Current Events and News
From the Diocese
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...
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...
Saint of the Day
St. Thomas More: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Thomas More was born in London on February 7, 1478. His father, Sir John More, was a lawyer and judge who rose to prominence during the reign of Edward IV. His connections and wealth would help his son, Thomas, rise in station as a young man. Thomas' mother was Agnes...
St. Aloysius Gonzaga: Saint of the Day for Monday, June 21, 2021
St. Aloysius was born in Castiglione, Italy. The first words St. Aloysius spoke were the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. He was destined for the military by his father (who was in service to Philip II), but by the age of 9 Aloysius had decided on a religious life, and...
St. Vincent Kaun: Saint of the Day for Sunday, June 20, 2021
Martyr of Japan. A native of Korea, he was brought to Japan in 1591 as a prisoner of war and was subsequently converted to Christianity. Entering the Jesuits, he studied at the Jesuit seminary of Arima and worked for three decades as a catechist in both Japan and...
St. Romuald: Saint of the Day for Saturday, June 19, 2021
St. Romuald was born at Ravenna about the year 956. In spite of an infinite desire for virtue and sanctity, his early life was wasted in the service of the world and its pleasures. Then one day, obliged by his father, Sergius, to be present at a duel fought by him, he...
St. Gregory Barbarigo: Saint of the Day for Friday, June 18, 2021
St. Gregory Barbarigo was born in 1625, of a very old and distinguished Venetian family. A brilliant student, he embraced a diplomatic career and accompanied the Venetian Ambassador, Contarini, to the Congress of Munster in 1648. Then he became a priest and was soon...
St. Emily de Vialar: Saint of the Day for Thursday, June 17, 2021
St. Emily de Vialar, Virgin, Foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph "of the Apparition" Anne Marguerite Adelaide Emily de Vialar was the eldest child and only daughter of Baron James Augustine de Vialar and his wife Antoinette, daughter of that Baron de Portal who was...
St. John Francis Regis: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, June 16, 2021
St. John Francis Regis Confessor of the Society of Jesus June 16 True virtue, or Christian perfection, consists not in great or shining actions, but resides in the heart, and appears to great edification, though in the usual train of common and religious duties...
St. Germaine Cousin: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, June 15, 2021
When Hortense decided to marry Laurent Cousin in Pibrac, France, it was not out of love for his infant daughter. Germaine was everything Hortense despised. Weak and ill, the girl had also been born with a right hand that was deformed and paralyzed. Hortense replaced...
St. Methodius I: Saint of the Day for Monday, June 14, 2021
Patriarch of Constantinople, modem Istanbul. He was born in Syracuse, Sicily, and builta monastery on the island of Chios. After some time in Constantinople, he was sent to Rome in 815 as the representative of Patriarch Nicephorus, who was exiled by Emperor Leo V the...
St. Anthony of Padua: Saint of the Day for Sunday, June 13, 2021
Saint Anthony was born Fernando Martins in Lisbon, Portugal. He was born into a wealthy family and by the age of fifteen asked to be sent to the Abbey of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, the then capital of Portugal. During his time in the Abbey, he learned theology and Latin....
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Reading 1, Genesis 13:2, 5-18 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold.5 Lot, who was travelling with Abram, had flocks and cattle of his own, and tents too.6 The land was not sufficient to accommodate them both at once, for they had too many possessions to...
Daily Readings for Monday, June 21, 2021
Daily Reading for Monday June 21, 2021 Reading 1, Genesis 12:1-9Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 33:12-13, 18-19, 20, 22Gospel, Matthew 7:1-5 Reading 1, Genesis 12:1-9 1 Yahweh said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your kindred and your father's house for a country which I...
Daily Readings for Sunday, June 20, 2021
Daily Reading for Sunday June 20, 2021 Reading 1, Job 38:1, 8-11Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 107:23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31Gospel, Mark 4:35-41Reading 2, Second Corinthians 5:14-17 We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a...
Daily Readings for Saturday, June 19, 2021
Daily Reading for Saturday June 19, 2021 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 12:1-10Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 34:8-9, 10-11, 12-13Gospel, Matthew 6:24-34 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 12:1-10 1 I am boasting because I have to. Not that it does any good, but I will move on...
Daily Readings for Friday, June 18, 2021
Daily Reading for Friday June 18, 2021 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 11:18, 21-30Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7Gospel, Matthew 6:19-23 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 11:18, 21-30 18 So many people boast on merely human grounds that I shall too.21 I say it...
Daily Readings for Thursday, June 17, 2021
Reading 1, Second Corinthians 11:1-11 1 I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me -- not that you don't do this already.2 The jealousy that I feel for you is, you see, God's own jealousy: I gave you all in marriage to a single husband, a virgin pure...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Daily Reading for Wednesday June 16, 2021 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 9:6-11Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 112:1-2, 3-4, 9Gospel, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, Second Corinthians 9:6-11 6 But remember: anyone...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Daily Reading for Tuesday June 15, 2021 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 8:1-9Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 146:2, 5-6, 7, 8-9Gospel, Matthew 5:43-48 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 8:1-9 1 Next, brothers, we will tell you of the grace of God which has been granted to the...
Daily Readings for Monday, June 14, 2021
Daily Reading for Monday June 14, 2021 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 6:1-10Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4Gospel, Matthew 5:38-42 Reading 1, Second Corinthians 6:1-10 1 As his fellow-workers, we urge you not to let your acceptance of his grace come to...
Daily Readings for Sunday, June 13, 2021
Daily Reading for Sunday June 13, 2021 Reading 1, Ezekiel 17:22-24Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16Gospel, Mark 4:26-34Reading 2, Second Corinthians 5:6-10 We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's...