Current Events and News
From the Diocese
Television/Streaming Masses
During this time of no public Masses, the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown is committed to continuing the weekly Proclaim! Television Ministry and Mass. Proclaim!Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WATM ABC 23 Mass with Bishop MarkSundays at 11:00 a.m. on WATM ABC23Sundays at...
Spirituality
PRAYER RECITED BY POPE FRANCISFOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLDO Mary,you always shine on our pathas a sign of salvation and of hope.We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm.You, Salvation of the...
Support Your Parish
Although public Masses are suspended until further notice, our Church is alive and still fulfilling its mission. Your parish will continue to bring you the light of Christ, but it needs your support. To assist parishes that do not currently offer...
Wine and Food Pairing
Much sweeter than the chocolate cake truffles and Moscato d’Asti at the recent Catholic Charities Wine and Food Pairing was a true story highlighting how the delightful evening helps our neighbors in need. At the conclusion of gathering at the Blairmont Club in...
Communal Penance Services
The season of Lent is a time to seek God’s healing and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Many parishes are sponsoring Communal Penance Services in the coming weeks. The following parishes submitted schedules to the Office of Communications. Please...
Stations of the Cross
Most parishes invite the faithful to pray the Stations of the Cross during Lent. All parishes were invited to submit their schedule to the Office of Communications. The following is the schedule from the parishes that responded. BEDFORD COUNTY Saint John the...
Lenten Spiritual Opportunities
Various parishes in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown are sponsoring spiritual enrichment opportunities during the Lenten season. Novena to Saint Anthony of PaduaSaint Francis of Assisi Parish in JohnstownTuesdays in LentNovena prayed after 6:30 p.m. Mass Holy...
Memory Walk in Honor of Sister Margie
By Tony DeGolProclaim! Carol Babinsack sums it up well when she says that the late Sister Margie Monahan was a cherished friend to many people. “She was always there,” pointed out Babinsack, a member of Saint Stephen Parish in McConnellsburg. “She was willing to help....
March For Life 2020
Groups from throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown traveled to Washington, D.C., on January 24 for the March for Life. Bishop Mark traveled by bus with a group from the Altoona area organized by the Blair County chapter of Citizens Concerned for Human Life. In...
Bishop Suspends Precious Blood During Flu Season
Bishop Mark L. Bartchak has directed that the Precious Blood not be distributed in any form at Mass beginning the weekend of January 11 and 12, 2020, and continuing until further notice. The directive is due to the severity of the flu season. It is the belief of the...
Saint of the Day
St. Chaeromon: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Bishop of Nilopolis, in Egypt. When the persecution was instituted by Emperor Trajanus Decius, Chaeromon Was quite elderly. He and several companions fled into the Arabian desert and were never seen again. The bishop and his companions are listed as martyrs. Excellent...
St. Peter Canisius: Saint of the Day for Monday, December 21, 2020
In 1565, the Vatican was looking for a secret agent. It was shortly after the Council of Trent and the pope wanted to get the decrees of the Council to all the European bishops. What would be a simple errand in our day, was a dangerous assignment in the sixteenth...
St. Dominic of Silos: Saint of the Day for Sunday, December 20, 2020
Benedictine abbot and defender of the faith. Born in Canas, Navarre, Spain, circa 1000, he entered the Benedictines at San Millan de Ia Cogolla. King Garcia III of Navarre challenged him when he became abbot of the monastery, and Dominic refused to surrender part of...
St. Nemesius: Saint of the Day for Saturday, December 19, 2020
Martyr of Egypt. He was burned alive in Alexandria, Egypt, during the persecutions under Emperor Trajanus Decius. Nemesius was arrested and scourged and then burned to death. Like Christ, he was executed between two criminals. Excellent content provided by...
St. Rufus: Saint of the Day for Friday, December 18, 2020
Rufus and Zosimus were citizens of Antioch (or perhaps Philippi) who were brought to Rome with St. Ignatius of Antioch during the reign of Emperor Trajan. They were condemned to death for their Christianity and thrown to wild beasts in the arena two days before the...
St. Olympias: Saint of the Day for Thursday, December 17, 2020
Olympias born into a wealthy noble Constantinople family. She was orphaned when a child and was given over to the care of Theodosia by her uncle, the prefect Procopius. She married Nebridius, also a prefect, was widowed soon after, refused several offers of marriage,...
