Current Events and News
From the Diocese
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...
Vaccine Q&A
From the United States Conference of Catholic BishopsJanuary 2021The development of vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic has received much public attention and raised several ethical questions related to their development and use. This document is intended to...
Christmas TV Show
Proclaim! TV is celebrating the glory of Christmas with a television special, “Joy to the World: Christmas in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.”Hosted and produced by Tony DeGol, Diocesan Director of Communications, the two-hour show will highlight...
God Saves
Christmas just won’t be the same this year. How many of us have heard those words lately? As a result of an invisible virus, people will not be getting together with extended family and friends to celebrate Christmas. Who would have thought that shoppers would be more...
Diocese to Broadcast Christmas Masses and Christmas TV Special
As part of its continuing efforts to keep local Catholics connected during the coronavirus pandemic, the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown is pleased to offer expanded television opportunities through its Proclaim! TV Ministry this Christmas.Bishop Mark Bartchak...
Saint of the Day
St. Marguerite d’Youville: Saint of the Day for Sunday, April 11, 2021
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 Saturday, April 10, 2021
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 Friday, April 09, 2021
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 Thursday, April 08, 2021
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...
St. John Baptist de la Salle: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, April 07, 2021
John Baptist de la Salle was born at Rheims, France on April 30th. He was the eldest of ten children in a noble family. He studied in Paris and was ordained in 1678. He was known for his work with the poor. He died at St. Yon, Rouen, on April 7th. He was canonized by...
St. William of Eskilsoe: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, April 06, 2021
Missionary. Born at Saint-Germain, France, circa 1125, he served as a canon at the church of St. Genevieve, Paris, under the great Abbot Suger until about 1170, when he was sent to Denmark with the mission of reforming the canons at Eskilsoe at the request of the...
St. Vincent Ferrer: Saint of the Day for Monday, April 05, 2021
St. Vincent Ferrer is the patron saint of builders because of his fame for "building up" and strengthening the Church: through his preaching, missionary work, in his teachings, as confessor and adviser. At Valencia in Spain, this illustrious son of St. Dominic came...
St. Isidore of Seville: Saint of the Day for Sunday, April 04, 2021
Isidore was literally born into a family of saints in sixth century Spain. Two of his brothers, Leander and Fulgentius, and one of his sisters, Florentina, are revered as saints in Spain. It was also a family of leaders and strong minds with Leander and Fulgentius...
St. Richard of Wyche: Saint of the Day for Saturday, April 03, 2021
Richard of Wyche, also known as Richard of Chichester, was born at Wyche (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England. He was orphaned when he was quite young. He retrieved the fortunes of the mismanaged estate he inherited when he took it over, and then turned it over to his...
St. Francis of Paola: Saint of the Day for Friday, April 02, 2021
Francis was born at Paola, Italy and was educated at the Franciscan friary of San Marco there, and when fifteen became a hermit near Paola. In 1436, he and two companions began a community that is considered the foundation of the Minim Friars. He built a monastery...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Sunday, April 11, 2021
Daily Reading for Sunday April 11, 2021 Reading 1, Acts 4:32-35Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24Gospel, John 20:19-31Reading 2, First John 5:1-6 Reading 1, Acts 4:32-35 32 The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed private...
Daily Readings for Saturday, April 10, 2021
Daily Reading for Saturday April 10, 2021 Reading 1, Acts 4:13-21Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 118:1, 14-15, 16-18, 19-21Gospel, Mark 16:9-15 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...
Daily Readings for Friday, April 09, 2021
Daily Reading for Friday April 9, 2021 Reading 1, Acts 4:1-12Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 118:1-2, 4, 22-24, 25-27Gospel, John 21:1-14 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...
Daily Readings for Thursday, April 08, 2021
Daily Reading for Thursday April 8, 2021 Reading 1, Acts 3:11-26Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 8:2, 5, 6-7, 8-9Gospel, Luke 24:35-48 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...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, April 07, 2021
Daily Reading for Wednesday April 7, 2021 Reading 1, Acts 3:1-10Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9Gospel, Luke 24:13-35 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...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, April 06, 2021
Daily Reading for Tuesday April 6, 2021 Reading 1, Acts 2:36-41Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22Gospel, John 20:11-18 Reading 1, Acts 2:36-41 36 'For this reason the whole House of Israel can be certain that the Lord and Christ whom God has made is this...
Daily Readings for Monday, April 05, 2021
Daily Reading for Monday April 5, 2021 Reading 1, Acts 2:14, 22-32Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11Gospel, Matthew 28:8-15 Reading 1, Acts 2:14, 22-32 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed them in a loud voice: 'Men of Judaea, and all...
Daily Readings for Sunday, April 04, 2021
Daily Reading for Sunday April 4, 2021 Reading 1, Acts 10:34, 37-43Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23Gospel, John 20:1-9Reading 2, Colossians 3:1-4 Reading 1, Acts 10:34, 37-43 34 Then Peter addressed them, 'I now really understand', he said, 'that God...
Daily Readings for Saturday, April 03, 2021
Reading 1, Genesis 1:1-2:2 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 Friday, April 02, 2021
Daily Reading for Friday April 2, 2021 Reading 1, Isaiah 52:13-53:12Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25Gospel, John 18:1-19:42Reading 2, Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 Reading 1, Isaiah 52:13-53:12 13 Look, my servant will prosper, will grow great, will...