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. Paul Miki: Saint of the Day for Monday, February 06, 2023
Paul was the son of a Japanese military leader. He was born at Tounucumada, Japan, was educated at the Jesuit college of Anziquiama, joined the Jesuits in 1580, and became known for his eloquent preaching. He was crucified on Februay 5 with twenty-five other Catholics...
St. Agatha: Saint of the Day for Sunday, February 05, 2023
St. Agatha, also known as Agatha of Sicily, is one of the most highly venerated virgin martyrs of the Catholic Church. It is believed that she was born around 231 in either Catania or Palermo, Sicily to a rich and noble family. From her very early years, the notably...
St. Joan of Valois: Saint of the Day for Saturday, February 04, 2023
Joan of Valois, 1464 - 1505, was the second daughter of Louis X1, King of France, and Charlotte of Savoy, She was born on April 23, 1464. At the ge of two months she was betrothed to Louis, Duke of Orleans, and the marriage took place in 1476. There is no doubt that...
St. Blaise: Saint of the Day for Friday, February 03, 2023
Saint Blaise was the bishop of Sebastea and a doctor. The first known record of the saint's life comes from the medical writings of Aëtius Amidenus, where he is recorded as helping with patients suffering from objects stuck in their throat. Many of the miraculous...
St. Joan de Lestonnac: Saint of the Day for Thursday, February 02, 2023
St. Joan de Lestonnac was born in Bordeaux, France, in 1556. She married at the age of seventeen. The happy marriage produced four children, but her husband died suddenly in 1597. After her children were raised, she entered the Cistercian monastery at Toulouse. Joan...
St. Brigid of Ireland: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, February 01, 2023
Saint Brigid was born Brigit, and shares a name with a Celtic goddess from whom many legends and folk customs are associated. There is much debate over her birthparents, but it is widely believed her mother was Brocca, a Christian baptized by Saint Patrick, and her...
St. John Bosco: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, January 31, 2023
John Bosco, also known as Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco and Don Bosco, was born in Becchi, Italy, on August 16, 1815. His birth came just after the end of the Napoleonic Wars which ravaged the area. Compounding the problems on his birthday, there was also a drought and a...
St. Aldegunais: Saint of the Day for Monday, January 30, 2023
Virgin and abess, also known as Adelgundis, Aldegonde, or Orgonne. She was a member of the royal family of the Merovingians and was raised by two saints: St. Walbert and St. Bertila, her parents. The family resided in the Hainault region of Flanders, a region of the...
Sts. Sarbelius & Barbea: Saint of the Day for Sunday, January 29, 2023
Two martyrs, brother and sister, who were put to death at Edessa during the persecutions of Emperor Trajan. Sarbelius, also called Sharbel, was a high priest at Edessa, in Mesopotamia. They were arrested for converting to the faith, and were tortured with red-hot...
St. Thomas Aquinas: Saint of the Day for Saturday, January 28, 2023
Thomas is believed to have been born in the castle of Roccasecca in the old county of the Kingdom of Sicily, which is now known as the Lazio region of Italy, in 1225. His parents were well-off, but as the youngest son Thomas was expected to enter the monastery. At...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Monday, February 06, 2023
Reading 1, Genesis 1:1-19 1 In the beginning God created heaven and earth.2 Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, with a divine wind sweeping over the waters.3 God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light.4 God saw that light was...
Daily Readings for Sunday, February 05, 2023
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Daily Readings for Saturday, February 04, 2023
Reading 1, Hebrews 13:15-17, 20-21 15 Through him, let us offer God an unending sacrifice of praise, the fruit of the lips of those who acknowledge his name.16 Keep doing good works and sharing your resources, for these are the kinds of sacrifice that please God.17...
Daily Readings for Friday, February 03, 2023
FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, Hebrews 13:1-8 1 Continue to love each other like brothers,2 and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.3 Keep in mind those...
Daily Readings for Thursday, February 02, 2023
Reading 1, Malachi 3:1-4 1 'Look, I shall send my messenger to clear a way before me. And suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to his Temple; yes, the angel of the covenant, for whom you long, is on his way, says Yahweh Sabaoth.2 Who will be able to resist the...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, February 01, 2023
Reading 1, Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15 4 In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of bloodshed.5 Have you forgotten that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons? My son, do not scorn correction from the Lord, do not resent his...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, January 31, 2023
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Daily Readings for Monday, January 30, 2023
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Daily Readings for Sunday, January 29, 2023
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers...
Daily Readings for Saturday, January 28, 2023
Reading 1, Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 1 Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of realities that are unseen.2 It is for their faith that our ancestors are acknowledged.8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a...