became pope about 155 and actively opposed Marcionism and Gnosticism. His pontificate saw the appearance of the controversy between East and West over the date of Easter. St. Polycarp, a disciple of John, is reported to have...
St. Bernadette: Saint of the Day for Thursday, April 16, 2026
Discover More About St. Bernadette with Journey with the Saints St. Bernadette was born in Lourdes, France on January 7, 1844. Her parents were very poor and she was the first of nine children. She was baptized at St. Pierre's, the local parish church, on January 9....
St. Paternus: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, April 15, 2026
St. Paternus.The first 5th century saint. He followed his father's path by becoming a hermit in Wales. He founded the monastery at the great church of Paternus, and became a bishop of that region. He was known for his preaching, charity and mortifications. Scholars...
St. Lydwine: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, April 14, 2026
St. Lydwine is the patroness of sickness Lydwine of Schiedam was born at Schiedam, Holland, one of nine children of a working man. After an injury in her youth, she became bedridden and suffered the rest of her life from various illnesses and diseases. She experienced...
Pope Saint Martin I: Saint of the Day for Monday, April 13, 2026
Martin I lay too sick to fight on a couch in front of the altar when the soldiers burst into the Lateran basilica. He had come to the church when he heard the soldiers had landed. But the thought of kidnapping a sick pope from the house of God didn't stop the soldiers...
St. Julius: Saint of the Day for Sunday, April 12, 2026
Julius whose feast day is April 12th. Julius was the son of a Roman named Rusticus. He was elected Pope to succeed Pope St. Mark on February 6, 337. Julius was soon involved in the Arian controversy when Eusebius of Nicomedia opposed the return of Athanasius to the...
St. Marguerite d’Youville: Saint of the Day for Saturday, April 11, 2026
Foundress of the Sisters of Charity, the Grey Nuns of Canada. St. Marguerite D'Youville was born at Varennes, Quebec, on October 15, Marie Marguerite Dufrost de La Jemmerais. She studied under the Ursulines, married Francois D'Youville in 1722, and became a widow in...
St. Michael de Sanctis: Saint of the Day for Friday, April 10, 2026
Michael de Sanctis was born in Catalonia, Spain around 1591. At the age of six he informed his parents that he was going to be a monk. Moreover, he imitated St. Francis of Assisi to such a great extent that he had to be restrained. After the death of his parents,...
St. Waldetrudis: Saint of the Day for Thursday, April 09, 2026
Also known as Waltrude or Waudru, she was the daughter of Saints Walbert and Bertilia and sister of St. Aldegunus of Maubeuge. Marrying St. Vincent Madelgarius, she became the mother of saints Landericus, Madalberta, Adeltrudis, and Dentelin. When her husband chose to...
St. Julie Billiart: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, April 08, 2026
St. Julie (Julia) Billiart was born in 1751 and died in 1816. As a child, playing "school" was Julie's favorite game. When she was sixteen, to help support her family, she began to teach "for real". She sat on a haystack during the noon recess and told the biblical...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Friday, April 17, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 5:34-42 34 One member of the Sanhedrin, however, a Pharisee called Gamaliel, who was a teacher of the Law respected by the whole people, stood up and asked to have the men taken outside for a time.35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin, 'Men of Israel, be...
Daily Readings for Thursday, April 16, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 5:27-33 27 When they had brought them in to face the Sanhedrin, the high priest demanded an explanation.28 'We gave you a strong warning', he said, 'not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 5:17-26 17 Then the high priest intervened with all his supporters from the party of the Sadducees. Filled with jealousy,18 they arrested the apostles and had them put in the public gaol.19 But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison gates and...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 4:32-37 32 The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, as everything they owned was held in common.33 The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great...
Daily Readings for Monday, April 13, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 4:23-31 23 As soon as they were released they went to the community and told them everything the chief priests and elders had said to them.24 When they heard it they lifted up their voice to God with one heart. 'Master,' they prayed, 'it is you who...
Daily Readings for Sunday, April 12, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 2:42-47 42 These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.43 And everyone was filled with awe; the apostles worked many signs and miracles.44 And all who shared the faith owned...
Daily Readings for Saturday, April 11, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 4:13-21 13 They were astonished at the fearlessness shown by Peter and John, considering that they were uneducated laymen; and they recognised them as associates of Jesus;14 but when they saw the man who had been cured standing by their side, they...
Daily Readings for Friday, April 10, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 4:1-12 1 While they were still talking to the people the priests came up to them, accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees.2 They were extremely annoyed at their teaching the people the resurrection from the dead by proclaiming the...
Daily Readings for Thursday, April 09, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 3:11-26 11 Everyone came running towards them in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to Peter and John.12 When Peter saw the people he addressed them, 'Men of Israel, why are you so surprised...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, April 08, 2026
Reading 1, Acts 3:1-10 1 Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour,2 it happened that there was a man being carried along. He was a cripple from birth; and they used to put him down every day near the Temple entrance...