At One Cathedral Square in the city of Altoona, the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament has stood as the mother church of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown since 1901, and as a Catholic parish since 1851. The parish describes itself as a welcoming and compassionate community of believers striving to grow as God's people. As disciples of Jesus Christ, members offer lifelong faith formation for children, youth, and adults and live out Christ's invitation to serve their sisters and brothers. The parish gathers to worship in prayer and song and invites all to joyfully participate in word and sacrament, especially the Eucharist.
The Cathedral and Its Bishop
Because the Cathedral is the Bishop's parish, the rector manages its life on a daily basis, and the rector along with the Cathedral staff become part of all diocesan events held in the building, such as ordinations and confirmations. The Cathedral parish is one of 87 parishes served by Diocesan priests and religious communities, including the Third Order Regular Franciscans, the Conventual Franciscans, and the Order of Saint Benedict, that make up the Church of Altoona-Johnstown across eight counties (Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset). The Most Reverend Mark L. Bartchak, J.C.D., serves as Bishop, and the Reverend Monsignor Stanley B. Carson serves as Rector.
Mass Schedule and Reconciliation
The Cathedral offers Mass every day of the week. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at noon in the Cathedral. On Saturdays the Vigil Mass is offered at 5:00 PM. Sunday Masses are celebrated at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and at 5:00 PM. On Christmas, the schedule shifts: the Vigil Mass is at 5:00 PM, Midnight Mass follows, and Christmas morning Masses are at 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, with no noon or 5:00 PM Mass that day. Holy Days include a Vigil Mass at 5:30 PM and morning Masses at 8:00 AM and 12:00 Noon.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM and on Saturdays at 12:30 PM. Communal Penance Services are offered during Advent and Lent. Confession can also be arranged by appointment by calling or texting 814-937-8240. The parish makes a Confession Step by Step Guide available for those who want a walk-through of the rite, including the Sign of the Cross, the greeting, the confession of sins, the assigned penance, the Act of Contrition, and the words of Absolution.
A Cathedral Built Over Eight Decades
Although the city of Altoona was founded in 1849, it was not until 1851 that a church was built and a permanent Catholic parish was established, primarily to provide for the spiritual needs of the laborers helping to build the Pennsylvania Railroad. The first Mass in the area was offered by Reverend John Walsh, pastor of Saint Mary Church in Hollidaysburg, possibly in 1850, but the first church, Saint John the Evangelist, was not dedicated until 1851.
The first resident pastor was assigned in July 1853 by Bishop Michael O'Connor of Pittsburgh, Altoona then being part of that diocese. The Reverend John Tuigg served as pastor from 1853 to 1876 and was responsible for establishing the parish school and bringing the Sisters of Charity to staff it. He was named Bishop of Pittsburgh in 1876. Successors in the late nineteenth century oversaw the construction of the school building and other early parish structures, with pastors such as Reverend Morgan Sheedy serving from 1894 to 1939 and becoming the first rector of the Cathedral when the Diocese of Altoona was established in 1901.
Saint John Church continued to serve as the Cathedral until 1923, when it was razed to make way for the present structure. Bishop John McCort appointed Reverend James Melvin to assist in the building program for the new Cathedral. As administrator, Father Melvin supervised the construction of a temporary hall on 12th Avenue to serve as a place of worship, the building of the present convent in 1925, the razing of the old rectory, church, school and convent that occupied the present site of the Cathedral, and the building of the current rectory. Construction milestones of the present Cathedral include the groundbreaking on September 17, 1924, the laying of the cornerstone on May 30, 1926, and the halting of construction in 1929 due to the Stock Market Crash. The unfinished Cathedral was opened for public worship on September 7, 1931. Bishop Guilfoyle accumulated funds for completion but died before work could begin; Bishop Carroll began the work but died within a year, with his funeral celebrated in March 1960 in the nearly completed Cathedral. The Cathedral was formally opened by Bishop McCormick on November 13, 1960.
