May 20, 2013 - Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown

The Catholic 

Register 

Official Publication Of 

The Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown 

Volume LXXXVIII, No. 1 Published Bi - Weekly (USPS 094 - 280) www.dioceseaj.org May 20, 2013 

Banquet And Chances Will Help Advance Mission 

Of Catholic Charities In Local Communities 

Photo And Text 

By Bruce A. Tomaselli 

SPECIAL PRIZES: Jean Johnstone (right), executive director of 

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown, shows 

Joan Noonan, secretary in the offices of Liturgy and Diaconate, some 

of the prizes to be awarded at the annual Catholic Charities Awards 

and Recognition Dinner to be held on Thursday, June 6. Among the 

prizes are a football signed by Pittsburgh Steeler star tightend, Heath 

Miller; and a football and hats signed by Coach Bill O’Brien of the 

Penn State Nittany Lions. 

Catholic Charities assists persons in the 

eight counties of the Diocese regardless 

of their faith tradition. Besides emergency 

financial aid, the agency also offers 

private counseling, adoption services, 

pregnancy support, and other services 

to individuals and families in Central - 

Western, Pennsylvania. 

On the surface, another 

banquet will be held. But, the 

benefits of the gathering are of 

immense proportions. 

“This banquet highlighted 

by ‘Chances For Charity’ provides 

the last opportunity to 

raise funds for our Emergency 

Financial Assistance program,” 

said Jean Johnstone, executive 

director of Catholic Charities of 

the Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown, 

of their annual Recognition 

and Awards Dinner. 

The event will be held on 

Thursday, June 6 at the Calvin 

House on 2135 Plank Road in 

Duncansville. A reception begins 

at 5:00 p.m., followed by 

dinner at 6:00 p.m. 

Johnstone said Chances For 

Charity is the last major source 

of funding for energy assistance 

until the special collection for 

Catholic Charities conducted in 

November. “Every dollar of this 

money is distributed to needy 

individuals. It’s 100 percent in 

and 100 percent out,” Johnstone 

added. “None of the money is 

used for administrative costs.” 

From July 12, 2012 to 

March of 2013, Catholic Charities 

used $169,091 to aid those in 

dire need of heat, water, electricity, 

and rent. Over $97,400 was 

allocated for fuel oil; $19,409 

defrayed electric bills; $12,240 

provided water; and $13,242 

was used for rent to prevent 

evictions. 

The dinner, sponsored by 

the Altoona - Johnstown Diocese 

and the advisory board and 

staff of Catholic Charities, Inc., 

honors three persons with the 

Monsignor William M. Griffith 

Humanitarian Award in recognition 

of to their service to the 

people of West-Central, Pennsylvania. 

Five students are also 

presented the Matthew 25 Youth 

Humanitarian Award in recognition 

of their exceptional service 

to the school and community. 

Monsignor Griffin was the 

local founder of Catholic Charities. 

Catholic Charities assists 

persons in the eight counties of 

the Diocese regardless of their 

faith tradition. Besides emergency 

financial aid, the agency 

also offers private counseling, 

adoption services, pregnancy 

support, and other services to individuals 

and families in Central 

- Western, Pennsylvania. 

Recipients of the 2013 

Monsignor William M. Griffith 

Award are: Anthony (Sonny) 

Consiglio, Dolores Fatula and 

Geraldine (Gerry) Pontzer. The 

Youth award winners are: Kiera 

Nicole Chirdon, Emily Mc- 

Cafferty, Nicholas A. Spinelli, 

Grace Walk and Mikayla Yancik. 

Tickets for Chances for 

Charity can be purchased from 

local parishes or from one of the 

Catholic Charities Offices located 

in Altoona, Johnstown, and 

Bellefonte. One in 20 persons 

will win a prize. 

Johnstone was very excited 

this year to have, as Chances For 

Charity prizes, footballs signed 

by Heath Miller of the Pittsburgh 

Steelers; and a football 

and some hats signed by Coach 

Bill O’Brien of the Penn State 

Nittany Lions. 

Some of the other prizes 

include: Four Pittsburgh Pirate 

Game tickets and parking passes 

for the month of July; a six - 

month membership to the Summit 

& Athletic Club; and tickets 

to the Altoona and Johnstown 

Symphonies. 

A complete list of prizes 

can be found on the Altoona 

-Johnstown Diocese’s web site: 

www.ajdiocese.org. 

“It’s a very enjoyable evening,” 

said Johnstone. “We keep 

the event light and short.”

Page 2 The Catholic Register, May 20, 2013 

 

SAINT BENEDICT, JOHNSTOWN: Saint Benedict Parish, Johnstown, celebrated First Holy Communion on Sunday, April 28. Pictured are (left to right) First row: Michelle 

Robatin (Sacramental Preparation Director), Malia Rzasa, Nicholas Yost, Matthew Ribblett, Krysania Rovder, Samantha McGuire, Isabella Karcher, Emily Mikesic, 

Margaret Orr, Ava Elgin, Trinity Cannizzaro, Anna Arrington, Jerell Baxter, Jacob Polacek, Bianca Gatmaitan, Isabelle Gatmaitan. Second row: Deacon Michael Russo, Father 

Michael Wolfe (parochial vicar), Father David Peles (pastor), Nathan Cook, Jazmine Reed, Lukas Feichtel, Cassidy Malzi, Tavin Willason, Sydney Langerholc, Nicolas Keim, 

Trista Krcha, Draveyn Plachy, Lilian Newcomer, Jonathan Lindrose, Kaitlyn Luciew, Beth Eckenrod (catechist), Pam Direnzo (catechist). Third row: Caitlin Mathis, Benjamin 

Smith, Avery Marshall, Charles Karalfa, Abigail Tomaselli, Lukas Cascino, Justine Haschak, Troy Lapinsky, Madison Mowery, Ryan McGowan, Chloe Niessner and Brennen 

Himes. Not pictured are: Father Derek Fairman (parochial vicar), Kathy Glattke (catechist) and Samantha Hauser (catechist). 

BIRTHRIGHT BABY SHOWER: The Women’s Group of Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Lakemont, 

Altoona hosted a baby shower on Sunday, April 21. The guests brought gifts including baby clothing, 

wipes and diapers. Pat Forr, secretary of Birthright of Altoona, accepted the gifts to benefit local 

babies. The women plan to make the baby shower an annual event. 

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GIFT: Confirmation students from Our Lady of the Alleghenies 

in Lilly, Saint Francis Xavier and Saint Aloysius in Cresson, Most 

Holy Trinity in Huntingdon, Saint Demetrius in Gallitzin, Saint Joseph 

and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Portage and Our Lady of 

Lourdes in Altoona made a $500.00 gift to the Lilly Saint Vincent 

DePaul Conference. Pictured are (left to right) Deb Kozak (Confirmation 

director at Our Lady of the Alleghenies)and Jim McCabe 

(Saint Vincent DePaul treasurer). 

High Schools 

Poet To Be Published 

Johnstown: Morgan Casto, 

a freshman at Bishop Mc- 

Cort Catholic High School was 

the only freshman to enter the 

Spring Writing Competition for 

the Poetry and Essay Contest 

sponsored by Creative Communications. 

She was selected as one 

of ten winners in her division. 

