Current Events and News
From the Diocese
Catholic Ministries Drive
The 2021 Catholic Ministries Drive is underway.The campaign kicks off with Announcement Weekend on March 6-7 and Commitment Weekend on March 13-14. The goal is $2,247,794. This year’s theme is Be a Disciple of Hope. In his CMD message to the faithful, Bishop Mark...
USCCB Statement on Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
On March 2, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities,...
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...
Saint of the Day
St. John Joseph of the Cross: Saint of the Day for Friday, March 05, 2021
St. John Joseph of the Cross was born about the middle of the seventeenth century in the beautiful island of Ischia, near Naples. From his childhood he was the model of virtue, and in his sixteenth year he entered the Franciscan Order of the Strictest Observance, or...
St. Casimir: Saint of the Day for Thursday, March 04, 2021
Casimir grew up in a world where his life was not his own. As a prince of Poland, the second son of King Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Austria, his life was scheduled to cement his father's authority and increase Poland's power. Casimir realized from an early age that...
St. Katharine Drexel: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, March 03, 2021
St. Katharine Drexel is the second American-born saint to be canonized by the Catholic Church. This amazing woman was an heiress to a large bequest who became a religious sister and a brilliant educator. Katherine was born in Philadelphia on November 26, 1858, the...
Bl. Charles the Good: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, March 02, 2021
In 1086, St. Canute, King of Denmark and father of Blessed Charles the Good, was slain in St. Alban's Church, Odence. Charles who was only a few years old was taken by his mother to the court of Robert, Count of Flanders, his maternal grandfather. When he grew up, he...
St. David: Saint of the Day for Monday, March 01, 2021
According to tradition, St. David was the son of King Sant of South Wales and St. Non. He was ordained a priest and later studied under St. Paulinus. Later, he was involved in missionary work and founded a number of monasteries. The monastery he founded at Menevia in...
St. Hilary, Pope: Saint of the Day for Sunday, February 28, 2021
Pope from 461-468 and guardian of Church unity. He was born in Sardinia, Italy, and was a papal legate to the Robber Council of Ephesus in 449, barely escaping with his life from this affair. Hilary was used by Pope St. Leo I the Great on many assignments. When Leo...
St. Leander of Seville: Saint of the Day for Saturday, February 27, 2021
St. Leander of Seville, Bishop (Feast - February 27th) Leander was born at Cartagena, Spain, of Severianus and Theodora, illustrious for their virtue. St. Isidore and Fulgentius, both bishops were his brothers, and his sister, Florentina, is also numbered among the...
St. Isabel of France: Saint of the Day for Friday, February 26, 2021
Sister of St. Louis and daughter of King Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile, she refused offers of marriage from several noble suitors to continue her life of virginity consecrated to God. She ministered to the sick and the poor, and after the death of her...
St. Tarasius: Saint of the Day for Thursday, February 25, 2021
St. Tarasius was subject of the Byzantine Empire. He was raised to the highest honors in the Empire as Consul, and later became first secretary to the Emperor Constantine and his mother, Irene. When being elected Patriarch of Constantinople, he consented to accept the...
St. John Theristus: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Benedictine monk, called Theristus or Â?Harvester.Â? He was of Calabrian lineage, born in Sicily. His mother was a slave of the Saracens. John escaped at a young age and became a monk. Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Friday, March 05, 2021
Daily Reading for Friday March 5, 2021 Reading 1, Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-18Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21Gospel, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-18 3 Jacob...
Daily Readings for Thursday, March 04, 2021
Daily Reading for Thursday March 4, 2021 Reading 1, Jeremiah 17:5-10Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6Gospel, Luke 16:19-31 Reading 1, Jeremiah 17:5-10 5 Yahweh says this, 'Accursed be anyone who trusts in human beings, who relies on human strength and whose...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, March 03, 2021
Daily Reading for Wednesday March 3, 2021 Reading 1, Jeremiah 18:18-20Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 31:5-6, 14, 15-16Gospel, Matthew 20:17-28 Reading 1, Jeremiah 18:18-20 18 'Come on,' they said, 'let us concoct a plot against Jeremiah, for the Law will not perish for...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, March 02, 2021
Daily Reading for Tuesday March 2, 2021 Reading 1, Isaiah 1:10, 16-20Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23Gospel, Matthew 23:1-12 Reading 1, Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 10 Hear what Yahweh says, you rulers of Sodom; listen to what our God teaches, you people of...
Daily Readings for Monday, March 01, 2021
Daily Reading for Monday March 1, 2021 Reading 1, Daniel 9:4-10Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 79:8, 9, 11, 13Gospel, Luke 6:36-38 Reading 1, Daniel 9:4-10 4 I pleaded with Yahweh my God and made this confession: 'O my Lord, God great and to be feared, you keep the...
Daily Readings for Sunday, February 28, 2021
Daily Reading for Sunday February 28, 2021 Reading 1, Genesis 22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19Gospel, Mark 9:2-10Reading 2, Romans 8:31-34 Free PDFs: Hail Mary, Our Father, How to Pray the Rosary & more PDF educational...
Daily Readings for Saturday, February 27, 2021
Daily Reading for Saturday February 27, 2021 Reading 1, Deuteronomy 26:16-19Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8Gospel, Matthew 5:43-48 FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, Deuteronomy 26:16-19 16 'Yahweh your God commands you...
Daily Readings for Friday, February 26, 2021
Daily Reading for Friday February 26, 2021 Reading 1, Ezekiel 18:21-28Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8Gospel, Matthew 5:20-26 Reading 1, Ezekiel 18:21-28 21 'If the wicked, however, renounces all the sins he has committed, respects my laws and is...
Daily Readings for Thursday, February 25, 2021
Daily Reading for Thursday February 25, 2021 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 138:1-2, 2-3, 7-8Gospel, Matthew 7:7-12 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 138:1-2, 2-3, 7-8 1 [Of David] I thank you, Yahweh, with all my heart, for you have listened to the cry I uttered. In the...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Daily Reading for Wednesday February 24, 2021 Reading 1, Jonah 3:1-10Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19Gospel, Luke 11:29-32 Reading 1, Jonah 3:1-10 1 The word of Yahweh was addressed to Jonah a second time.2 'Up!' he said, 'Go to Nineveh, the great city,...