Monsignor Ildephonse Denny was named rector in 1939 and served until his retirement in 1972, remembered for liquidating the parish debt, renovating the school building, completing the interior of the Cathedral, and personally instructing children for their First Communion. Monsignor Thomas Madden, who served as rector from 1972 to 1987, supervised changes in the completed Cathedral, especially the new doors and newer stained glass windows. Monsignor Paul Panza became the fourth rector of the Cathedral in 1987 and served until his retirement from active ministry in 1995, beginning the liturgical renewal inaugurated by the Second Vatican Council, which involved the use of lay liturgical ministers and renovations to the worship space itself. Monsignor Robert Mazur served from 1995 to 2025, further emphasizing the full, active, conscious participation of the assembly, with the rites of Christian Initiation for both adults and children celebrated at Sunday liturgies.
The Sacraments of the Church
The parish follows the Catholic tradition of seven sacraments, namely Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony, and prepares recipients for each through parish-based, family-centered catechesis.
Holy Baptism is celebrated normally within Sunday Mass (including the Saturday Vigil Mass) throughout the year, though not usually during Lent. Parents who are registered members of the Cathedral Parish and practicing Catholics, and ideally practicing Catholic godparents who have received Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, are required to attend a Baptismal Prep Session in the Seton Suite of the Cathedral rectory (on Fourteenth Street) before the baptism. Parents and godparents meet a half hour before Mass to go through the rite with a member of the Parish Baptismal Team.
Candidates for Confirmation are parishioners in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades, with the Sacrament of Confirmation celebrated in the eleventh grade. Catechesis is parish-based and family-inclusive, with doctrinal formation provided at Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School or in the Family Intergenerational Religious Education Program. Candidates, families, and sponsors participate in parish-based service such as the annual Cathedral festival, parish socials, and outreach to the needy and elderly. Required retreats through the three years include Faith for the Journey: Baptism in ninth grade, Gifted for the Journey: Gifts of the Holy Spirit and Stories for the Journey: Parables in tenth grade, and Discipleship for the Journey: Christian Story in eleventh grade.
The First Eucharist and First Reconciliation are prepared for in family-centered parish programs, with additional formation offered by Altoona Central Catholic School, Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School, and the Religious Education Program. First Reconciliation is normally celebrated at the Cathedral's Communal Advent Penance Service on a Wednesday evening in Advent, with candidates bringing their Baptismal Candle to light from the Paschal Candle.
The Anointing of the Sick is offered to any Catholic who has reached the age of reason and is seriously ill, as well as those facing surgery, the elderly who are notably frail, children who have reached the use of reason and are seriously ill, and possibly those suffering from addictions or psychological illness after consultation with a priest. The sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers and then falls ill again, or if the same illness becomes more serious. Viaticum, the Eucharist for the passage from death to eternal life, is offered as the proper sacrament for the dying Christian, and the three sacraments of Penance, Anointing, and Eucharist may be celebrated together in a single rite when death is imminent.
Couples planning to marry at the Cathedral notify the parish nine Months before the proposed date and work through a preparation program that includes the FOCCUS Inventory, a Marriage Preparation Program, and four meetings with the priest or deacon who will witness the marriage, plus a rehearsal the day before. Music for the wedding is arranged with the Director of Music Ministry. The Cathedral is available for weddings following the noon Mass, around 12:45 PM.
Christian Initiation for Adults and Come Home
Cathedral Parish follows the Rite of Christian Initiation for both children and adults wishing to join the Catholic Church, open to those who are not yet baptized and to those baptized in another tradition who wish to enter into full communion. The process has four stages: Inquiry, in which interested people gather to discuss the faith with no commitments made; the Catechumenate, in which individuals are formally welcomed into the Church with set rites and the scriptures are a central focus; Purification and Enlightenment, occurring in Lent, beginning with the Rite of Election in the Cathedral with the Bishop and culminating in the three scrutinies drawn from John 4 (the Woman at the Well), John 9 (the Man Born Blind), and John 11 (Lazarus Raised from the Dead), followed by the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil; and Mystagogy, in which the neophytes continue their formation in the faith. Inquiry usually begins in September, with the Christian Initiation Team meeting on Sunday mornings following the 10:00 AM Mass in the Seton Suite on Fourteenth Street, from 11:00 AM to Noon.