She will be published in Cre- 

ative Communication’s Spring 

2013 edition of A Celebration 

Of Poets. 

(Continued On Page 3.)

In The Alleghenies 

The Catholic Register, May 20, 2013 Page 3 

PRINCE OF PEACE: Celebrating Confirmation at Prince of Peace Parish, Northern Cambria on 

Tuesday, April 16 were (left to right) First row: Father Lawrence Lacovic (pastor), Bryan Nealen, Zachary 

Lowe, Martina Leonard, Justin Sedlock, Allyson Kopera, Brooke Bernard, Siena Previte, Zachary 

Lee, Frank Gomolka (catechist). Second row: Cole Lowe, Aaron Boring, Christopher Hornick, Joshua 

Prasko, Michael Leslie and Abagail Clarke. 

SAINT MICHAEL, JOHNSTOWN: Celebrating First Holy Communion 

at Saint Michael Parish, Johnstown on Sunday, April 7 were 

(left to right) First row: Irelin Urban, Abbey Gawel, Ethan Schiffauer, 

Gabriella Meredith. Second row: Cecilia Neiderer (catehist), 

Conventual Franciscan Father Anthony Francis Spilka (pastor) and 

Timothy Burgess (altar server). 

LAW DAY: Saint Francis University hosted its annual Red Mass/ 

Law Day on Friday, April 26, on the Loretto campus. Bishop Mark 

L. Bartchak (left) served as the celebrant and homilist for the Red 

Mass. The Honorable D. Brooks Smith (center), United States Court 

of Appeals of Pennsylvania judge, gave the keynote address at the 

luncheon. They are pictured with Saint Francis University’s president, 

the Third Order Regular Franciscan Father Gabriel J. Zeis. 

(Continued From Page 2.) 

Higher Education 

Frankie Awards 

Loretto: Saint Francis University 

named Thomas D. Johnson 

and Christina Rombouts the 

2013 Mr. & Miss Frankie award 

winners during the President’s 

cal Spanish. He is the recipient 

of the Reach Higher Award, 

the Physician Assistant Department 

Star Award, the Franciscan 

Scholarship and the President’s 

Scholarship, and he is a member 

of the Saint Francis Honor 

Society. He participates in the 

Hugs United – Dominican Republic 

Mission Trip, and has 

been recognized for his service 

by receiving the Outstanding 

International Service Award. He 

is also a member of the Knights 

of Columbus, as well as many 

other campus organizations and 

activities. 

Christina Rombouts of Loretto 

is a physician assistant major 

with minors in French and 

philosophy. She is vice president 

of Sigma Tau Delta English 

Honor Society and is a member 

of the Saint Francis Honor Society. 

Rombouts has also been 

involved with Make a Patient 

Smile (MAPS), Literary Guild, 

French Club and the Physician 

Assistant Student Society. In addition, 

she is very active in both 

community and Church service. 

The Mr. Frankie Award has 

been presented annually since 

1936, with the exception of 1944 

and 1945 (during World War II). 

The Miss Frankie Award has 

been presented annually at Saint 

Francis since 1962. 

Prayer 

Carmelite Novena 

Loretto: The fifth novena 

of the year to Our Lady of Mount 

Carmel and Saint Therese, the 

Little Flower, conducted by the 

Discalced Carmelite Nuns, will 

open at the Carmelite Monastery 

Chapel on Wednesday, May 22 

and end on Thursday, May 30. 

All intentions will be re- 

Awards Convocation on Tuesday, 

April 23. 

The winners were chosen 

by the senior class, faculty and 

administration based on their academic 

achievements, commitment 

to Franciscan values and 

leadership in campus activities. 

Thomas D. Johnson of 

Coraopolis is a physician assistant 

major with a minor in medimembered 

in the prayers of the 

nuns, and in the special novena 

prayer recited after daily Mass. 

Those desiring to share in 

the graces and blessings of these 

nine days of prayer, and in the 

private prayers of the Carmelite 

nuns during the novena, are requested 

to send their petitions to 

Mother Prioress, P. O, Box 57, 

Loretto PA 15940. 

2013 ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL 

Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown 

Your Gift Brings Hope Throughout the Year 

Grace 

Personal Witness 

Evangelization 

(Continued On Page 6.) 

Charity 

To support your parish and diocesan ministries, place your ACA gift 

in the offertory basket, give online at www.dioceseaj.org, or 

mail it to Annual Catholic Appeal, P. O. Box 409, 

Hollidaysburg, PA 16648. Thank you!


THE CATHOLIC 

REGISTER 

SERVING THE DIOCESE OF 

ALTOONA - JOHNSTOWN 

Published Bi - weekly at 

925 South Logan Boulevard 

Hollidaysburg PA 16648 

Phone (814) 695 - 7563 

FAX (814) 695 - 7517 

Subscriptions: $8.00 Parish Based 

$18.00 Individual 

Periodical Class Postage Paid At 

Altoona PA and other mailing offices. 

Postmaster send change of address to: 

925 South Logan Boulevard 

(USPS 094 - 280) 

Member Publication Of 

The Catholic Press Association 

Publisher: 

Most Reverend Bishop 

Mark L. Bartchak 

Editor: 

Rev. Msgr. Timothy P. Stein 

Manager: 

Bruce A. Tomaselli 

Secretary: 

Frances M. Logrando 

Another 

Perspective 

By Monsignor Timothy P. Stein 

Pope Francis 

And Ordinary Time 

Point Of View 

“No man is an island.” 

We’ve all heard that phrase. It’s 

also true that “No marriage is an 

island.” When a marriage breaks 

up, the effects touch not only the 

spouses but all around them. 

The purpose of this article is 

to offer a few resources for dealing 

with the aftermath, because 

the Church, in her compassion, 

wants to offer understanding 

and assistance in healing to all 

involved. 

Remember that affordable 

counseling is available from 

Catholic Charities. 

For divorced individuals 

there is an excellent DVD series 

by Rose Sweet, “The Catholic’s 

Divorce Survival Guild,” for 

small group or individual use. 

An accompanying workbook is 

available. 

Making Your Way After 

Your Parents’ Divorce, 

is a book for teens and young 

adults written by Lynn Cassella, 

a child of divorce herself. Cardinal 

Wuerl says of the book, 

“With a compassion born of her 

own experience, she helps the 

reader see that others have gone 

through heartaches that often 

seem impossible both to comprehend 

and absorb.” She addresses 

“the disaster of divorce 

with intellectual honesty.” 

Bringing in faith in a most 

sensitive manner, Cassella 

guides readers in their walk with 

God, to get a hold of their life 

and grow from the experience 

of their parents’ divorce. (This 

step-by-step, practical and wellreceived 

book would be a most 

appreciated gift!) 

More than ever, children of 

divorcing parents need the presence 

of extended family (grandparents 

and others) in their lives. 

Joan Schrager Cohen’s book, 

Helping Your Grandchildren 

Through Their Parents’ Divorce, 

offers practical wisdom 

about how to talk to grandchildren 

about the divorce, handson 

activities for grandparents 

who live nearby and ways to offer 

grandchildren long-distance 

support, guidelines for maintaining 

family traditions, and 

more. 

Children’s pain is not always 

obvious, but it is there. 

