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.
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
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION DURING HOLY WEEK
Palm Sunday: 3:00 P.M.
Wednesday of Holy Week: 8:00 A.M., 12:30 P.M. and 7:00 P.M.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Stations of the Cross will be prayed on the Fridays of Lent at 5:30 P.M.
HOLY TRIDUUM LITURGIES
Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 5:30 P.M. Adoration until 10:00 P.M.
Good Friday: Morning Prayer at 9:00 A.M. Commemoration the Lord’s Passion at 1:00 P.M. Stations of the Cross at 5:30 P.M.
Holy Saturday: Office of Readings at 9:00 A.M. Easter Vigil Mass at 8:00 P.M.
Easter Sunday: Masses at 8:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M. (There is no 5:00 P.M. Mass.)
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.
Good Friday
April 3, 2026
GOSPEL MEDITATION
Friends, our Gospel today is St. John’s poignant account of the arrest of Jesus. The setting is the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus has just been betrayed by Judas, seized, arrested, and bound; the ear of the high priest’s slave has been severed; all of Jesus’s disciples have fled.
In a parallel narrative, St. Mark adds this odd detail of the young man running off naked into the night. Like a Renaissance painter who puts contemporary figures into a biblical scene, here Mark places a stand-in for you and me in the scene. The young man is described as “following” Jesus. This, of course, is biblical code for discipleship.
And what is he wearing? The term used in the Greek (sindona) designates the kind of garment worn by the newly baptized. The point is this: to be a baptized member of Christ’s Church is to put oneself in harm’s way.
To be a follower of Jesus is to walk a dangerous path, one sure to upset the powers that be. The shame of this young man is that, at the moment of truth, he fled, leaving his precious baptismal garment in the hands of Jesus’s enemies.
It forces a question on us: What do we do at the moment of truth?
EVERYDAY STEWARDSHIP
We begin this Holy Week with the reading of the Lord’s Passion from the Gospel of Matthew. It is fitting that we Christian stewards focus our minds and hearts intensely this week on the steps of our Brother and Savior as He laid down His very life for us.
Throughout this story, there are several small acts of stewardship by those who encountered Jesus during this most eventful week. Each of these were simple acts of good stewardship, yet God used them in mighty ways. God invites each of us, too, to cooperate with Him in small ways through the sharing of our time, talents and material gifts. Small gifts can become mighty deeds when placed in God’s service.
2026 Catholic Stewardship Consultants
REFLECTION
We have all sold Jesus out, at one point or another. Some of us have done it more than once, and we’ve done it for a lot less than 30 pieces of silver.
We have all denied Christ, and we have done it more than three times and under much less pressure than Peter, who feared for his life when he shouted, “I do not know the man!”
We have all struck the face of God — out of anger? Fear? Confusion? All of the above? — screaming, in agony, “Prophesy for me!”
At one point or another, we have all looked at our Lord beaten and betrayed, and we have all said, as Pilate did: “What shall I do with Jesus called Christ?”
And we have all hung on the cross chosen for us, crying out in bewilderment: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Holy Week is a week where we see humanity, in all its vulnerability and ignorance. We see it in the “villains” of the piece, like Judas, and in the morally neutral characters like Pilate and the Jews who have been misled about Jesus. We even see it in the “good guys” like Peter.
In this, the holiest week of the year, we see ourselves at our very worst. The chasm between man and his Creator is an ancient one, and it is driven deep and wide — by the pridefulness of Adam and Eve, yes, but also by every poor choice you and I have ever made.
Every “I don’t know the man!”
Every “Prophesy!”
Every “What shall I do with Jesus?”
These cries echo forth from the depths of this chasm.
But this week — this Holy Week — a bridge is built across the chasm. And God reaches out His hand.