A separate Come Home ministry reaches out to those who have been away from the Church for some time and feel the tug to return. Meetings are regularly scheduled throughout the year in the Seton Suite, and the parish asks visitors to call the Parish Office and ask to speak with one of the priests or someone on the Come Home Team.
Religious Education for Children and Youth
The Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) is led by Christine Laraia, DRE, with the mission to form students into disciples of Christ in the Catholic tradition, nurture the spirituality of the child for a lifelong love of Christ, instill self-confidence and belief in the dignity of all people, and create a caring, respectful community. PREP PreK through Grade 8 meets Sundays from 8:30 to 9:45 AM, September through May, in the Religious Education Building. PREP 9 through 11 meets on Sunday evenings during the same months.
The parish uses a Lectionary-based, spiral curriculum, with texts from Sadlier's We Believe and RCL Benziger's Story of Jesus and Story of Jesus and Story of the Church, both updated for the revised Roman Missal. Grades 1 and 5 receive training in the diocesan safe environment program, and all catechists and volunteers must receive certification and PA State Police Child Abuse Agency clearance. Ninety percent of volunteer catechists hold at least a Basic Catechist certification from the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. Yearly class retreats are required, along with service hours ranging from 2 to 20 hours, and special events such as an Open House and Welcome, All Saints Party, Pretzel-Making Lenten Retreat, Seder Meal, Vacation Bible School, and tours of the Cathedral are offered throughout the year. Catechists lead each grade in a different focus: PreK and K cover God, Community, and Bible stories; Grade 1 covers the Trinity; Grade 2 covers Baptism, Reconciliation, and Eucharist; Grade 3 covers the Catholic Church; Grade 4 covers Christian Morality; Grade 5 covers Sacraments and Liturgy; Grade 6 covers Scripture; Grade 7 covers Discipleship, Jesus, Personal Growth, Catholic Identity, and Human Sexuality; and Grade 8 covers Relationship, Church History, Morality, and Social Justice. Grades 9 through 11 are led by Kris Johns and Phyllis Baker.
Music Ministry
The Cathedral Music Ministry is a team of pastoral musicians who enhance the liturgies of the Cathedral and welcome new members to audition. The Director of Music, Bob Long, oversees the program and can be reached at 814-944-2044 or rlong@dioceseaj.org.
Cantors are individual singers, male or female, of high school age or older, who stand in the sanctuary and invite the assembly's full, active, conscious participation in song. They need to be able to read music, speak and sing clearly and confidently, and engage people by pleasant disposition and eye contact. Cantors sing at Sunday Masses, Holy Day Masses, Funeral Masses, Weddings, Evening Prayer, and other special prayer services, rehearsing weekly through private coaching. Psalmists proclaim the appointed Psalm in song and lead the assembly in singing the refrain, with qualities similar to those of the Cantor.
The Cathedral Choir is open through audition to men and women of high school age and older. They assist the assembly at Mass, performing choral music related to the season or celebration of the day, and they participate as the core of the Cathedral Festival Choir and Diocesan Choir that serve as music ministers for concerts and Diocesan celebrations. The Cathedral Choir sings regularly at the 10:00 Sunday Mass, with rehearsals held Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, from the first week in September through the Parish Feast Day, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.
The Cathedral Festival Choir is open to singers from the community and throughout the diocese by audition with the Director of Music and participates in several rehearsals prior to a concert or special liturgies such as Midnight Mass or Holy Week. Instrumentalists playing at the high school level or above in organ, piano, woodwinds, strings, brass, or percussion are invited to audition for the Cathedral, where they enhance worship especially on diocesan and parish feasts.
Liturgical Ministries
The Cathedral invites parishioners to serve as liturgical ministers in many roles. Servers assist the priest and deacon at Mass, preparing and putting away the sanctuary items, and may begin this ministry in fourth grade. Commentators pray the General Intercessions in the absence of a deacon. Gift Bearers, Catholic members of the assembly, present the bread and wine on behalf of the community, with two people or a family often participating. Readers, who must have received Baptism and Eucharist, proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with preparation focused on clear pronunciation, projection, voice tone, pausing, eye contact, and prayerful proclamation.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are fully initiated Catholics (having received Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist), eighteen years or older, approved by the Bishop. They assist the priest in distributing the Body and Blood of Christ and may take Holy Communion to the parish homebound on a regular basis. Ushers and Hospitality ministers are men and women of varying ages who extend a kind word and warm smile to all who gather for Mass and are responsible for seating, the collection of monetary donations, and emergencies. Cantors, Psalmists, Choir members, and Instrumentalists also serve within the liturgy.
