Current Events and News
From the Diocese
Individual Who Was Present at Local Mass Tests Positive for COVID-19
An individual who attended Mass at a parish in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has tested positive for COVID-19.The person attended the 4:00 p.m. Mass at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in Johnstown on Saturday, August 1. Weekend Masses at Saint Francis of Assisi have...
A Message from Bishop Mark
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Someone recently told me that she could hear the sigh of relief recently as restrictions were lifted that allowed for our churches to reopen. Numerous people have remarked how grateful they are to attend Sunday Mass and receive the...
Welcome Back to Sunday Mass!
As Sunday and Weekday Masses are now being celebrated, there has been a steady increase in the number of people who are attending. So far, there has been a positive response to the precautions of placing donations in the basket at the end of Mass, using face masks and...
Summer Missionary Cooperative Program
[Description of program] To search for your local summer missionary, simply click on the name of your parish (separated by city) below, and you will be redirected. Alternatively, click here to jump to the full list of summer missionaries. If you wish to make a...
A Special Message from Bishop Mark
Young people in our diocese have frequently heard me tell them that the foundational principle of Catholic social teaching is the following: Every human person is made in the image and likeness of God. Period. It’s in the Sacred Scriptures (Genesis 1:27). No further...
New Directive Regarding Mass Atttendance
Bishop Mark has issued a new directive regarding the celebration of public Masses that lifts an earlier directive that would have limited the number of people permitted at each Mass to 25. When public Masses resume beginning the weekend of June 13-14, 2020, all are...
Parishes Announce Reconciliation Opportunities
Bishop Mark Bartchak has announced that the public celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation may resume at parishes beginning on May 23, 2020. Click HERE for a county-by-county schedule of upcoming Reconciliation opportunities at various parishes in the Diocese...
Dates for Public Confessions, Masses Announced
Bishop Mark has announced dates to resume the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the distribution of Holy Communion and the public celebration of Mass in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. According to the Bishop’s directives, issued on May 20, 2020, priests may resume the...
Bishop Announces Plan to Reopen Churches
The following is a message from Bishop Mark to all people of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown on May 13, 2020. Specific directives are being finalized and will be available prior the the reopening of church buildings on Saturday, May 16, which marks the...
Diocese to Livestream Triduum Services
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has announced plans to livestream Triduum services with Bishop Mark Bartchak as presider and homilist, in addition to the regularly scheduled television broadcast of the Bishop’s Easter Sunday Mass. The following is a schedule: Holy...
Saint of the Day
St. Theodosius the Cenobiarch: Saint of the Day for Monday, January 11, 2021
Abbot and founder. Born at Garissus, Cappadocia (modern Turkey), in 423, he undertook a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and after meeting with the famed St. Simeon Stylites, he entered a monastery. Later, he was named the head of a church between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, but...
St. William of Bourges: Saint of the Day for Sunday, January 10, 2021
William Berruyer, of the illustrious family of the ancient counts of Nevers, was educated by Peter the hermit, archdeacon of Soissons, his uncle by the motherÂ?s side. He learned from his infancy to despise the folly and emptiness of the riches and grandeur of the...
St. Adrian, Abbot: Saint of the Day for Saturday, January 09, 2021
Born in Africa, Adrian became abbot of the monastery at Nerida, near Naples. He declined an appointment as archbishop of Canterbury, but accompanied St. Theodore to England when the latter was appointed Archbishop. Theodore appointed him Abbot of SS. Peter and Paul...
St. Thorfinn: Saint of the Day for Friday, January 08, 2021
In the year 1285, there died in the Cistercian monastery at TerDoest, near Bruges, a Norwegian bishop named Thorfinn. He had never attracted particular attention and was soon forgotten. But over fifty years later, in the course of some building operations, his tomb in...
St. Raymond of Pennafort: Saint of the Day for Thursday, January 07, 2021
St. Raymond of Pennafort, Patron Saint of Canonists (Feast day - January 7) Born in Spain, St. Raymond was a relative of the King of Aragon. From childhood he had a tender love and devotion to the Blessed Mother. He finished his studies at an early age, and became a...