Healing A Child’s Heart After 

Divorce: 100 Practical Ideas 

For Families, Friends, And 

Caregivers by Alan Wolfelt and 

Raelynn Maloney offers realistic, 

do-able ways to be the caring 

adults in these children’s lives. 

Also helpful for catechists, 

teachers and coaches. 

What might grown children 

of divorce need when they are 

ready to marry? In their book, 

Adult Children Of Divorced 

Parents: Making Your Marriage 

Work, family therapists 

Beverly and Tom Rodgers, both 

from divorced families, provide 

proven exercises that help readers 

heal from four major wounds 

relating to trust, fear, insecurity 

and the lack of a mentor, so they 

The 

Bureau Drawer 

By Susan Stith 

Doing The Best 

With A Sad Situation 

can move on to a successful 

marriage. 

Divorce breaks the hearts 

of so many! It is a humbling 

experience to feel so helpless 

to change things, to watch 

loved ones as they grieve and 

struggle to rebuild their lives. 

We can’t take away the pain, but 

we can walk with them. There 

are practical things we can do. 

The above resources offer useful 

tools and give us concrete ways 

to show our love! 

The books and DVDs mentioned 

above can be borrowed 

through the mail from our diocesan 

Family Life Office: familylife@dioceseaj.org 

or 814-886- 

5551. These would be useful 

additions to your parish library. 

When last the Church’s calendar turned from a season of celebration 

to the inelegantly named “Ordinary Time,” I wrote a column 

touting the idea that Ordinary Time is the heart of the Christian life 

- - that we work out our salvation by living through the highs and 

lows of ordinary life: I wrote then: “We live out the bulk of our days in 

Ordinary Time. There’s nothing special about Ordinary Time - - only 

the extraordinarily special fact that God gave us each day of Ordinary 

Time, and on each and every one of those days, we have a new opportunity 

to meet Him and greet Him, and come to a deeper relationship 

with Him. There are highs and lows in every life, seasons of 

celebration and seasons of sadness, but most days of most lives are 

ordinary days - - ordinary time, when we plug along, doing our best, 

praying and praising God, serving Him and His holy people, and striving 

to keep our heads above water.” 

When I wrote those words, who could have predicted that before 

the next hiatus in Ordinary Time, Pope Benedict XVI would announce 

his intention to resign from the papacy? Who could have foreseen 

that at the end of the second week of Lent, the Church would be 

without a Pope? How could we have known in January that by mid 

– March a new Pope would be elected, and that the glorious Easter 

season would be marked by the opening days of the pontificate of 

Pope Francis? And now, here comes Ordinary Time, again. As we 

enter again into these green days of fresh hopes and new beginnings, 

I will venture another prediction: this year, Ordinary Time is 

more significant than it has ever been before. Now we have to settle 

down, settle in and get used to our new Pope and what his papacy 

will mean for the life of the Church. We have to find out what it means 

for Pope Francis to be Pope in Ordinary Time. 

Pope Francis burst onto the scene as we celebrated new life 

at Easter. He came to us life a fresh breeze or a bracing wind: the 

stories of his down – to – earth approach to life, his shunning of 

pomp and circumstance, his willingness to be seen as a man, a mere 

mortal like the rest of us, was all refreshing. There was a “feel good 

factor” at work in the first days and weeks of Pope Francis’ pontificate. 

The world was intrigued and sat up and paid attention. But 

what happens now? What happens as we get accustomed to the 

idea of Pope Francis? Will we continue to be excited by the message 

he conveys, or will we soon start to complain and moan and groan 

about the Vatican getting back to “business as usual.” Ordinary Time 

will prove to be a critical time for this pontificate. 

The signs are already out there that the honeymoon might be 

over. In an address to the International Union of Superiors General, 

a group representing women religious all over the world, the Holy 

Father made the point that you can’t love Jesus if you don’t love His 

Church. He also spoke of Sisters’ vow of chastity as a kind of “consecrated 

motherhood.” Critics began to call “foul” - - intimating that the 

new Pope was just another old misogynist who doesn’t understand 

women, and who wants everyone to put obedience to the Church 

before the call of conscience. Yet, what else could Pope Francis 

say? As Pope, he is guardian of the truth, and he is called to speak 

the truth. That’s the ordinary work of a Pope. That’s his task not only 

during times of celebration, but most especially in Ordinary Time. 

We welcomed our new Pope almost unrestrainedly when we 

first met him. But now is the time for us to embrace him and stand 

behind him. He is called to proclaim the good news in season and 

out of season, but mainly, during the course of Ordinary Time. And 

his message will be an extraordinarily ordinary one: love Jesus, love 

His Church, and love one another as He has loved you. Strip away 

the hoopla, and there you have the work of a lifetime - - a lifetime of 

ordinary time.


NEIGHBORING PARISHES: Neighboring Windber parishes, Saints Cyril and Methodius, and Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, celebrated Confirmation on Sunday, April 21. 

Pictured at left, from Saints Cyril and Methodius Parish are (left to right) Kevin Charney, Joel Mattis, Bradon Lovenduski, Steven Pipon and Brett Yonish (catechist). Father 

George M. Gulash is pastor. Pictured at right, from Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish are (left to right) First row: Father Leonard E. Voytek (pastor), Annalee Tokarsky, Ashley 

Hintosh, Kelsey Allison. Second row: Brandon Kaiser, Jesse Sloan, Matthew Kot, Michael Somiari. Third row: John Suto, Matthew Poplinski, Daniel Layton, Bryce Spak 

and Brett Yonish (catechist). 

SENIORS HONORED: Saint Michael Parish, Saint Michael celebrated their Senior Sunday Mass on April 28. All of the seniors were presented with The New Catholic 

Answer Bible blessed by Father Charles Bodziak as a gift from the parish. Pictured at left are (left to right) First row: Dennis Richardson, Ethan Gabany, Briana Kostan, Julia 

Barton, Hannah Blanchetti, Sara Kakabar, Briannah Baxter and Alexis Swanson. Second row: Deacon Dave Hornick, Austin Danel, Zachary Pinkas, Nicholas Panick, Jared 

Bunn, Logan McCall, Tim Kestermont and Father Charles Bodziak. Three of the students were also presented with a $250.00 REACH Service Award funded through The 

Community Foundation of the Alleghenies in recognition for having the most cumulative service time in the parish’s REACH Youth Ministry Program. Pictured at right are 

(left to right) Deacon Dave Hornick, Austin Danel, Alexis Swanson, Jared Bunn and Father Charles Bodziak. 

SAINT MICHAEL: Saint Michael Parish, Saint Michael, celebrated Confirmation 

on Thursday, April 4. Pictured are (left to right) First row: Michael Barton, Jr. 

(catechist), Renae Kakabar, Madeline Docherty, Kayla Walls, Tori Dibble, Pauline 

Minor(catechist). Second row: Rachel Blanchetti, Megan Kostan, Kara Hritz, Jenna 

Weis, Derek Yoder, Madison Kundrod. Third Row: Cory Hribar, Deacon Dave Hornick, 

Tyler Volcjak, Nicole Richards, Mitchell Leach, Mark Bambino, Victoria Pinkas 

and Father Charles Bodziak (pastor). 

