Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown

06/11/2026

06/10/2026

Proclaim! invited all parishes to submit photos of First Holy Communion and Confirmation classes. Click the following link for a gallery of the pictures. More photos will be added as they are received.
https://www.dioceseaj.org/sacrament-photos-26/

06/10/2026

Join us for this special event in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown! See the ad for ticket information.

06/08/2026

On Saturday, June 6, Bishop Mark ordained three men to the permanent diaconate for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Congratulations to the newly-ordained Deacon John Fontana, Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Johnstown, Deacon Matthew Marafino, All Saints Parish, Boswell, and Deacon Walter Zapototoczny, Saint Joseph Parish, Bellwood, as well as their wives and families! Watch highlights of the ordination on an upcoming edition of Proclaim! TV.

06/08/2026

“Jesus in His kindness and understanding of human nature gives us His Body and Blood, but under what to our physical senses tastes like bread and wine, looks like bread and wine, and feels like bread and wine. Why did He do it this way, as I asked some second graders once? Well, because as a little second grade girl answered me that day, ‘Father, Jesus gave us Holy Communion this way because otherwise we would be grossed out if it really tasted like flesh and blood.’ So true. And I followed up with, ‘Well, what is the danger to our faith in that Holy Communion tastes like bread and wine?’ And a little boy answered, ‘The danger is we won’t believe it is really Jesus.’ So true, so true – out of the mouths of babes.”

By Father Rich Tomkosky At every Mass the priest says after the consecration, The Mystery of Faith, and then we proclaim our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in […]

06/08/2026

Watch highlights from the May 31st Mass that celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown

Watch highlights from a special Mass celebrating the 125th annivers...

06/08/2026

The evangelizing spirit of young adults is alive and growing in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. On Friday, June 5, many of the 2026 Proclaim! Magazine "Faithful Under 40" honorees, along with their pastors, nominators, and guests, gathered for the annual Proclaim! Young Adult Social at Liberty Hall at the US Hotel Tavern in Hollidaysburg. Each year in the spring edition of Proclaim! Magazine, young adults between the ages of 21-39, nominated by their pastor, Catholic school principal, or college campus minister, are recognized for their commitment to their Catholic faith and evangelizing spirit and dedicated work in parishes, schools, and ministries throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. At the event, the honorees were greeted and recognized by diocesan Director of Communications Tony DeGol, and they were affirmed and uplifted in their ministry by Bishop Mark Bartchak. Honorees were also sent home with a custom caricature of themselves in front of their parish or school, courtesy of Bishop McCort Catholic High School art teacher Amanda Fettro-Woodruff. Watch highlights from the event on Proclaim! TV this Sunday at 10:30 AM on WATM ABC 23. To read the full section on the 2026 "Faithful Under 40" honorees in the spring edition of Proclaim! Magazine, visit https://catholicmagazines.org/magazine-archive/proclaim/altj0526

06/07/2026

https://youtu.be/yAJzEXAYAZ4?si=7XQfGlTGrO8euHkT

Father Canice reflects on the Solenmity of the Most Holy Body & Blo...

06/07/2026

https://youtu.be/VSpehxy6vFI?si=LoPvZoFsXqf3ayat

Sunday Mass from St. John Gualbert Cathedral