Current Events and News
From the Diocese
Memory Walk in Honor of Sister Margie
By Tony DeGolProclaim! Carol Babinsack sums it up well when she says that the late Sister Margie Monahan was a cherished friend to many people. “She was always there,” pointed out Babinsack, a member of Saint Stephen Parish in McConnellsburg. “She was willing to help....
March For Life 2020
Groups from throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown traveled to Washington, D.C., on January 24 for the March for Life. Bishop Mark traveled by bus with a group from the Altoona area organized by the Blair County chapter of Citizens Concerned for Human Life. In...
Bishop Suspends Precious Blood During Flu Season
Bishop Mark L. Bartchak has directed that the Precious Blood not be distributed in any form at Mass beginning the weekend of January 11 and 12, 2020, and continuing until further notice. The directive is due to the severity of the flu season. It is the belief of the...
Answers to Your Questions about Our Response to the Victims of Sexual Abuse
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has released a financial summary of the costs related to clergy sexual abuse from July 1, 1999, to December 1, 2018. The summary is included in the December 10, 2018, edition of the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Register. It is...
Independent Oversight Board Report
The Independent Oversight Board for Youth Protection of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has issued its first Annual Report on reforms developed and implemented by the Diocese for the protection of children and youth, concluding that “much has been done, but much is...
Victim Assistance
For almost two decades, the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has been committed to providing pastoral care and financial support to the victims and survivors of sexual abuse. The diocese began a Victim Assistance Program in 1999, and, since that time, assistance in the...
Independent Oversight Board
Bishop Mark Bartchak and Acting United States Attorney Soo Song have announced the names of the individuals appointed to the Independent Oversight Board for Youth Protection for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Click below for the media advisory from the Department...
Review Board
Bishop Mark Bartchak has announced the appointment of an entirely new membership for the Diocesan Review Board, which assists in the assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors and a cleric’s suitability for ministry. The new members are: Rev. Leo ArnoneJoyce...
Reforms to Protect Children
On March 6, 2017, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak and Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced reforms by the Diocese to protect children from sexual abuse, ensure that all allegations of sexual abuse are immediately reported to law enforcement, and provide victims...
Support for Survivors of Sexual Abuse
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown is partnering with state and local agencies to offer support to survivors of sexual abuse. Resources and educational information will be featured regularly in the Diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Register, and on the Diocesan...
Saint of the Day
St. Joseph: Saint of the Day for Thursday, March 19, 2020
Everything we know about the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture and that has seemed too little for those who made up ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, March 18, 2020
"Make your fold with the sheep; flee from the wolves: depart not from the Church," Cyril admonished catechumens surrounded by heresy. These ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. Patrick: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, March 17, 2020
St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints. He was born in Roman Britain and when he was fourteen or so, he was captured by ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. Abban: Saint of the Day for Monday, March 16, 2020
Abbot and Irish missionary. An Irish prince, Abban was the son of King Cormac of Leinster. He is listed as the nephew of St. Ibar. Abban founded many ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. Louise de Marillac: Saint of the Day for Sunday, March 15, 2020
Louise de Marillac was born probably at Ferrieres-en-Brie near Meux, France, on August 12, 1591. She was educated by the Dominican nuns at Poissy. ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. Matilda: Saint of the Day for Saturday, March 14, 2020
Matilda was the daughter of Count Dietrich of Westphalia and Reinhild of Denmark. She was also known as Mechtildis and Maud. She was raised by her ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
Bl. Agnello of Pisa: Saint of the Day for Friday, March 13, 2020
The founder of the English Franciscan province, Blessed Agnello, was admitted into the Order by St. Francis himself on the occasion of his sojourn in ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. Fina: Saint of the Day for Thursday, March 12, 2020
St. Fina or Seraphina, Virgin A.D. 1253 The old town of San Geminiano in Tuscany treasures with special veneration the memory of Santa Fina, a young ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. Constantine: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Constantine was king of Cornwall. Unreliable tradition has him married to the daughter of the king of Brittany who on her death ceded his throne to ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. John Ogilvie: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Born in 1579, John Ogilvie belonged to Scottish nobility. Raised a Calvinist, he was educated on the continent. Exposed to the religious ... Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Thursday, March 19, 2020
Daily Reading for Thursday March 19, 2020 Reading 1, Second Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29Gospel, Luke 2:41-51Reading 2, Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 Reading 1, Second Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16 4 But that very night, the word of Yahweh...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Daily Reading for Wednesday March 18, 2020 Reading 1, Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20Gospel, Matthew 5:17-19 Reading 1, Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9 1 'And now, Israel, listen to the laws and customs which I am teaching you today, so...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Daily Reading for Tuesday March 17, 2020 Reading 1, Daniel 3:25, 34-43Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9Gospel, Matthew 18:21-35 Reading 1, Daniel 3:25, 34-43 25 Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, praying aloud thus: 34 Do not abandon us for ever, for...
Daily Readings for Monday, March 16, 2020
Reading 1, Second Kings 5:1-15 1 Naaman, army commander to the king of Aram, was a man who enjoyed his master's respect and favour, since through him Yahweh had granted victory to the Aramaeans. 2 But the man suffered from a virulent skin-disease. Now, on one of their...
Daily Readings for Sunday, March 15, 2020
Daily Reading for Sunday March 15, 2020 Reading 1, Exodus 17:3-7Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9Gospel, John 4:5-42Reading 2, Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 Reading 1, Exodus 17:3-7 3 But tormented by thirst, the people complained to Moses. 'Why did you bring us out of...
Daily Readings for Saturday, March 14, 2020
Daily Reading for Saturday March 14, 2020 Reading 1, Micah 7:14-15, 18-20Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12Gospel, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Reading 1, Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 14 With shepherd's crook lead your people to pasture, the flock that is your...
Daily Readings for Friday, March 13, 2020
Daily Reading for Friday March 13, 2020 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 Reading 1, Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-18 3 Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons, for he was the...
Daily Readings for Thursday, March 12, 2020
Daily Reading for Thursday March 12, 2020 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 11, 2020
Daily Reading for Wednesday March 11, 2020 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 10, 2020
Daily Reading for Tuesday March 10, 2020 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...