MOST HOLY TRINITY, SOUTH FORK: Most Holy Trinity Parish, South Fork, 

celebrated Confirmation on Thursday, April 4. Pictured are (left to right) Anthony 

Gibson, Kelsey Richardson, Cassidy Dodson, Marissa Williams, Jennifer Rosmus, 

Kayla Maticic and Father Robert Reese (pastor). The Confirmation class presented 

Father Reese and the parish with an olive wood crucifix to be placed in the church’s 

votive shrine.


SAINT ANNE: Celebrating May Crowning at Saint Anne Parish, 

Johnstown, were (left to right) First row: Aubrie Shingler, Adalin 

Matejovich, Emma Matejovich, Devyn Shingler. Second row: Leah 

Amsdell, Kendal Shingler and Erica Amsdell. Franciscan Father 

Bernard Karmanocky is pastor. 


Religious Life 

FRANKIE AWARDS: Saint Francis University, Loretto, presented the 2013 Mr. Frankie and Miss 

Frankie Awards on Tuesday, April 23. Pictured (left to right) are: Mr. Frankie, Thomas Johnson; Saint 

Francis President Third Order Regular Franciscan Father Gabriel Zeis; and Miss Frankie, Christina 

Rombouts. 

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New Monastery 

Bakerstown: On Monday, 

April 22, the Benedictine 

Sisters of Pittsburgh, who were 

founded in Carrolltown in 1870 

and taught in the diocese of Altoona 

- Johnstown for over 100 

years, moved from their monastery 

located at 4530 Perrysville 

Avenue in Ross Township to the 

new Saint Benedict Monastery 

at 3526 Bakerstown Road. 

The Benedictine Sisters 

of Pittsburgh moved from Carrolltown 

to Allegheny City in 

the mid-1880’s. In 1926, they 

moved to the monastery in Ross 

Township and opened Saint 

Benedict Academy. They have 

been serving in western Pennsylvania 

and beyond in a wide 

variety of ministries for 143 

years. 

This community of 50 monastic 

women built the monastery 

in Bakerstown as part of an 

overall plan to be good stewards 

of their financial resources and 

personnel. They are committed 

to continue living the 1500 

year old Benedictine tradition 

of seeking God in community, 

prayer and ministry. 

The new monastery will 

serve as their home and the base 

from which their collaborative 

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI: First Holy Communion was celebrated at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, 

Johnstown, on Sunday, April 14. Pictured are (left to right) First row: Marcus Zierer, Kelsa Migut, 

Alana Murphy, Branden Wincer, Samantha Migut, Addison Gates, Lindsay Weaver. Second row: Brent 

Zierer, Sierra Fisher, Paige Goggin, Conventual Franciscan Father Anthony Francis Spilka (pastor), 

Christian Haberkorn, Connor Haberkorn, Andrew Zierer and Cecilia Neiderer (catechist). 

ministries flow as the Sisters 

continue to reach out to others 

in education, health care, the 

arts, spiritual direction and other 

services. They will be seeking 

new ways to minister to others 

in their new location. 

The Sisters are looking forward 

to inviting their families, 

friends and benefactors, and 

their new neighbors to visit the 

new monastery. Dates for these 

events will be announced in the 

near future. 

Schools 

Math Competition 

Loretto: The seventh annual 

24 Challenge math competition 

was held on Friday, April 

26, at Saint Michael School. 

Sixty students from schools 

in the Altoona - Johnstown Diocese 

participated in the competition. 

Awards were given to the 

top four students in each of five 

different grade level categories. 

Denise Nairn, a teacher at Saint 

Benedict School in Johnstown, 

organized the event. The award 

winners are as follows: 

Grade 4: 1st Place – 

Jack Majercsik – Saint Benedict, 

Johnstown; 

2nd Place – Jordan Benshoff 

– Saint Benedict, Johnstown; 

3rd Place – Caitlyn Dale – 

Lock Haven Catholic; 

(Continued On Page 13.)


Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

In this edition of The Catholic Register, we are providing 

you an annual report on the finances of the Diocese 

of Altoona-Johnstown for the fiscal year ending on June 

30, 2012. And, once again, the certified public accounting 

firm of Reilly, Creppage & Co., Inc. has given us an 

unqualified opinion as to our financial management. 

As we celebrate the Holy Spirit among us during these 

Pentecost days, it is a time of renewed joy and hope in 

our Church. The recent election of Pope Francis also 

brings excitement and optimism for Catholics around 

the world. Indeed, it is a time to celebrate the present 

and look to the future. 

Here in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, there is 

good news to report with regard to our financial situation. 

For the first time in two decades, our cash balance 

in our operating fund was positive at the end of 

the 2011-2012 fiscal year. As we welcome that news, 

we are striving to be even more efficient with our valuable 

resources. For example, I recently commissioned 

a study our 20 Catholic elementary schools to ensure 

that Catholic education in the Diocese remains strong 

and efficient in the future. A committee, comprised of 14 

individuals with educational and/or financial expertise, 

will study areas including faith formation, governance, 

finances, enrollment, curriculum, technology, facilities, 

extra curricular activities, marketing, and development. 

And speaking of education, I am happy to report that the 

four independent Catholic high schools in the Diocese 

continue to grow financially stronger thanks to the work 

of the Boards of Trustees that manage the schools’ dayto-day 

business operations. This past fiscal year, the 

Diocese was able to reduce that amount of subsidy paid 

to those schools. 

Despite that encouraging news, challenges remain. 

Soon, we must address significant maintenance issues 

with church buildings and other Diocesan properties. 

Some problems have been put on hold for too long, and 

tackling the issues will likely come with a large price 

tag. We must also continue our efforts to help Catholic 

Charities help others. Keeping in mind the words of Jesus, 

“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers 

of mine, you did for me,” the agency assists individuals 

and families with emergency financial help, counseling, 

and adoption services. Despite serving countless people 

every year, Catholic Charities still must turn away 

many others in this difficult economy. 

Together, we can meet these challenges. As always, 

I am grateful for your continued prayers and support. 

Please know that you, too, remain in my prayers. May 

our Risen Lord richly bless you, and may He continue to 

bless the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. 

Sincerely in Christ, 

Most Reverend Mark L. Bartchak 

Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown 

The Secretariat for Temporalities in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has a mission 

to support the diocesan bishop in the stewardship of temporal assets within the 8-county 

region of its local church. It achieves this mission through the development, management, 

and accounting of its temporal goods and services for the diocese’s parishes, 

elementary schools, agencies and administrative offices. 

The Finance Office ensures that internal controls are in place to safeguard church 

assets, and that financial activity is accounted for properly. Reviews of internal controls 

at parishes and elementary schools are done to help them be good stewards of their 

respective assets. 

The Diocesan Finance Council meets 5 times each year to provide advice to the 

bishop on the management of temporal affairs, including annual budgets for revenues 

and expenses. A member of the Finance Council serves as the Chair of the Mutual Aid 

Plan Advisory Council, which oversees the deposit-and-loan operation of the Mutual 

Aid Plan Trust. The individuals that provide their time and talent on these councils are 

shown separately in this report. 

