Current Events and News
From the Diocese
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...
Liturgical Directives
The following directives were communicated to the clergy of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown on March 17, 2020. The directives remain in effect until further notice. If questions arise concerning the impact of these directives, please contact your pastor for further...
Saint of the Day
St. Richard of Wyche: Saint of the Day for Friday, April 03, 2026
Richard of Wyche, also known as Richard of Chichester, was born at Wyche (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England. He was orphaned when he was quite young. He retrieved the fortunes of the mismanaged estate he inherited when he took it over, and then turned it over to his...
St. Francis of Paola: Saint of the Day for Thursday, April 02, 2026
Francis was born at Paola, Italy and was educated at the Franciscan friary of San Marco there, and when fifteen became a hermit near Paola. In 1436, he and two companions began a community that is considered the foundation of the Minim Friars. He built a monastery...
St. Hugh of Grenoble: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, April 01, 2026
Benedictine bishop of Grenoble, France, patron of St. Bruno. He was born in the Dauphine region and became a canon of the cathedral in Valence. In 1080, while attending a synod in Avignon, Hugh was named bishop of Grenoble. He attempted a massive reform of the...
St. Benjamin: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, March 31, 2026
St. Benjamin, Martyr (Feast Day - March 31) The Christians in Persia had enjoyed twelve years of peace during the reign of Isdegerd, son of Sapor III, when in 420 it was disturbed by the indiscreet zeal of Abdas, a Christian Bishop who burned the Temple of Fire, the...
St. Peter Regulatus: Saint of the Day for Monday, March 30, 2026
Also Peter Regalado, Franciscan reformer. Peter was born at Valladolid, Spain, to a noble family, and entered the Franciscan Order in his native city at the age of thirteen. After several years, he transferred to a far more austere monastery at Tribulos, where he...
St. Berthold: Saint of the Day for Sunday, March 29, 2026
Considered by some historians to be the founder of the Carmelite Order. He was born in Limoges, France, and proved a brilliant student at the University of Paris. Ordained a priest, Berthold joined his brother, Aymeric, the Latin patriarch of Antioch, in Turkey, on...
St. Venturino of Bergamo: Saint of the Day for Saturday, March 28, 2026
Dominican preacher and missionary crusader. A native of Bergamo, Italy, he joined the Dominicans in 1319 and soon distinguished himself as a brilliant preacher, attracting huge crowds throughout northern Italy. Pleased with his ability to reach large numbers of...
St. Rupert: Saint of the Day for Friday, March 27, 2026
Bishop and missionary, also listed as Robert of Hrodbert. A member of a noble Frankish family, he was appointed bishop of Worms, Germany, and then dedicated himself to spreading the faith among the Germans. With the patronage of Duke Thedo of Bavaria, he took over the...
St. Margaret Clitherow: Saint of the Day for Thursday, March 26, 2026
St. Margaret Clitherow was born in Middleton, England, in 1555, of protestant parents. Possessed of good looks and full of wit and merriment, she was a charming personality. In 1571, she married John Clitherow, a well-to-do grazier and butcher (to whom she bore two...
St. Dismas: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, March 25, 2026
St. Dismas is remembered in the Gospel as the "Good Thief," the criminal crucified beside Jesus on Calvary. In his final moments, he performed one of the most powerful acts of faith recorded in Scripture. While the other thief mocked Christ, Dismas rebuked him,...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Thursday, April 02, 2026
Reading 1, Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 1 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt,2 'This month must be the first of all the months for you, the first month of your year.3 Speak to the whole community of Israel and say, "On the tenth day of this month each man must take an...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, April 01, 2026
Reading 1, Isaiah 50:4-9 4 Lord Yahweh has given me a disciple's tongue, for me to know how to give a word of comfort to the weary. Morning by morning he makes my ear alert to listen like a disciple.5 Lord Yahweh has opened my ear and I have not resisted, I have not...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Reading 1, Isaiah 49:1-6 1 Coasts and islands, listen to me, pay attention, distant peoples. Yahweh called me when I was in the womb, before my birth he had pronounced my name.2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, he hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into...
Daily Readings for Monday, March 30, 2026
Reading 1, Isaiah 42:1-7 1 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have sent my spirit upon him, he will bring fair judgement to the nations.2 He does not cry out or raise his voice, his voice is not heard in the street;3 he does...
Daily Readings for Sunday, March 29, 2026
Reading 1, Isaiah 50:4-7 4 Lord Yahweh has given me a disciple's tongue, for me to know how to give a word of comfort to the weary. Morning by morning he makes my ear alert to listen like a disciple.5 Lord Yahweh has opened my ear and I have not resisted, I have not...
Daily Readings for Saturday, March 28, 2026
Reading 1, Ezekiel 37:21-28 21 say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: I shall take the Israelites from the nations where they have gone. I shall gather them to- gether from everywhere and bring them home to their own soil.22 I shall make them into one nation in the country,...
Daily Readings for Friday, March 27, 2026
Reading 1, Jeremiah 20:10-13 10 I heard so many disparaging me, 'Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!' All those who were on good terms with me watched for my downfall, 'Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we shall get the better of him and...
Daily Readings for Thursday, March 26, 2026
Reading 1, Genesis 17:3-9 3 And Abram bowed to the ground. God spoke to him as follows,4 'For my part, this is my covenant with you: you will become the father of many nations.5 And you are no longer to be called Abram; your name is to be Abraham, for I am making you...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Reading 1, Isaiah 7:10-14 10 Yahweh spoke to Ahaz again and said:11 Ask Yahweh your God for a sign, either in the depths of Sheol or in the heights above.12 But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask. I will not put Yahweh to the test.'13 He then said: Listen now, House of David:...
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...