Current Events and News

From the Diocese

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...

Independent Oversight Board Report

The Independent Oversight Board for Youth Protection of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has issued its first Annual Report on reforms developed and implemented by the Diocese for the protection of children and youth, concluding that “much has been done, but much is...

Victim Assistance

For almost two decades, the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has been committed to providing pastoral care and financial support to the victims and survivors of sexual abuse. The diocese began a Victim Assistance Program in 1999, and, since that time, assistance in the...

Independent Oversight Board

Bishop Mark Bartchak and Acting United States Attorney Soo Song have announced the names of the individuals appointed to the Independent Oversight Board for Youth Protection for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Click below for the media advisory from the Department...

Review Board

Bishop Mark Bartchak has announced the appointment of an entirely new membership for the Diocesan Review Board, which assists in the assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors and a cleric’s suitability for ministry. The new members are: Rev. Leo ArnoneJoyce...

Reforms to Protect Children

On March 6, 2017, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak and Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced reforms by the Diocese to protect children from sexual abuse, ensure that all allegations of sexual abuse are immediately reported to law enforcement, and provide victims...

Support for Survivors of Sexual Abuse

The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown is partnering with state and local agencies to offer support to survivors of sexual abuse. Resources and educational information will be featured regularly in the Diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Register, and on the Diocesan...

Saint of the Day

Daily Reading

Daily Readings for Saturday, October 19, 2024

Reading 1, Ephesians 1:15-23 15 That is why I, having once heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for all God's holy people,16 have never failed to thank God for you and to remember you in my prayers.17 May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father...

Daily Readings for Friday, October 18, 2024

Reading 1, Second Timothy 4:9-17 9 Make every effort to come and see me as soon as you can.10 As it is, Demas has deserted me for love of this life and gone to Thessalonica, Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia;11 only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with...

Daily Readings for Thursday, October 17, 2024

Reading 1, Ephesians 1:3-10 3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.4 Thus he chose us in Christ before the world was made to be holy and faultless before him in love,5 marking us...

Daily Readings for Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Reading 1, Galatians 5:18-25 18 But when you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.19 When self-indulgence is at work the results are obvious: sexual vice, impurity, and sensuality,20 the worship of false gods and sorcery; antagonisms and rivalry, jealousy,...

Daily Readings for Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Reading 1, Galatians 5:1-6 1 Christ set us free, so that we should remain free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be fastened again to the yoke of slavery.2 I, Paul, give you my word that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you at...

Daily Readings for Monday, October 14, 2024

Reading 1, Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1 22 Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave girl and one by the freewoman.23 The son of the slave girl came to be born in the way of human nature; but the son of the freewoman came to be born through a...

Daily Readings for Sunday, October 13, 2024

Reading 1, Wisdom 7:7-11 7 And so I prayed, and understanding was given me; I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.8 I esteemed her more than sceptres and thrones; compared with her, I held riches as nothing.9 I reckoned no precious stone to be her equal,...

Daily Readings for Saturday, October 12, 2024

Reading 1, Galatians 3:22-29 22 As it is, scripture makes no exception when it says that sin is master everywhere; so the promise can be given only by faith in Jesus Christ to those who have this faith.23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the Law,...

Daily Readings for Friday, October 11, 2024

Reading 1, Galatians 3:7-14 7 Be sure, then, that it is people of faith who are the children of Abraham.8 And it was because scripture foresaw that God would give saving justice to the gentiles through faith, that it announced the future gospel to Abraham in the...

Daily Readings for Thursday, October 10, 2024

Reading 1, Galatians 3:1-5 1 You stupid people in Galatia! After you have had a clear picture of Jesus Christ crucified, right in front of your eyes, who has put a spell on you?2 There is only one thing I should like you to tell me: How was it that you received the...