The financial statements in this report reflect the accounting of the diocesan offices 

for the past 3 years, including Catholic Charities. Parishes and schools produce their 

own separate reports and are not included here. Also not included are the separate 

funds kept by the Diocese for Second Century scholarships, medical benefits, pensions 

and insurance, and building values. The numbers shown here are from the Diocese’s 

audited financial statements, with a “clean” opinion each year by the independent auditor, 

Reilly, Creppage & Company. A clean opinion means the statements fairly presented 

the financial position in all material respects. 

The Central Office of the Diocese receives about 80% of its annual income from 

3 sources: the Cathedraticum (known as the Parish Assessment); the Education & 

Evangelization Assessment; and the Annual Catholic Appeal. The amounts for all 3 of 

these are predetermined as a percentage of parish incomes. As parish income goes up 

or down, so does the diocesan income. This requires the Diocese to adjust its spending 

according to the economics of its parishes. In addition to this restriction, the diocesan 

budgets for the past several years have successfully trimmed spending wherever 

it could without sacrificing important ministries. 

In the most recent fiscal year that ended June 30, 2012, some notable things happened. 

The cash balance at the end of the year was a positive balance for the first time in 

20 years! An extra contribution of $250,000 was made to the Pension Plan for Lay Employees 

to reduce the unfunded liability for future retirees. The amount of subsidy paid 

to support the independent high schools was reduced by ($97,818), from $1,660,229 to 

$1,562,411. The money saved by this reduction was used to help pay for evangelization 

costs in the offices of Religious Education, Youth Ministry, Campus Ministry, and the 

Fulton County Mission. 

In recent years, when many of our own faithful are feeling the impact of a slow moving 

economy, it is gratifying to know that it is still a priority to give financial support to our 

local churches and schools. The works of the Diocese depend upon that generosity. On 

behalf of all the hard-working people that carry out your diocesan ministries – Thank you! 

Larry R. Sutton 

Chief Financial Officer 

The Diocese 

Of Altoona - Johnstown 

Financial Accountability Report 

For Year Ended June 30, 2012


The Diocesan Finance Council 

The Diocesan Finance Council is a consultative body for 

the diocesan bishop that is required to exist by the Code of 

Canon Law, the universal law of the Catholic Church. In this 

Diocese, a Finance Council has been in place since 1988. It 

meets 5 times per year in the presence of the Bishop, providing 

guidance and recommendations on all matters of finance 

and business practices. The Council reviews the annual budget, 

interim financial reports during the year, and the audited 

statements at the end of the year. It also monitors the activity 

of the Mutual Aid Plan Advisory Council. The Chief Financial 

Officer of the Diocese provides staff support to the Council, 

and works closely with the bishop in planning the meetings. 

As of June 30, 2012 the members of the Finance Council 

were: 

Mr. Mark Thomas, Chair 

Rev. Donald Dusza, liaison to Presbyteral Council 

Mr. David Andrews 

Rev. James Crookston 

Mrs. Lynda Holtz 

Mr. Anthony Kamnikar 

Mrs. Barbara Kooman 

Mr. Thomas Koppman 

Mr. D. C. Nokes, Jr. 

Mr. Mark Stevenson 

Ms. Kathy Wagner 

Mr. Thomas Weimer 

The Mutual Aid Plan Advisory Council 

The Mutual Aid Plan Trust is a deposit-and-loan fund for 

the exclusive participation of, and support to, the parishes, 

schools, and agencies of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. 

It was established in 1957 as a mechanism to use the strength 

of combined parish cash reserves to promote the common 

good. In 1995, the Mutual Aid Plan Advisory Council was created 

to promote and enhance the transparency and accountability 

of the Mutual Aid Plan. The members are appointed 

by the Bishop for 3 year terms, and the Chair is a member of 

the Diocesan Finance Council. The Council meets 4 times 

per year. Its main responsibilities are to ensure sound fiscal 

policies to preserve the assets of the Plan by prudent investment 

practices, reasonable loan practices, and transparent 

reporting of operations to depositors. On April 4, 2012, the 

assets of the Mutual Aid Plan were placed into a legal Trust to 

clearly define each depositor as the owner of their respective 

accounts. As of June 30, 2012 the members of the Mutual Aid 

Plan Advisory Council were: 

Mr. Mark Stevenson, Chair 

Mr. Larry Sutton, ex-officio as CFO 

Ms. Pam Fuller 

Mr. Victor Gioiosa, Jr. 

