Current Events and News
From the Diocese
PA Catholic Bishops Prioritize Safety as Mass Obligation Resumes
Jesus commanded his followers to care for the sick and to bring physical and spiritual healing to everyone. In that spirit, the Catholic bishops of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have issued this statement:Caring for the health, safety and spiritual wellbeing of...
Bishop Announces Date for Restoring the Sunday Mass Obligation; Extends Warm Invitation for the Faithful to Return to the Lord’s Table
Bishop Mark has announced the return of the Sunday and Holy Day Mass obligation in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown beginning August 15, 2021. Local Catholics have not been obligated to attend Mass since March of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.The Bishop made...
Announcement from Bishop Mark
Bishop Bartchak wishes to advise the faithful of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown that a person by the name of John Tokarick, Jr. may be in the Cambria County area this summer (especially during the July 4th holiday) where he is inviting people to attend worship...
Masks No Longer Required at Mass Beginning on May 22-23
The Governor’s Office recently announced the relaxing of some state mandates that have been in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. And the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has indicated that it may be possible to ease some of the restrictions that have been in effect...
Bishop Issues Updated COVID-19 Directives
May 12, 2021After consultation with the Deans, the Vicar General, and Public Health Advisors, Bishop Mark has issued the following update in response to the lifting of measures that have been in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Bishop is grateful to all...
Benedictine Priest to Resume Assignment
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has received notice from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General that the investigation of a complaint concerning Reverend Ananias Buccicone, OSB, has been closed. No further action will be taken.Father Buccicone was placed on...
Parishes Announce Holy Thursday Mass and Adoration Schedules
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Office of Communications invited all parishes to submit schedules for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday and Adoration opportunities that evening. The following parishes provided the information.ALTOONA DEANERY Cathedral of...
Parishes Announce Good Friday Services
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Office of Communications invited all parishes to submit a schedule of Good Friday services. The following parishes provided information.ALTOONA DEANERY Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona – Morning Prayer: 9:00 AM – Noon...
Parishes Announce Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday Mass Schedules
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Office of Communications invited all parishes to submit schedules for the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Masses. The following parishes provided the information.ALTOONA DEANERY Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona – Office of...
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...
Saint of the Day
St. Francis Caracciolo: Saint of the Day for Sunday, June 04, 2023
Founder of the Minor Clerks Regular with St. John Augustine Adorno. He was born in 1563, a member of a noble Neapolitan family. Though he had a rare skin disease, much like leprosy, Francis became a priest, at which time his skin disease disappeared. In 1588, he...
St. Charles Lwanga and Companions: Saint of the Day for Saturday, June 03, 2023
For those of us who think that the faith and zeal of the early Christians died out as the Church grew more safe and powerful through the centuries, the martyrs of Uganda are a reminder that persecution of Christians continues in modern times, even to the present day....
Sts. Marcellinus and Peter: Saint of the Day for Friday, June 02, 2023
Though we know very little about these two martyrs under Diocletian, there is no question that the early church venerated them. Evidence of the respect in which they were held are the basilica Constantine built over their tombs and the presence of their names in the...
St. Justin Martyr: Saint of the Day for Thursday, June 01, 2023
Christian apologist, born at Flavia Neapolis, about A.D. 100, converted to Christianity about A.D. 130, taught and defended the Christian religion in Asia Minor and at Rome, where he suffered martyrdom about the year 165. Two "Apologies" bearing his name and his...
St. Mechtildis: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Benedictine abbess and miracle worker. She was the daughter of Count Berthold of Andechs, in modem Bavaria, Germany. The count and his wife, Sophia, founded a monastery on their esÂtate at Diessen, Bavaria, and placed Mechtildis there at the age of five. She became a...
St. Joan of Arc: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, May 30, 2023
St. Joan of Arc is the patroness of soldiers and of France. On January 6, 1412, Joan of Arc was born to pious parents of the French peasant class in the obscure village of Domremy, near the province of Lorraine. At a very early age, she was said to have heard the...
St. Maximinus of Trier: Saint of the Day for Monday, May 29, 2023
Bishop of Trier, Germany, from 332, and a miracle worker. He was probably born at Silly, France, and succeeded St. Agritus as bishop of Trier, giving refuge to St. Athanasius in 336. St. Paul, the patriarch of Constantinople, was also given MaximinusÂ? protection....
Bl. Margaret Pole: Saint of the Day for Sunday, May 28, 2023
Martyr of England. She was born Margaret Plantagenet, the niece of Edward IV and RichÂard III. She married Sir Reginald Pole about 1491 and bore five sons, including Reginald Cardinal Pole. Margaret was widowed, named countess of Salisbury, and appointed governess to...
St. Augustine of Canterbury: Saint of the Day for Saturday, May 27, 2023
At the end of the sixth century anyone would have said that Augustine had found his niche in life. Looking at this respected prior of a monastery, almost anyone would have predicted he would spend his last days there, instructing, governing, and settling even further...
St. Philip Neri: Saint of the Day for Friday, May 26, 2023
St. Philip Neri was a Christian missionary and founder of the Congregation of the Oratory, a community of Catholic priests and lay brothers. He was born in Florence on July 21, 1515 as one of four children to Francesco Neri. From a very young age, Philip was known for...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Sunday, June 04, 2023
Reading 1, Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9 4 So he cut two tablets of stone like the first and, with the two tablets of stone in his hands, Moses went up Mount Sinai in the early morning as Yahweh had ordered.5 And Yahweh descended in a cloud and stood with him there and...
Daily Readings for Saturday, June 03, 2023
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Daily Readings for Friday, June 02, 2023
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Daily Readings for Thursday, June 01, 2023
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Daily Readings for Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Reading 1, Romans 12:9-16 9 Let love be without any pretence. Avoid what is evil; stick to what is good.10 In brotherly love let your feelings of deep affection for one another come to expression and regard others as more important than yourself.11 In the service of...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Reading 1, Sirach 35:1-12 1 One who keeps the Law multiplies offerings; one who follows the commandments offers communion sacrifices.2 Proof of gratitude is an offering of fine flour, almsgiving a sacrifice of praise.3 To abandon wickedness is what pleases the Lord,...
Daily Readings for Monday, May 29, 2023
Reading 1, Sirach 17:19-27 19 Their actions are all as plain as the sun to him, and his eyes rest constantly on their conduct.20 Their iniquities are not hidden from him, all their sins are before the Lord.21 22 Almsgiving is like a signet ring to him, he cherishes...
Daily Readings for Sunday, May 28, 2023
Daily Reading for Sunday May 28, 2023 Reading 1, Acts 2:1-11Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34Gospel, John 20:19-23Reading 2, First Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 Printable PDF of Today's Reading Past / Future Daily Readings Reading 1, Acts 2:1-11 1 When...
Daily Readings for Saturday, May 27, 2023
FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 16 On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him.17 After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had...
Daily Readings for Friday, May 26, 2023
Reading 1, Acts 25:13-21 13 Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.14 Their visit lasted several days, and Festus put Paul's case before the king, saying, 'There is a man here whom Felix left behind in custody,15...