CATHEDRAL OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Altoona, PA is a welcoming and compassionate community of believers striving to grow as God’s people.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we offer lifelong faith formation for children, youth, and adults; and we live out Christ’s invitation to serve our sisters and brothers.
We gather to worship in prayer and song and invite all to joyfully participate in word and sacrament, especially the Eucharist.
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN THE CITY OF ALTOONA, PA SINCE 1851.
SUPPORTING THE MINISTRIES OF CATHEDRAL PARISH
By clicking on the Get Involved link, you will find valuable information on how to make a financial donation to the Cathedral. The weekly offertory, the annual Catholic Ministries Drive, Bequests, and contributions to our Endowments are ways by which the blessings God has given to you become a blessing to the parish.
PILGRIMAGE TO ROME AND THE SHRINES OF ITALY
You are invited to join Monsignor Stan Carson on a pilgrimage to Rome and the shrines of Italy from October 12-22 in 2026. Brochures are available at the entrances to the cathedral. Click this link for additional Information
DAILY MASSES
Monday-Saturday-Noon
WEEKEND MASSES
Vigil, Saturday at 5:00 P.M.
Sunday Masses at 8:00 A.M., 10:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.
Saturday: at 12:30 P.M.
By appointment: by calling or texting 814-937-8240
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Stations of the Cross will be prayed on the Fridays of Lent at 5:30 P.M.
SIMPLY SUNG EVENING PRAYER
Beginning on the Second Sunday of Lent, at 4:00 P.M.
LENTEN PENANCE SERVICE
Wednesday, March 25, at 6:00 P.M.
Laetare Sunday
March 15, 2026
GOSPEL MEDITATION
If you are like me, it’s easy to fixate on our shadows: failures, guilt, shame. Especially when we suffer, it is easy to want to blame ourselves or others. In this week’s Gospel, Jesus’ disciples ask about the blind man, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents?” (John 9:2) They, like us, focus on blame. But Jesus sees the entire situation differently: “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” He does not deny sin, but he sees deeper — through the light of mercy, not the lens of judgment. The scene hinges on Jesus’ strange claim: “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). He sees things differently than everyone. They see shadows and light. He is the light.
Thought experiment: imagine you are the sun looking at everything on the earth. What do you see? Everything. What do you not see? Shadows. Everything is illuminated. If you see it, it is illuminated. For the light, nothing is dark.
Because he is the light, Jesus sees us in the glow of his redemptive love. Even our sin becomes a place where his glory can shine. The man’s healing is not just about sight — it is about seeing as Christ sees. Lent is not a season of staring into darkness. It is a time to step into the light — to let Christ’s gaze reframe how we see ourselves and one another.
Lenten challenge: Spend 10 quiet minutes this week asking Jesus to show you how he sees you. Not through shame or fear, but through the light of his mercy.
EVERYDAY STEWARDSHIP
Today’s readings on this fourth Sunday of Lent are filled with contrasting images – God’s vision versus human vision, the light of Christ versus the darkness of sin, spiritual blindness versus spiritual sightedness. Embracing a stewardship way of life can free us from spiritual blindness, allow us to see as God sees, and help us to reflect the light of Christ’s love in the way we live our daily lives.
In our Gospel passage from John, Christ says of Himself, “I am the light of the world.” This passage recounts a miracle our Lord performs, restoring sight to a man born blind. The man responds to the Pharisees who question him about his healing by declaring to them that Jesus “opened my eyes.” These Lenten days are an excellent time for us to ask Jesus to open our eyes, too. Let us ask Him to show us where we may be suffering from spiritual blindness, perhaps even in subtle ways.
As we continue on our Lenten journey, let’s intensify our efforts in any of these areas where we have become a little blinded so that by Easter, we are truly living as children of the light.
2026 Catholic Stewardship Consultants
REFLECTION
I don’t know about you. But if I was a blind person sitting by the side of the road, minding my own business, and a stranger came along and rubbed spit-mud in my eye, I’m just salty enough that I would ignore his words out of spite.
Even though he was, admittedly, super-nice about the whole thing.
Obviously I would wash the mud out, because … spit. But I wouldn’t go to the Pool of Siloam. I would go to a poolon the whole other side of town, just to be contrary. I would make frustrated, grossed-out noises while I splashed water on my eyes: “Ugh! I can’t believe this! People are the worst!” I would feel satisfied that I wasn’t tricked or conned or taken advantage of.
And I would stay blind the rest of my life.
When Jesus performs a miracle in the Gospel, we sometimes think of it like a fireworks show. Something people point at — “Ooh! Aah!” — and move on from. But a miracle of Jesus is not a party trick. It is a commissioning.
And each of us, in our own way, has the choice of accepting it or not.
Nowhere in the Gospel story does it say that Jesus promised the man sight if he washed in the pool. I wonder what it was that made the blind man feel he could trust Jesus. Was it something in his voice? Was it something in his touch? Was it the humanity with which he spoke of the blind man to his disciples — a gentleness missing from most other interactions of his life?
We’ll never know. But we do know this: the blind man’s sight wasn’t restored until he made a decision. A decision to be sent.