Current Events and News
From the Diocese
Advent Reconciliation Opportunities
By Justin KirklandProclaim!The Church celebrates Advent as a time that we may prepare our souls for the birth of Christ. Traditionally, before every major feast, time was taken by the faithful to prepare their hearts, through prayer, fasting, and penance. Christ came...
What Did Pope Francis Say?
A Message from Bishop MarkOctober 23, 2020What did Pope Francis say? I have been asked that question this week since it has been reported that Pope Francis may have just changed the Church’s teaching about marriage. That conclusion was based on something the Holy...
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...
Saint of the Day
St. Veronica Giuliani: Saint of the Day for Thursday, July 09, 2026
Capuchin mystic who had many spiritual gifis. A native of Binasco, near Milan, Italy, born in 1660, she entered the Capuchins atCitttidi Castello, Umbria, in 1677. She remained there for the rest of her life and served as novice mistress for thirty-four years. A...
St. Grimbald: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, July 08, 2026
Benedictine abbot also called Grimwald, invited to England by King Alfred in 885. Grimbald arrived in England and declined the see of Canterbury, preferring to remain a monk. He became the abbot of New Minster Abbey at Winchester appointed by King Edward the Elder....
St. Maria Goretti: Saint of the Day for Monday, July 06, 2026
Maria Goretti was born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, in the Province of Ancona, Italy. Her family lived in deep poverty, and when her farmworker father moved them to Ferriere di Conca, near Anzio, their hardship only increased. After her father died of malaria,...
St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria: Saint of the Day for Sunday, July 05, 2026
Cofounder of the Barnabites. Born in 1502 in Cremona, Italy, Anthony became a medical doctor. In 1528 he was ordained a priest and cofounded the Barnabites, the religious congregation so called because it was headquartered in St. Barnabas Monastery in Milan. The...
St. Elizabeth of Portugal: Saint of the Day for Saturday, July 04, 2026
Elizabeth was a Spanish princess who was given in marriage to King Denis of Portugal at the age of twelve. She was very beautiful and very lovable. She was also very devout, and went to Mass every day. Elizabeth was a holy wife, but although her husband was fond of...
St. Thomas: Saint of the Day for Friday, July 03, 2026
St. Thomas was born a Jew and was called to be one of the twelve Apostles. His birth and death dates are unknown, but his feast day is celebrated July 3. He lived before the formal establishment of the Catholic Church but is recognized as the patron saint of...
St. Bernardino Realino: Saint of the Day for Thursday, July 02, 2026
St. Bernardino Realino was born into a noble family of Capri, Italy in 1530. After receiving a thorough and devout Christian education at the hands of his mother, he went on to study medicine at the University of Bologna, but after three years he switched to law and...
St. Junipero Serra: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, July 01, 2026
Learn More about the Missions St. JunĂ?Âpero Serra Helped Build with California Missions Adventure Junípero Serra, originally named Miguel José, was born on November 24, 1713, in Petra, Majorca, Spain. His parents, Antonio Nadal Serra and Margarita Rosa Ferrer, were...
First Martyrs of the See of Rome: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, June 30, 2026
The holy men and women are also called the �Protomartyrs of Rome.� They were accused of burning Rome by Nero , who burned Rome to cover his own crimes. Some martyrs were burned as living torches at evening banquets, some crucified, others were fed to wild...
St. Peter: Saint of the Day for Monday, June 29, 2026
Discover More About St. Peter with Journey with the Saints Peter, who was also known as Simon Peter of Cephas, is considered the first Pope. Despite his papacy, Peter had humble beginnings and became one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was ordained by Jesus in the...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Thursday, July 09, 2026
Reading 1, Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8-9 1 When Israel was a child I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt.3 I myself taught Ephraim to walk, I myself took them by the arm, but they did not know that I was the one caring for them,4 that I was leading them with human...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, July 08, 2026
Reading 1, Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12 1 Israel was a luxuriant vine yielding plenty of fruit. The more his fruit increased, the more altars he built; the richer his land became, the richer he made the sacred pillars.2 Theirs is a divided heart; now they will have to pay...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, July 07, 2026
Reading 1, Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13 4 They have set up kings, but without my consent, and appointed princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold, they have made themselves idols, but only to be destroyed.5 I spurn your calf, Samaria! My anger blazes against...
Daily Readings for Monday, July 06, 2026
Reading 1, Hosea 2:16, 17-18, 21-22 16 But look, I am going to seduce her and lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.17 There I shall give her back her vineyards, and make the Vale of Achor a gateway of hope. There she will respond as when she was young, as...
Daily Readings for Sunday, July 05, 2026
Reading 1, Zechariah 9:9-10 9 Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion! Shout for joy, daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king is approaching, he is vindicated and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.10 He will banish chariots...
Daily Readings for Saturday, July 04, 2026
Reading 1, Amos 9:11-15 11 On that Day, I shall rebuild the tottering hut of David, make good the gaps in it, restore its ruins and rebuild it as it was in the days of old,12 for them to be master of what is left of Edom and of all the nations once called mine -Yahweh...
Daily Readings for Friday, July 03, 2026
Reading 1, Ephesians 2:19-22 19 So you are no longer aliens or foreign visitors; you are fellow-citizens with the holy people of God and part of God's household.20 You are built upon the foundations of the apostles and prophets, and Christ Jesus himself is the...
Daily Readings for Thursday, July 02, 2026
Reading 1, Amos 7:10-17 10 Amaziah the priest of Bethel then sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel as follows, 'Amos is plotting against you in the heart of the House of Israel; the country cannot tolerate his speeches.11 For this is what Amos says, "Jeroboam is going...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, July 01, 2026
Reading 1, Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 14 Seek good and not evil so that you may survive, and Yahweh, God Sabaoth, be with you as you claim he is.15 Hate evil, love good, let justice reign at the city gate: it may be that Yahweh, God Sabaoth, will take pity on the remnant of...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Reading 1, Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12 1 Listen, Israelites, to this prophecy which Yahweh pronounces against you, against the whole family which I brought up from Egypt:2 You alone have I intimately known of all the families of earth, that is why I shall punish you for all...