Current Events and News
From the Diocese
Update on Diocesan Directives for Health and Safety During the Coronavirus Pandemic
A Message from Bishop Mark – August 6, 2020By now you have heard about a person who tested positive for the Coronavirus and attended Mass last weekend at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Johnstown. Public notice was made with due regard for the teaching and discipline...
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...
Saint of the Day
St. Aldemar: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Abbot and miracle worker, called "the Wise." Born in Capua, Italy, he became a monk in Monte Cassino and was called to the attention of a Princess Aloara of the region. When she built a new convent in Capua, Alder became the director of the religious in the...
St. Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo: Saint of the Day for Monday, March 23, 2026
Bishop and defender of the rights of the native Indians in Peru, Born in Mayorga, Spain, he studied law and became a lawyer and then professor at Salamanca, receiving appointment-despite being a layman-as chief judge of the court of Inquisition at Granada under King...
St. Lea: Saint of the Day for Sunday, March 22, 2026
A letter which St. Jerome wrote to St. Marcella provides the only information we have about St. Lea, a devout fourth century widow. Upon the death of her husband, she retired to a Roman monastery and ultimately became its Superior. Since his correspondence was...
St. Enda: Saint of the Day for Saturday, March 21, 2026
Legend has him an Irishman noted for his military feats who was convinced by his sister St. Fanchea to renounce his warring activities and marry. When he found his fiancee dead, he decided to become a monk and went on pilgrimage to Rome, where he was ordained. He...
Bl. John of Parma: Saint of the Day for Friday, March 20, 2026
John Buralli, the seventh minister general of the Franciscans, was born at Parma in the year 1209, and he was already teaching logic there when at the age of twenty-five, he joined the Franciscans. He was sent to Paris to study and, after he had been ordained, to...
St. Joseph: Saint of the Day for Thursday, March 19, 2026
Discover More About St. Joseph with Journey with the Saints 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 legends about him. We know he was a carpenter, a working...
St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, March 18, 2026
"Make your fold with the sheep; flee from the wolves: depart not from the Church," Cyril admonished catechumens surrounded by heresy. These were prophetic words for Cyril was to be hounded by enemies and heretics for most of his life, and although they could exile him...
St. Patrick: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Discover More About St. Patrick with Journey with the Saints 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 Irish pirates during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as...
St. Abban: Saint of the Day for Monday, March 16, 2026
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 churches in the old district of Ui Cennselaigh, in modern County Wexford and Ferns. His main monastery is...
St. Matilda: Saint of the Day for Saturday, March 14, 2026
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 grandmother, the Abbess of Eufurt convent. Matilda married Henry the Fowler, son of Duke Otto of Saxony, in the year 909....
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Reading 1, Numbers 21:4-9 4 They left Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Suph, to skirt round Edom. On the way the people lost patience.5 They spoke against God and against Moses, 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the desert? For there is neither food nor...
Daily Readings for Monday, March 23, 2026
Reading 1, Daniel 13:41-62 41 She refused to tell us. That is our evidence.' Since they were elders of the people and judges, the assembly accepted their word: Susanna was condemned to death.42 She cried out as loud as she could, 'Eternal God, you know all secrets and...
Daily Readings for Sunday, March 22, 2026
Reading 1, Ezekiel 37:12-14 12 So, prophesy. Say to them, "The Lord Yahweh says this: I am now going to open your graves; I shall raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel.13 And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I open your...
Daily Readings for Saturday, March 21, 2026
Reading 1, Jeremiah 11:18-20 18 Yahweh informed me and I knew it; you then revealed their scheming to me.19 I for my part was like a trustful lamb being led to the slaughterhouse, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, 'Let us destroy the tree in its...
Daily Readings for Friday, March 20, 2026
Daily Reading for Friday March 20, 2026 Reading 1, Wisdom 2:1, 12-22Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 34:17-18, 19-20, 21, 23Gospel, John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 Printable PDF of Today's Reading Past / Future Daily Readings Reading 1, Wisdom 2:1, 12-22 1 And this is the false...
Daily Readings for Thursday, March 19, 2026
Daily Reading for Thursday March 19, 2026 Reading 1, Second Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29Gospel, Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24Reading 2, Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 Printable PDF of Today's Reading Past / Future Daily Readings Reading 1,...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Reading 1, Isaiah 49:8-15 8 Thus says Yahweh: At the time of my favour I have answered you, on the day of salvation I have helped you. I have formed you and have appointed you to be the covenant for a people, to restore the land, to return ravaged properties,9 to say...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Reading 1, Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 1 He brought me back to the entrance of the Temple, where a stream flowed eastwards from under the Temple threshold, for the Temple faced east. The water flowed from under the right side of the Temple, south of the altar.2 He took me out...
Daily Readings for Monday, March 16, 2026
Reading 1, Isaiah 65:17-21 17 For look, I am going to create new heavens and a new earth, and the past will not be remembered and will come no more to mind.18 Rather be joyful, be glad for ever at what I am creating, for look, I am creating Jerusalem to be 'Joy' and...
Daily Readings for Sunday, March 15, 2026
Daily Reading for Sunday March 15, 2026 Reading 1, First Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6Gospel, John 9:1-41Reading 2, Ephesians 5:8-14 Printable PDF of Today's Reading Past / Future Daily Readings Reading 1, First Samuel 16:1, 6-7,...