Mr. Samuel Piccioni 

Mr. Matthew Reilly 

Rev. Msgr. Michael Servinsky 

Ms. Kathy Wagner 

Diocese Of Altoona - Johnstown/Central Office 

tatements of Financial Position As of June 30 

2012 2011 2010 

ssets 

ash and cash equivalents $499,632 -$122,520 -$1,236,391 

ccounts and interest receivable, net 1,532,237 1,595,441 2,029,364 

ontributions receivable, net 590,483 689,516 985,903 

otes receivable-other 173,003 183,252 240,190 

nvestments 174,411 171,622 131,043 

ther assets, including prepaid pension costs 3,000 3,000 3,940 

otal Assets $2,972,766 $2,520,311 $2,154,049 

iabilities 

ccounts payable $154,381 $126,630 $122,066 

ccrued liabilities 23,693 26,266 205,026 

eferred revenues 327,911 320,690 119,000 

otal Liabilities 505,985 473,586 446,092 

et Assets 

nrestricted 1,885,077 1,435,148 1,110,839 

emporarily restricted 581,704 611,577 597,118 

ermanently restricted 0 0 0 

otal Net Assets 2,466,781 2,046,725 1,707,957 

otal Liabilities and Net Assets $2,972,766 $2,520,311 $2,154,049


Diocese Of Altoona - Johnstown/Central Office 

Revenues And Expenditures For Years Ended June 30 2012 2011 2010 

Revenues And Gains 

Cathedraticum (Parish Assessment) $1,614,682 $1,569,862 $1,553,145 

Education & Evangelization Assessment 2,154,210 2,070,024 2,100,511 

Contributions and pledges (includes Annual Appeal) 2,812,486 2,617,712 2,709,847 

Program revenues 771,737 1,124,167 1,195,724 

Investment income 6,286 7,132 23,452 

Other-including transfers 733,808 557,290 432,677 

Total revenues and gains 8,093,209 7,946,187 8,015,356 

Net Assets released from restrictions 47,289 67,389 23,159 

Total Revenues, Gains And Other Support $8,140,498 $8,013,576 $8,038, 515 

Expenses And Losses 

Evangelization Secretariat 

Education Office 239,663 243,800 426,378 

Religious Education 40,646 40,459 36,885 

Youth Ministry 170,565 149,772 160,122 

Campus Ministry 448,299 408,528 397,758 

Pastoral Services Secretariat 

Catholic Charities, Inc. 659,826 709,826 653,335 

Fulton County Mission 77,077 76,041 74,339 

Leadership And Ministry Secretariat 

Liturgy 99,363 72,584 69,782 

Priests Vocations 181,742 149,510 187,636 

Office of Ongoing Formation 122,486 101,603 109,431 

Diaconal Formation 106,469 97,059 76,226 

Family Life 172,293 166,173 163,027 

Parish Life 90,522 72,087 104,763 

Temporalities Secretariat 

Finance 569,761 716,518 572,663 

Information Technology 330,156 334,722 290,269 

Development 360,661 367,737 345,152 

Dmitri Manor 77,060 50,150 48,290 

Facilities & Maintenance 229,521 223,681 214,055 

Chancery Secretariat 

Chancery Office $651,614 $640,155 $645,979 

Tribunal 74,532 71,386 83,168 

The Catholic Register 314,253 315,079 313,162 

Communications Office 79,026 75,525 74,753 

Proclaim TV 32,500 32,900 32,500 

Chaplains (Hospitals, Prisons) 344,108 364,652 365,040 

Assessments to Rome, USCCB & PCC 82,140 75,064 74,259 

Other 

Diocesan High School Subsidies 1,562,411 1,660,229 1,660,229 

Diocesan Elementary School Subsidies 200,000 174,027 184,083 

Transfers to Pension Fund & Plant Fund 373,875 300,000 250,000 

Total Expenses And Losses $7,690,569 $7,689,267 $7,613,284

age 10 The Catholic Register, May 20, 2013 

2012 2011 2010 

Changes In Unrestricted Net Assets 

Additional minimum pension liability 449,929 324,309 425,231 

Changes in Temporarily Restricted Net Assets 

Contributions and other increases 17,416 81,848 22,353 

Net assets released from restrictions -47,289 -67,389 -23,159 

Changes in Permanently Restricted Net Assets 

Contributions 0 0 0 

Net assets released from restrictions 0 0 0 

Net Assets at beginning of year 2,046,725 1,707,957 1,283,532 

Net Assets At End Of Year $2,466,781 $2,046,725 $1,707,957 

Diocese Of Altoona - Catholic Charities 

Revenues And Expenditures For Years Ended June 30 2012 2011 2010 

evenues And Gains 

iocesan subsidy-Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown 659,826 709,826 653,335 

ontributions and bequests 187,583 160,311 144,181 

nvestment income 1,815 2,599 1,861 

nited Way 63,429 54,586 59,633 

ther revenue 47,506 50,333 44,574 

otal revenues and gains 960,159 977,655 903,584 

et Assets released from restrictions 126,236 103,920 166,259 

Total Revenues, Gains And Other Support $1,086,395 $1,081,575 $1,069,843 

Expenses And Losses 

Program Expenses - Direct 

Financial Assistance 258,529 237,334 347,607 

Counseling Services 407,804 393,169 393,019 

General Expenses 

Payroll 68,808 97,130 92,701 

Employee benefits 126,917 135,670 127,753 

Payroll taxes 33,803 32,587 31,266 

Professional fees 5,468 2,665 5,000 

Office supplies 6,002 14,958 10,976 

Telephone 11,110 11,187 10,686 

Postage and shipping 1,661 2,531 2,481 

Rent 41,728 40,878 34,931 

Utilities 7,984 9,434 7,067 

Equipment repairs and maintenance 19,852 25,315 25,935 

Insurance 299 290 290 

Travel 8,351 5,913 8,545 

Dues and subscriptions 937 2,426 1,475 

Depreciation 3,197 4,118 8,168 

Religious costs 10,000 14,400 14,228 

Miscellaneous 3,279 15,148 5,461 

Total Expenses And Losses $1,015,729 $1,045,153 $1,127,589 

Changes in Unrestricted Net Assets 

70,666 36,422 -57,746 

Changes in Temporarily Restricted Net Assets 

Grants 126,236 103,920 166,259 

Investment Income 304 356 492 

Net assets released from restrictions -126,236 -103,920 -166,259 

Net Assets at beginning of year 269,973 233,195 290,449 

Net Assets at end of year $340,943 $269,973 $233,195

iPAD INITIATIVE: Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School students 

work on their new iPads during a recent class. The school has 

launched an initiative that will put an iPad in every student’s hands 

by January. BGCHS officials say the plan will eliminate the need for 

physical text books and enhance the educational experience in the 

classroom. 

iPads Replacing Books 

At Guilfoyle 

President of the school. “Technology 

is so integral to everything 

we do at BG. The iPads 

are going to give our students 

the chance to be skilled users 

while educating them. That’s 

valuable.” 

According to Kristofco, 

Guilfoyle technology committee 

members visited the Erie 

schools about a year ago to get a 

better idea of how the initiative 

was implemented and is working 

there. Last summer, several 

BG teachers began exploring the 

various teaching options available 

with the technology. Cathy 

Schimminger, the school’s Information 

Technology Coordinator, 

also conducted training 

sessions for the educators. 

Not long ago, the seniors 

received their iPads and began 

using them as part of their daily 

routine. It was a major step 

forward in an overall plan that 

is changing the classroom and 

homework experience for good. 

Since text books will either 

be scanned into the iPad or purchased 

electronically, the physical 

books will soon become obsolete 

at Bishop Guilfoyle. The 

school is also taking advantage 

of many free apps to enhance the 

learning and creative processes. 

Plus, students can use the devices 

for audio-visual presentations. 

Gone, too, will be the days 

of frantic note-taking. Rather, 

students can simply use the 

built-in camera to snap a photo 

of the chalk board. And students 

who are out sick can stay on top 

of their work more easily since 

lessons can be sent to them electronically. 

The benefits, school officials 

say, are immeasurable. 

“We want to prepare our 

students to be able to achieve 

at the highest level,” Kristofco 

said. “Having the experience of 

learning through the use of these 

tools and with access to a world 

of educational content will help 

us do that.” 

Even though some teachers 

are finding themselves in 

the same boat as students in 

adapting to this new technology 

initiative, the educators are 

embracing the opportunities and 


13-AB-0277.Catholic Register_AD_rvsd.pdf 1 4/29/13 10:21 AM 

looking for ways to grow. 

“I am thrilled about having 

iPads in the classroom,” said 

math and science teacher Suzanne 

Thoma. “In physics, we 

will be able to graph data from 

labs while conducting the experiments 

along with iPad simulations.” 

Added Thoma, “I am also 

using the iPad for creative ideas 

for classroom lessons. An example 

is the iPad graphing calculator 

which I use in both Calculus 

and Physics classes. By 

displaying this iPad program to 

the class on my Smartboard, we 

have an interactive collaboration 

lesson immediately.” 

Music teacher Brett Keith 

said apps allow the iPad to be an 

instant musical instrument such 

as a guitar or personal keyboard. 

“The device can function 

as a low end recording studio 

for musical creation,” he added. 

“And I can play a musical example 

wirelessly without juggling 

multiple CDs and other audio 

components.” 

As Guilfoyle aims to boost 

its enrollment to at least 400 

students in the near future, the 

iPad initiative will likely attract 

more students and families to 

the school, Kristofco said, since 

it is so unique. 

Amanda Walker, director 

of marketing and enrollment at 

the school, said the plan is also a 

plus for promoting the school’s 

international student program. 

“Every student I interview, 

I tell them about our iPad initiative,” 

she said. “It’s definitely an 

enticement to gain the cultural 

diversity we want.” 

Walker recalled a Skype 

interview she conducted with a 

potential Chinese exchange student. 

She said the student started 

jumping up and down and clapping 

when she heard about the 

iPads. 

By Tony DeGol 

The days of students lugging 

around text books will soon 

be a thing of the past at Bishop 

Guilfoyle Catholic High School. 

The school has launched a 

technology initiative that will 

put an iPad into the hands of every 

BG student by January. 