St. Ado of Vienne: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, December 16, 2020
An archbishop and scholar, Ado was born in Sens and educated at the Benedictine abbey of Ferrieres. Abbot Lupus Servatus, an outstanding humanist of the time, trained Ado, and was impressed with the obvious holiness of the young man. A noble by birth, Ado renounced...
St. Mary Di Rosa: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Saint Mary (Paula) Di Rosa December 15 The pounding on the barricaded door of the military hospital sent every heart thudding in terror. In the middle of the war in Brescia (Italy) in 1848, the wounded, sick, and those who cared for them knew what that pounding meant....
St. John of the Cross: Saint of the Day for Monday, December 14, 2020
Saint John of the Cross was born Juan de Yepes y Alvarez, in Fontiveros, Avila, Spain in 1542. His father was employed by wealthy family members as an accountant, but they disowned him when he married a poor woman from the lower class. As a result of his familyÂ?s...
St. Lucy: Saint of the Day for Sunday, December 13, 2020
Lucy's history has been lost and all we really know for certain is that this brave woman who lived in Syracuse lost her life during the persecution of Christians in the early fourth century. Her veneration spread to Rome so that by the sixth century the whole Church...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Daily Reading for Tuesday December 22, 2020 Reading 1, First Samuel 1:24-28Responsorial Psalm, First Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8Gospel, Luke 1:46-56 Reading 1, First Samuel 1:24-28 24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, as well as a three-year-old bull, an...
Daily Readings for Monday, December 21, 2020
Daily Reading for Monday December 21, 2020 Reading 1, The Song of Songs 2:8-14Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21Gospel, Luke 1:39-45 Reading 1, The Song of Songs 2:8-14 8 BELOVED: I hear my love. See how he comes leaping on the mountains, bounding over...
Daily Readings for Sunday, December 20, 2020
Daily Reading for Sunday December 20, 2020 Reading 1, Second Samuel 7:1-5, 8-11, 16Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29Gospel, Luke 1:26-38Reading 2, Romans 16:25-27 FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, Second Samuel 7:1-5,...
Daily Readings for Saturday, December 19, 2020
Daily Reading for Saturday December 19, 2020 Reading 1, Judges 13:2-7, 24-25Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 71:3-4, 5-6, 16-17Gospel, Luke 1:5-25 Free PDFs: Hail Mary, Our Father, How to Pray the Rosary & more PDF educational & learning resources for Students,...
Daily Readings for Friday, December 18, 2020
Daily Reading for Friday December 18, 2020 Reading 1, Jeremiah 23:5-8Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 72:1, 12-13, 18-19Gospel, Matthew 1:18-24 FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, Jeremiah 23:5-8 5 Look, the days are coming, Yahweh...
Daily Readings for Thursday, December 17, 2020
Daily Reading for Thursday December 17, 2020 Reading 1, Genesis 49:2, 8-10Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 72:3-4, 7-8, 17Gospel, Matthew 1:1-17 Reading 1, Genesis 49:2, 8-10 2 Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen; listen to Israel your father.8 Judah, your brothers will...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Daily Reading for Wednesday December 16, 2020 Reading 1, Isaiah 45:6-8, 18, 21-25Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14Gospel, Luke 7:18-23 Reading 1, Isaiah 45:6-8, 18, 21-25 6 so that it may be known from east to west that there is no one except me. I am...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Daily Reading for Tuesday December 15, 2020 Reading 1, Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19, 23Gospel, Matthew 21:28-32 FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything Reading 1, Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13 1 Disaster to the...
Daily Readings for Monday, December 14, 2020
Daily Reading for Monday December 14, 2020 Reading 1, Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9Gospel, Matthew 21:23-27 Reading 1, Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17 2 Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel settled tribe by tribe; the spirit of God came on him3...
Daily Readings for Sunday, December 13, 2020
Daily Reading for Sunday December 13, 2020 Reading 1, Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11Responsorial Psalm, Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54Gospel, John 1:6-8, 19-28Reading 2, First Thessalonians 5:16-24 To all our readers, Please don't scroll past this. Today, we humbly ask you to...