Current Events and News

From the Diocese

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...

Closure of Churches and Discontinuation of Services

Memo from: Bishop Mark To: All Clergy Date: April 1, 2020 Re: Closure of Churches and Discontinuation of Services Today, state health officials today announced 962 new COVID-19 cases as the statewide total jumped to almost 6,000. Pennsylvania’s death toll climbed to...

New Directives

As part of a continuing effort to protect the health and safety of parishioners, clergy, and staff, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak has issued new directives, which include closing all church buildings to the public and prohibiting outdoor activities on parish properties...

Holy Week Resources

Palm Sunday Proclaim! at 10:30 a.m. on WATM ABC 23Bishop Mark explains ways to engage in the solemnity of Holy Week at homeClergy offer messages of hope during these challenging times Mass with Bishop Mark11:00 a.m. on WATM ABC 239:00 p.m. on Atlantic Broadband...

Bishop’s Easter Message

It sounds so awkward to say Happy Easter this year. During the past month, people everywhere added new words to their vocabulary: Coronavirus and COVID-19. The dreaded virus that these words represent made us learn another dimension of living as we “shelter in place.”...

Blessed Palm

As parishes and the faithful look ahead to Palm Sunday next weekend, the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown continues to be aware of the need for social distancing and other necessary precautions. Bishop Mark has directed parishes to not distribute blessed palm to the...

Governor Wolf extended his “Stay at Home” Order

Dear Brothers in Christ, Earlier today Governor Wolf extended his "Stay at Home" order to include Centre County. In keeping with our protocols announced earlier (March 20), in order to protect the faithful and follow this important restriction put in place by the...

Memo from: Bishop Mark

Memo from: Bishop Mark To: All Clergy Date: March 25, 2020 Re: Celebration of the Liturgies of Holy Week and Especially the Sacred Triduum In this time of need, directives have been issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, as...

Bishop Suspends All Public Masses

Bishop Mark L. Bartchak announced the suspension of the celebration of all public Masses and all other liturgical celebrations in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown effective March 17, 2020, and continuing until further notice. Throughout this time, the dispensed...

Saint of the Day

Daily Reading

Daily Readings for Friday, April 24, 2026

Reading 1, Acts 9:1-20 1 Meanwhile Saul was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest2 and asked for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorise him to arrest and take to Jerusalem any followers of...

Daily Readings for Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Reading 1, Acts 7:51-8:1 51 'You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.52 Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? They killed those who foretold the...

Daily Readings for Monday, April 20, 2026

Reading 1, Acts 6:8-15 8 Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people.9 Then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the...

Daily Readings for Sunday, April 19, 2026

Daily Reading for Sunday April 19, 2026 Reading 1, Acts 2:14, 22-28Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11Gospel, Luke 24:13-35Reading 2, First Peter 1:17-21 Printable PDF of Today's Reading Past / Future Daily Readings Reading 1, Acts 2:14, 22-28 14 Then...

Daily Readings for Friday, April 17, 2026

Reading 1, Acts 5:34-42 34 One member of the Sanhedrin, however, a Pharisee called Gamaliel, who was a teacher of the Law respected by the whole people, stood up and asked to have the men taken outside for a time.35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin, 'Men of Israel, be...

Daily Readings for Thursday, April 16, 2026

Reading 1, Acts 5:27-33 27 When they had brought them in to face the Sanhedrin, the high priest demanded an explanation.28 'We gave you a strong warning', he said, 'not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and...