Following in the footsteps 

of Erie Cathedral Prep and 

Villa Maria Academy in Erie, 

which implemented similar programs 

almost a decade ago, the 

BGCHS Board of Trustees approved 

the plan recently. And 

thanks to the generosity of at 

least one major donor, the initiative 

is off and running. 

Already, seniors are using 

the iPads for their classes. At the 

start of the 2013-2014 school 

year, all junior and senior students 

will have iPads. Freshmen 

and sophomores will have them 

in January. 

“We felt that giving the 

teachers the appropriate training 

and then giving every student an 

iPad will not only improve the 

educational experience, but it 

would provide to us a strategic 

advantage as we attempt to attract 

families and students to our 

program,” said Tom Kristofco,


Native American Figures 

Discovered In Vatican Fresco 


“The Borgia pope was interested 

in the New World,” 

Paolucci said. The process of 

decorating the apartments finished 

in 1494 and it is unlikely 

the pope “was in the dark about 

what Columbus saw when he arrived 

to the ends of the earth.” 

Fresco restoration seems to 

be a lot like unwrapping a grabbag 

gift: You never know what 

you’ll find by peeling away layers 

of centuries-old grime, water 

damage or botched painting repairs. 

Experts working on the 

Vatican’s catacombs of St. Thecla 

uncovered what’s believed to 

be the oldest known depiction of 

St. Paul and announced the find 

just a week before the apostle’s 

feast day on the tail end of the 

Pauline year in 2009. 

Blasting off limestone encrusting 

the painted ceiling with 

a laser revealed a fourth-century 

portrait that was so detailed and 

stunning “it took the restorers’ 

breath away,” the Vatican newspaper 

had reported. 

The image of a bald man 

with a stern expression, a high 

Holy Name Church 

Ebensburg 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 

June 7, 8 and 9 

Fun for 

all! 

Friday 

4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 

Fish dinner 

Baked or Fried 

adults $ 9.00 

Children under 12 $ 4.50 

sunday 

turkey dinner 

11:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

- and - 

ham dinner 

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

adults $ 8.00 

Children under 12 $ 4.00 

52 nd 

annual 

Festival 

Basket Raffle 

Beautiful Selection 

of over 100 Baskets! 

• Giant Flea market 

• entertainment 

• amusements 

2013 Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible 

drawing - sunday, June 9 th @ 10 p.m. 

www.HolyNameShelby.com 

Food • Baked Goods • Booths • Games 

forehead, large eyes, distinctive 

nose and a dark tapered beard 

matched images of St. Paul from 

later centuries, experts said. 

Continued cleanings in the 

burial chamber in 2010 exposed 

what experts claimed were the 

oldest existing paintings of Sts. 

Peter, Paul, Andrew and John. 

If just scrubbing and 

scraping can lead to surprises, 

imagine what happens when 

advanced technology lets you 

snoop in places that had been inaccessible 

for centuries. 

Archeologists had always 

been curious to find out what 

was inside an enormous marble 

sarcophagus -- the presumed 

tomb of St. Paul, in Rome’s 

Basilica of St. Paul Outside the 

Walls. 

Because part of the sarcophagus 

is wedged beneath 

building material and opening 

it would have meant demolishing 

the papal altar above it, it 

had never been opened in the 

20 or 19 centuries it was there, 

Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza 

di Montezemolo, the basilica’s 

former archpriest, said in 2009. 

Vatican engineers tried using 

an X-ray, but the 10-inchthick 

marble was impenetrable. 

Finally a very small perforation 

was drilled into the marble 

to insert a small probe and 

withdraw fragments of what was 

inside. Experts said they found 

traces of purple linen, a blue fabric 

with linen threads, grains of 

red incense and bone fragments 

that date from the time of the 

apostle’s death. 

Pope Benedict XVI announced 

the historic findings 

to the world on the eve of the 

saint’s feast day saying “This 

seems to confirm the unanimous 

and uncontested tradition that 

they are the mortal remains of 

the Apostle Paul.” 

But you don’t have to restore 

artwork or dig underground 

to find hidden gems. 

Simple Vatican offices and 

storerooms are a packrat’s paradise 

with one man’s scrap being 

another man’s treasure. 

CNS Photo/Courtesy Of Vatican Museums 

THE RESURRECTION: Renaissance master Pintoricchio’s fresco 

of “The Resurrection” in the Vatican’s Borgia Apartments is seen 

in this photo provided by the Vatican Museums. The director of the 

museums, Antonio Paolucci, said he believes restorers have uncovered 

in the fresco the first painted depictions of Native Americans. 

The images of “nude men, ornate with feathers” appear in the background 

underneath the risen Christ figure. 

Archivists of the Fabbrica 

di San Pietro, the Vatican office 

responsible for the basilica’s 

construction, repairs and 

maintenance, have mountains 

of manuscripts, antique receipts 

and crinkled memos to sort, curate 

and preserve. 

In 2007, they discovered 

a rare sketch by Michelangelo 

Buonarroti on the back of a torn 

piece of paper scribbled with 

workmen’s notes. 

Some believe this 1563 

drawing of the dome of St. Peter’s 

Basilica may be the last 

surviving example of the Renaissance 

master’s work before 

his death in 1564. 

His working sketches of 

the basilica are rare because he 

regularly ordered the drawings 

to be destroyed or burned them 

himself to prevent their sale on 

the market. 

Made with dark red chalk 

lines, the sketch shows a partial 

plan of the columns of the cupola 

drum and was probably used 

to give foremen at the quarries 

an idea how the stone would be 

used in the structure. 

But, as sometimes happened, 

the buffalo-pulled wagon 

carrying the stone was blockaded 

by angry landowners, 

who were upset the heavy loads 

would damage their property. 

The basilica employee traveling 

with the consignment tore 

the design into a smaller sheet 

and wrote on the back about his 

predicament to his superiors in 

Rome. 

Someone in the basilica’s 

business office dealing with 

paying out damage fees used the 

same sheet, but scribbled a draft 

of their official order of payment 

-- on top of the design. 

The note-cum-sketch was 

thus filed away in a sea of documents 

in the accounts office 

archive to be discovered more 

than four centuries later.

In The Alleghenies 


SECOND CENTURY RECEPTION: Bishop Mark L. Bartchak and Sister of Charity Donna Marie 

Leiden, director of education, presented Certificates of Appreciation to the Second Century Fund’s EITC 

contributors from Centre County on Monday, May 6. Business owners, finance officers and accountants 

are invited to learn how to earn EITC tax credits by attending receptions in Altoona on Tuesday, May 

21 and Johnstown on Wednesday, June 5. To register, please contact the Development Office at (814) 

695 - 5577. 


4th Place – Nathan Staib – 

Our Mother of Sorrows, Johnstown. 


Max Smith – Saint Benedict, 


2nd Place – Travis Nace – 

Saint Benedict, Johnstown; 

3rd Place – Wyatt Kosicki – 

Saint Michael, Loretto; 

4th Place – Sara Muriceak – 

All Saints Catholic, Cresson. 


Ashley Hunsicker – Saint Benedict, 


2nd Place – Alex Brisko – 

Saint Benedict, Johnstown; 

3rd Place – Kayla Repko – 

All Saints Catholic, Cresson; 

4th Place – Matthew Byrne 

– St. Michael, Loretto. 


