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

Daily Reading

Daily Readings for Thursday, July 09, 2026

Reading 1, Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8-9 1 When Israel was a child I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt.3 I myself taught Ephraim to walk, I myself took them by the arm, but they did not know that I was the one caring for them,4 that I was leading them with human...

Daily Readings for Tuesday, July 07, 2026

Reading 1, Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13 4 They have set up kings, but without my consent, and appointed princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold, they have made themselves idols, but only to be destroyed.5 I spurn your calf, Samaria! My anger blazes against...

Daily Readings for Monday, July 06, 2026

Reading 1, Hosea 2:16, 17-18, 21-22 16 But look, I am going to seduce her and lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.17 There I shall give her back her vineyards, and make the Vale of Achor a gateway of hope. There she will respond as when she was young, as...

Daily Readings for Sunday, July 05, 2026

Reading 1, Zechariah 9:9-10 9 Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion! Shout for joy, daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king is approaching, he is vindicated and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.10 He will banish chariots...

Daily Readings for Saturday, July 04, 2026

Reading 1, Amos 9:11-15 11 On that Day, I shall rebuild the tottering hut of David, make good the gaps in it, restore its ruins and rebuild it as it was in the days of old,12 for them to be master of what is left of Edom and of all the nations once called mine -Yahweh...

Daily Readings for Friday, July 03, 2026

Reading 1, Ephesians 2:19-22 19 So you are no longer aliens or foreign visitors; you are fellow-citizens with the holy people of God and part of God's household.20 You are built upon the foundations of the apostles and prophets, and Christ Jesus himself is the...

Daily Readings for Thursday, July 02, 2026

Reading 1, Amos 7:10-17 10 Amaziah the priest of Bethel then sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel as follows, 'Amos is plotting against you in the heart of the House of Israel; the country cannot tolerate his speeches.11 For this is what Amos says, "Jeroboam is going...

Daily Readings for Wednesday, July 01, 2026

Reading 1, Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 14 Seek good and not evil so that you may survive, and Yahweh, God Sabaoth, be with you as you claim he is.15 Hate evil, love good, let justice reign at the city gate: it may be that Yahweh, God Sabaoth, will take pity on the remnant of...

Daily Readings for Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Reading 1, Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12 1 Listen, Israelites, to this prophecy which Yahweh pronounces against you, against the whole family which I brought up from Egypt:2 You alone have I intimately known of all the families of earth, that is why I shall punish you for all...