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. Bruno: Saint of the Day for Monday, October 06, 2025
Bruno was born in Cologne of the prominent Hartenfaust family. He studied at the Cathedral school at Rheims, and on his return to Cologne about 1055, was ordained and became a Canon at St. Cunibert's. He returned to Rheims in 1056 as professor of theology, became head...
St. Faustina Kowalska: Saint of the Day for Sunday, October 05, 2025
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament was born as Helena Kowalska, in Glogowiec, Leczyca County, north-west of LĂ?Âłdz in Poland on August 25, 1905. She was the third of 10 children to a poor and religious family. Faustina first felt a calling to the...
St. Francis of Assisi: Saint of the Day for Saturday, October 04, 2025
Founder of the Franciscan Order, born at Assisi in Umbria, in 1181. In 1182, Pietro Bernardone returned from a trip to France to find out his wife had given birth to a son. Far from being excited or apologetic because he'd been gone, Pietro was furious because she'd...
St. Ewald & Ewald: Saint of the Day for Friday, October 03, 2025
Martyred Northumbrian brothers, one called "the Fair" and one called "the Dark", companions of St. Willibrord. From Northumbria, they were educated in Ireland. These priests of the Benedictine Order went with Willibrord to Frisia, Netherlands. They were martyred...
St. Leger: Saint of the Day for Thursday, October 02, 2025
Leger was raised at the court of King Clotaire II and by his uncle, Bishop Didon of Poitiers. Leger was made archdeacon by Didon, was ordained, and in about 651, became abbot of Maxentius Abbey, where he introduced the Rule of St. Benedict. He served Queen Regent St....
St. Therese of Lisieux: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, October 01, 2025
Generations of Catholics have admired this young saint, called her the "Little Flower", and found in her short life more inspiration for their own lives than in volumes by theologians. Yet Therese died when she was 24, after having lived as cloistered Carmelite for...
St. Jerome: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Before he was known as Saint Jerome, he was named Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus. He was born around 342 AD, in Stridon, Dalmatia. Today, the town, which ceased to exist in Jerome�s time, would likely be in Croatia or Slovenia. The young Jerome was educated by...
St. Michael the Archangel: Saint of the Day for Monday, September 29, 2025
St. Michael the Archangel, also known as Saint Michael the Archangel or simply Archangel Michael, holds a significant place in the Roman Catholic tradition. He is an Archangel, associated with courage, protection, and divine intervention. Biblical and Historical Roots...
St. Lorenzo Ruiz: Saint of the Day for Sunday, September 28, 2025
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz was born around the year 1600 in Binondo, Manila in the Philippines. He was the son of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. Both were Christians and took care to raise Lorenzo as a Catholic. He served happily in his parish church as an altar boy...
St. Vincent de Paul: Saint of the Day for Saturday, September 27, 2025
St. Vincent de Paul was born to a poor peasant family in the French village of Pouy on April 24, 1581. His first formal education was provided by the Franciscans. He did so well, he was hired to tutor the children of a nearby wealthy family. He used the monies he...
Daily Reading
Daily Readings for Monday, October 06, 2025
Reading 1, Jonah 1:1-2:1, 11 1 The word of Yahweh was addressed to Jonah son of Amittai:2 'Up!' he said, 'Go to Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim to them that their wickedness has forced itself upon me.'3 Jonah set about running away from Yahweh, and going to...
Daily Readings for Sunday, October 05, 2025
Reading 1, Habakkuk 1:2-3,2:2-4 2 How long, Yahweh, am I to cry for help while you will not listen; to cry, 'Violence!' in your ear while you will not save?3 Why do you make me see wrong-doing, why do you countenance oppression? Plundering and violence confront me,...
Daily Readings for Saturday, October 04, 2025
Reading 1, Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29 5 Take courage, my people, memorial of Israel!6 You were sold to the nations, but not for extermination. You provoked God; and so were delivered to your enemies,7 since you had angered your Creator by offering sacrifices to demons, and...
Daily Readings for Friday, October 03, 2025
Reading 1, Baruch 1:15-22 15 You must say: Saving justice is the Lord's, we have only the look of shame we bear, as is the case today for the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,16 for our kings and princes, our priests, our prophets, and for our...
Daily Readings for Thursday, October 02, 2025
Reading 1, Exodus 23:20-23 20 'Look, I am sending an angel to precede you, to guard you as you go and bring you to the place that I have prepared.21 Revere him and obey what he says. Do not defy him: he will not forgive any wrong-doing on your part, for my name is in...
Daily Readings for Wednesday, October 01, 2025
Reading 1, Nehemiah 2:1-8 1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, since I was in charge of the wine, I took the wine and offered it to the king. Now, he had never seen me looking depressed before.2 So the king said to me, 'Why are you...
Daily Readings for Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Reading 1, Zechariah 8:20-23 20 'Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "In the future, peoples and citizens of many cities will come;21 and citizens of one city will go to the next and say: We must certainly go to entreat Yahweh's favour and seek out Yahweh Sabaoth; I am going...
Daily Readings for Monday, September 29, 2025
Reading 1, Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 9 While I was watching, thrones were set in place and one most venerable took his seat. His robe was white as snow, the hair of his head as pure as wool. His throne was a blaze of flames, its wheels were a burning fire.10 A stream of...
Daily Readings for Sunday, September 28, 2025
Reading 1, Amos 6:1, 4-7 1 Disaster for those so comfortable in Zion and for those so confident on the hill of Samaria, the notables of this first of nations, those to whom the House of Israel has recourse!4 Lying on ivory beds and sprawling on their divans, they dine...
Daily Readings for Saturday, September 27, 2025
Reading 1, Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15 5 Then, raising my eyes, I had a vision. There was a man with a measuring line in his hand.6 I asked him, 'Where are you going?' He said, 'To measure Jerusalem, to calculate her width and length.'7 And then, while the angel who was...