Current Events and News
From the Diocese
Holy Week Directives
With public Masses and other liturgical gatherings suspended at least through Holy Week and Easter, Bishop Mark is inviting the faithful to watch the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown weekly television Mass on Passion (Palm) Sunday and Easter Sunday at 11:00 a.m. on WATM...
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...
Saint of the Day
St. Finbar: Saint of the Day for Thursday, September 25, 2025
He was the son of an artisan and a lady of the Irish royal court. Born in Connaught, Ireland, and baptized Lochan, he was educated at Kilmacahil, Kilkenny, where the monks named him Fionnbharr (white head) because of his light hair; he is also known as Bairre and...
Martyrs of Chalcedon: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, September 24, 2025
A group of forty-nine Christians slain in Chalcedon during the reign of Emperor Diocletian . Records indicate that the martyrs were members of the choir in the church of Chalcedon. Excellent content provided by https://www.catholic.org/.
St. Padre Pio: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, September 23, 2025
St. Padre Pio was an Italian priest who was known for his piety and charity, as well as the gift of the stigmata, which has never been explained. St. Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione, on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy. His parents were peasant farmers. He...
St. Thomas of Villanueva: Saint of the Day for Monday, September 22, 2025
Augustinian bishop. Born at Fuentellana, Castile, Spain, he was the son of a miller. He studied at the University of Alcala, earned a licentiate in theology, and became a professor there at the age of twenty-six. He declined the chair of philosophy at the university...
St. Matthew: Saint of the Day for Sunday, September 21, 2025
Little is known about St. Matthew, except that he was the son of Alpheus, and he was likely born in Galilee. He worked as a tax collector, which was a hated profession during the time of Christ. According to the Gospel, Matthew was working at a collection booth in...
Sts. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions: Saint of the Day for Saturday, September 20, 2025
Feastday: September 20 The evangelization of Korea began during the 17th century through a group of lay persons. A strong vital Christian community flourished there under lay leadership until missionaries arrived from the Paris Foreign Mission Society. During the...
St. Januarius: Saint of the Day for Friday, September 19, 2025
St. Januarius was born in Italy and was bishop of Benevento during the Emperor Diocletion persecution. Bishop Januarius went to visit two deacons and two laymen in prison. He was then also imprison along with his deacon and lector. They were thrown to the wild beasts,...
St. Joseph of Cupertino: Saint of the Day for Thursday, September 18, 2025
St. Joseph was born in 1603 at Cupertino, in the diocese of Nardo in the Kingdom of Naples. After spending his childhood and adolescence in simplicity and innocence, he finally joined the Franciscan Friars Minor Conventual. After his ordination to the holy priesthood,...
St. Robert Bellarmine: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Born at Montepulciano, Italy, October 4, 1542, St. Robert Bellarmine was the third of ten children. His mother, Cinzia Cervini, a niece of Pope Marcellus II, was dedicated to almsgiving, prayer, meditation, fasting, and mortification of the body. Robert entered the...
St. Cornelius: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Cornelius whose feast day is September 16th. A Roman priest, Cornelius was elected Pope to succeed Fabian in an election delayed fourteen months by Decius' persecution of the Christians. The main issue of his pontificate was the treatment to be accorded Christians who...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Thursday, September 25, 2025
Reading 1, Haggai 1:1-8 1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of Yahweh was addressed through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel governor of Judah and to Joshua son of Jehozadak the high priest as follows,2...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Reading 1, Ezra 9:5-9 5 At the evening sacrifice I came out of my stupor and, falling on my knees in my torn clothes and cloak, stretched out my hands to Yahweh my God,6 and said: 'My God, I am ashamed, I blush to lift my face to you, my God. For our iniquities have...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Reading 1, Galatians 2:19-20 19 In fact, through the Law I am dead to the Law so that I can be alive to God. I have been crucified with Christ20 and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me. The life that I am now living, subject to the...
Daily Readings for Monday, September 22, 2025
Reading 1, Ezra 1:1-6 1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia -- to fulfil the word of Yahweh spoken through Jeremiah -Yahweh roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation and to have it publicly displayed throughout his kingdom:2 'Cyrus king...
Daily Readings for Sunday, September 21, 2025
Reading 1, Amos 8:4-7 4 Listen to this, you who crush the needy and reduce the oppressed to nothing,5 you who say, 'When will New Moon be over so that we can sell our corn, and Sabbath, so that we can market our wheat? Then, we can make the bushel-measure smaller and...
Daily Readings for Saturday, September 20, 2025
Reading 1, Wisdom 3:1-9 1 But the souls of the upright are in the hands of God, and no torment can touch them.2 To the unenlightened, they appeared to die, their departure was regarded as disaster,3 their leaving us like annihilation; but they are at peace.4 If, as it...
Daily Readings for Friday, September 19, 2025
Reading 1, First Timothy 6:2-12 2 Those whose masters are believers are not to respect them less because they are brothers; on the contrary, they should serve them all the better, since those who have the benefit of their services are believers and dear to God. This...
Daily Readings for Thursday, September 18, 2025
Reading 1, First Timothy 4:12-16 12 Let no one disregard you because you are young, but be an example to all the believers in the way you speak and behave, and in your love, your faith and your purity.13 Until I arrive, devote yourself to reading to the people,...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Reading 1, First Timothy 3:14-16 14 I write this to you in the hope that I may be able to come to you soon;15 but in case I should be delayed, I want you to know how people ought to behave in God's household -- that is, in the Church of the living God, pillar and...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Reading 1, First Timothy 3:1-13 1 Here is a saying that you can rely on: to want to be a presiding elder is to desire a noble task.2 That is why the presiding elder must have an impeccable character. Husband of one wife, he must be temperate, discreet and courteous,...