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.
JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE 175 YEARS OF PARISH LIFE IN THE HEART OF ALTOONA!
In 1851, St. John the Evangelist Church was established to serve the Catholic community of Altoona. As the community grew, so did the parish. In 1901, it became the pro-cathedral of the newly established Diocese of Altoona. Today, the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament stands as a testament to generations of faith, service, and community.
Join us for 5:00 PM Mass on Saturday, November 7th, followed by a social in the parish hall with catered refreshments.
Please click here to RSVP and join us in celebrating 175 Years of Parish Life!
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
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.
Solemnity of All Saints
November 1, 2026
GOSPEL MEDITATION
At the end of her short life, my hero, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, found herself in a curious position. Audaciously, she was convinced that she would become a great saint and would be loved by many after her death. At the same time, she insisted that she was weak, impatient, and ordinary. She became arguably the greatest saint in modern times. How is it possible that an ordinary and imperfect person can also be a great saint? On this All-Saints’ Day, Jesus overturns our assumptions aboutholiness. He says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The blessed are not the impressive or the self-sufficient, but the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, and the persecuted. These are not heroic traits by normal standards. They are signs of a heart that has learned to rely on God rather than itself. That’s what St. Thérèse, and all the saints, are all about.
All Saints’ Day is not a celebration of spiritual elites. Rather, it announces what grace can do in our ordinary lives. The saints are not those who avoid weakness or suffering, but those who allow these things to deepen their trust. What good news for us! The smaller and weaker we are, the more qualified we are to be great saints.
EVERYDAY STEWARDSHIP
Growing up I thought saints were larger than life people with extraordinary stories. The thought that I could one day be revered as a saint by anyone seemed crazy. I wrote my essays on different saints every year in Catholic school right around All Saints Day. These were stories about people I had never met, and I assumed I would never meet anyone like them going forward.
Now that I am older, I realize that I was wrong back then and my immaturity of both mind and heart did not allow me to see that there are saints among us all the time. I have met many people in my life that I would call living saints. They are holy people who give of themselves to God and others in profound ways. Their relationship with Jesus is evident and they live their lives in ways that people witness the transformative power of love.
As a child I was wrong about saints, but even more importantly, I didn’t fully realize that all of us are called to be saints! Me, a saint? Holiness is not something simply studied in books. It is the way of life we are all called to live. The call comes from Jesus Christ and each of us must respond. If we are still thinking like children, we may choose to stay silent and live accordingly. If we are more mature in our faith then we might not only respond, we might one day have a school child write a report about us.
2026 Catholic Stewardship Consultants
REFLECTION
“I’m no saint.”
We hear people say this all the time, and what they usually mean is this: “I’ve made mistakes.” Well, congratulations! You have taken that first crucial step to sainthood. You’re well on your way!
A saint is not a person with fewer-than-average mistakes. A saint is a person with greater-than-average hope.
What is hope? Hope is certainty in the promises of God over the merits of man. Hope is what makes a Christian rejoice when he hears the litany of earthly trials described in the Beatitudes, because hope makes him see not the trials but the grace promised through them.
Hope remembers, always, that God is in the business of bringing life from death.
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress.” (Rev. 7:14) This is how we hear the saints described in the Book of Revelation. We do not hear: “These are the ones who were perfect. These are the ones who had no faults. These are the ones who made good choices.”
No — these are the ones who survived.
We are all buried in the rubble heap of sin and death. Many of us despair and cry, “We cannot climb out!” The saint is the one who has the hope to answer, “But Someone is coming. Just wait.” The saint is the one who looks for the sliver of light, who reaches for it even when everyone else dismisses it as illusion.
Follow the saints. They know how to survive.