Prayer Opportunities Beyond Mass
Evening Prayer within Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction is celebrated on Sundays during Advent and Lent at 6:30 PM. Stations of the Cross are prayed on Fridays during Lent at 5:30 PM. A Rosary for Life is prayed on Thursdays following the noon Mass, with participants always welcome. Nocturnal Adoration takes place on the First Friday of the month from 8:00 to 11:00 PM at different churches in greater Altoona, with the particular church for the month announced in the Cathedral bulletin. The Book of Petitions in the Mother of Sorrows Chapel is open to anyone who wishes to write their particular intentions.
The parish also celebrates a Eucharistic Day on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.
Service and Outreach
The Service Committee organizes ministries that care for neighbors near and far. The Bereavement Ministry invites those grieving the loss of a loved one to gather for peer-to-peer support, with contact made through the Parish Office or by email. Funeral Lunches allow parishioners to use the cathedral hall without charge following a funeral; families contact a caterer or bring their own food. The Confraternity of Christian Mothers is an educational, prayer, and social group of women who gather regularly and send greeting cards to the sick and homebound.
Non-perishable food items, paper products, and cleaning items are collected weekly and distributed to those in need, with collection bins located at three doors of the Cathedral. Lenten Fish Luncheons are offered as a drive-thru from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent (excluding Good Friday), with proceeds assisting the poor. The Prayer Shawl Team creates handmade shawls sent to the sick and homebound for prayerful comfort, with shawls blessed at the communal Anointing of the Sick Mass. The Sponsor Families in Need effort, run at Advent in conjunction with Catholic Charities and the Confirmation Formation Group, purchases, wraps, and distributes gifts to identified families needing assistance at Christmas. A winter coat collection gathers coats in good condition during Advent for the needy of the community.
The Communication Media Committee supports the parish's outreach through photography of special events for the parish and the diocesan paper, brief write-ups submitted to local and diocesan newspapers, and seasonal posters and signs that call for artistic talent and creativity.
Parish Life, Councils, and Social Events
The Parish Council assists the Rector in overseeing the various aspects of parish life, meeting on the third Tuesday of the month in the Administration Office. The Finance Council, required by Canon Law, advises the Rector on temporal matters and meets at least four times a year, with six appointed members reviewing the annual budget and forwarding it to the Diocesan Finance Office.
The Social Committee hosts Summer Socials on the Portico, with refreshments served on the portico roughly once a month during summer following the Sunday Masses at 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. The Parish Feast Day follows the 10:00 AM Mass on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, with the parish gathering on the portico for a light bill of fare. Diocesan events hosted at the parish include the Rite of Election Social on the First Sunday of Lent and the Marriage Anniversary Social on a Sunday in September or October.
Supporting the Cathedral Parish
Parishioners may support the ministries of the Cathedral through the weekly offertory, the annual Catholic Ministries Drive (which unites 87 faith communities of the Diocese), bequests through wills or estate plans, and contributions to two permanent endowments managed by the Independent Catholic Foundation in Altoona. The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Parish Endowment was established in 1997 to support the administrative, educational, and charitable needs of the parish, and the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Music Ministry Endowment was established in 1995 to support the general needs of the parish's music ministry. Contributions may be made in honor or memory of loved ones, in lieu of flowers, or as one-time or recurring gifts through the parish office or online giving.
Visiting the Cathedral
The Cathedral is located at One Cathedral Square in Altoona, with the parish's mailing address at 1405 13th Avenue, Altoona, PA 16601. The parish office can be reached at 814-944-4603 or by email at altcathedral@dioceseaj.org. Private or group tours of the Cathedral can be scheduled by calling the parish office. Those interested in joining the parish, in becoming Catholic, or in returning to the Catholic Church are invited to call the parish office to begin the conversation.