St. Andre Bessette: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, January 06, 2021
When Alfred Bessette came to the Holy Cross Brothers in 1870, he carried with him a note from his pastor saying, "I am sending you a saint." The Brothers found that difficult to believe. Chronic stomach pains had made it impossible for Alfred to hold a job very long...
St. John Neumann: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, January 05, 2021
This American saint was born in Bohemia in 1811. He was looking forward to being ordained in 1835 when the bishop decided there would be no more ordinations. It is difficult for us to imagine now, but Bohemia was overstocked with priests. John wrote to bishops all...
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Saint of the Day for Monday, January 04, 2021
Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was the first native born American to be canonized by the Catholic Church. Born two years before the American Revolution, Elizabeth grew up in the upper class of New York society. She was a prolific reader, and read everything from the Bible...
St. Genevieve: Saint of the Day for Sunday, January 03, 2021
St. Genevieve was a fair and courageous peasant girl who was born around 422 in Nanterre, France, to a man named Severus and a woman named Gerontia. When Genevieve was only seven-years-old, St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre visited Nanterre on his way to Britain. While...
St. Basil the Great: Saint of the Day for Saturday, January 02, 2021
St. Basil the Great was born at Caesarea of Cappadocia in 330. He was one of ten children of St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia. Several of his brothers and sisters are honored among the saints. He attended school in Caesarea, as well as Constantinople and Athens,...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Monday, January 11, 2021
Daily Reading for Monday January 11, 2021 Reading 1, Hebrews 1:1-6Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 97:1-2, 6-7, 9Gospel, Mark 1:14-20 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...
Daily Readings for Sunday, January 10, 2021
Daily Reading for Sunday January 10, 2021 Reading 1, Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10Gospel, Mark 1:7-11Reading 2, Acts 10:34-38 Reading 1, Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 1 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights....
Daily Readings for Saturday, January 09, 2021
Daily Reading for Saturday January 9, 2021 Reading 1, 1 John 5:14-21Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9bGospel, John 3:22-30 To all our readers, Please don't scroll past this. Today, we humbly ask you to defend Catholic Online's independence. 98% of...
Daily Readings for Friday, January 08, 2021
Daily Reading for Friday January 8, 2021 Reading 1, 1 John 5:5-13Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20Gospel, Luke 5:12-16 Reading 1, 1 John 5:5-13 5 Who can overcome the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?6 He it is who came by...
Daily Readings for Thursday, January 07, 2021
Daily Reading for Thursday January 7, 2021 Reading 1, 1 John 4:19~5:4Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 72:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17Gospel, Luke 4:14-22 FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, 1 John 4:19~5:4 19 Let us love, then, because he first...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, January 06, 2021
Daily Reading for Wednesday January 6, 2021 Reading 1, 1 John 4:11-18Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 72:1-2, 10, 12-13Gospel, Mark 6:45-52 Free PDFs: Hail Mary, Our Father, How to Pray the Rosary & more PDF educational & learning resources for Students, Parents,...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, January 05, 2021
Daily Reading for Tuesday January 5, 2021 Reading 1, 1 John 4:7-10Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8Gospel, Mark 6:34-44 Reading 1, 1 John 4:7-10 7 My dear friends, let us love one another, since love is from God and everyone who loves is a child of God and...
Daily Readings for Monday, January 04, 2021
Daily Reading for Monday January 4, 2021 Reading 1, 1 John 3:2~4:6Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 2:7bc-8, 10-12aGospel, Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25 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 Sunday, January 03, 2021
Daily Reading for Sunday January 3, 2021 Reading 1, Isaiah 60:1-6Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13Gospel, Matthew 2:1-12Reading 2, Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Reading 1, Isaiah 60:1-6 1 Arise, shine out, for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh...
Daily Readings for Saturday, January 02, 2021
Daily Reading for Saturday January 2, 2021 Reading 1, First John 2:22-28Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4Gospel, John 1:19-28 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...