Hogan Helsel – Saint Benedict, 


2nd Place – John Hegemann 

– All Saints Catholic, Cresson; 

3rd Place – Kristin Diehl – 

Our Mother Of Sorrows, Johnstown; 

4th Place – Zachary Bohrer 

– St. Michael, Loretto. 


Matthew Gaborek – Cathedral 

Catholic Academy, Johnstown; 

2nd Place – Carmine Cannizzaro 

– Saint Benedict, Johnstown; 

3rd Place – Jacob Bowen – 

All Saints Catholic, Cresson; 

4th Place – Jacob Schulte – 

Saint Benedict, Carrolltown. 

Vocations 

Prayer And Service 

Greensburg: The Sisters 

of Charity of Seton Hill invite 

single Catholic women ages 18 

to 40 to “Pray and Serve” with 

them June 20 - 24. Participants 

of these service days will have 

the opportunity to reach out 

to those in need in Fayette and 

Westmoreland Counties. In addition 

to providing service to the 

underserved and marginalized, 

guests will have opportunities 

to reflect on the experience of 

service in the spirit and tradition 

of charity, shared prayer and 

Eucharistic Liturgy, enjoy quiet 

time inside and outside, interact 

with the Sisters of Charity, 

meet new people, and make new 

friends. 

The service experience will 

begin with dinner on Thursday 

evening, June 20, after guests arrive 

at 6:00 p.m. Friday through 

Sunday, June 21–23, will be full 

days of prayer, service, liturgy, 

fun, sharing, reflection, and 

great food. The program will 

conclude on Monday morning, 

June 24, after morning liturgy, 

prayer, breakfast, and a departure 

blessing. There is no fee. 

For more information, contact 

Sister Barbara Ann Smelko 

at 724-836-0406, ext. 622, or 

bsmelko@scsh.org. Brochures 

and registration forms are available 

for download at www.scsh. 

org. 

The Sisters of Charity of 

Seton Hill were founded at Saint 

John Parish in Altoona in 1870. 

Celebrating over 23 years of 

supporting the Ministries in the 

Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown 

Donor Advised Funds 

Created so the donor can 

change who receives the 

annual distribution of funds. 

These may offer immediate tax 

advantages. 

Create a permanent legacy to 

honour a loved one 

Bill Hiergeist, Executive Director 

3618 Fifth Ave., Suite 1 

Altoona, PA 16602 

(814) 201-2080 

www.icfdaj.org 

SAINT THOMAS MORE: Celebrating Confirmation at Saint 

Thomas More Parish, Roaring Spring, were (left to right) Dr. William 

Kirsch (catechist), Megan Liebal, Benjamin Decker, Ivy Tomlinson, 

Conor Gahagan and Alison Decker. Father Leo Lynch is 

pastor. 

FESTIVAL 

St. Clare of Assisi Parish 

110 - 124 Maple Avenue (Woodvale) Johnstown, PA 

June 8th (5-10 pm) & 

June 9th (Noon - 10 pm) 

Spaghetti Dinner 

Sunday, June 9th, 11am - 5pm 

Adults - $7 Children 12 & Under - $4 

“GRAND” PRIZE DRAWING SUNDAY 10PM 

NEW! Church Window Tours: Saturday 7 pm; Sunday 2 - 3 pm & 5 - 6 pm 

SATURDAY: 

SUNDAY: 

BASKET FAIR EACH DAY 

Winners Drawn Each Night @ 9:30 pm 

∗ GOOD FOOD! ∗ KIDS GAMES! ∗ 

∗ FAMILY FUN! ∗ 

Special Attractions: 

Rosie & The Jammers - 6 to 9:30 pm 

Red Dawg - Noon to 2 pm 

Frostbyte - 2 to 3 pm 

Jerry Intihar - 3 to 5 pm 

Frostbyte - 5 to 6 pm 

Jack & Barb LaBarko 

Oldies Show - 6 - 9:30 pm 

The deadline for submitting First Communion, Confirmation, 

Graduation or May Crowning photos for publication 

in The Catholic Register is Monday, July 15. No exceptions 

will be made to this deadline.


Now Showing 

‘42’ Is Uplifting, 

But Heavy - Handed 

By John Mulderig 

Catholic News Service 

NEW YORK (CNS) -- To 

paraphrase the title of an earlier 

movie about the national 

pastime, hate strikes out in the 

historical drama “42” (Warner 

Bros.). Writer-director Brian 

Helgeland’s uplifting -- if sometimes 

heavy-handed -- film recounts 

the 1947 reintegration of 

professional baseball after decades 

of segregated play. 

As Helgeland’s script shows 

us, this racial breakthrough 

-- which marked a significant 

milestone in the onward march 

of the civil rights movement 

-- was made possible by the 

Florist, Gifts, Greenhouses 

179 S. Montgomery Street, Hollidaysburg 

814-695-9431 

collaborative efforts of Brooklyn 

Dodgers general manager 

Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) 

and Negro League star Jackie 

Robinson (Chadwick Boseman). 

In the aftermath of World 

War II, Rickey was determined 

to add a black player to the roster 

of “Dem Bums.” In Robinson 

-- whose Dodgers uniform, 

once he eventually donned it, 

bore the number of the title -- 

Rickey found a sportsman with 

sufficient character to endure all 

the abuse that would have to be 

faced to make this change a reality. 

Rickey’s motivation was 

in part, of course, financial; in 

a diverse city like New York, 

integrated play would lead to 

an expanded fan base. But, if 

Since 1950 

Sunday Mass 

Broadcast Live from 

the Cathedral of 

the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona 

10:00 a.m. WFBG Radio, 1290 AM 

CNS Photo/Warner Bros. 

42: Lucas Black and Chadwick Boseman star in a scene from the movie “42.” The Catholic News 

Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- 

parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. 

the narrative here is accurate, 

both his vision and Robinson’s 

courage also can be attributed to 

their shared Christian faith. 

This bond is first indicated 

in a humorous way when Rickey, 

reviewing Robinson’s file, 

observes that everything is going 

to work out fine since “he’s 

a Methodist, I’m a Methodist, 

God’s a Methodist ... .” 

Later, in describing to Robinson 

the forbearance he will 

need to demonstrate, Rickey 

gravely compares it to that of 

“our Savior.” And, while remonstrating 

with a racist opponent, 

Rickey reminds him -- albeit 

somewhat jokingly -- that he 

will someday stand before God 

to be judged. 

Catholicism is only specifically 

referred to in passing -- and 

in a retrospectively curious light. 

Rickey learns from the commissioner 

of baseball that his manager, 

the legendary Leo Durocher 

(Christopher Meloni), is 

being suspended from the game 

for a year. The Catholic Youth 

Organization, it seems, objects 

to the flagrantly adulterous affair 

Durocher has been carrying on 

with his mistress. The organization’s 

threat of a boycott, so the 

commissioner assures Rickey, is 

not to be ignored. 

Robinson’s marriage, by 

contrast, is shown to be both a 

model of success and a crucial 

source of support in his struggle. 

As he courts and marries 

his sweetheart Rachel (Nicole 

Beharie) -- and as they embark 

on parenthood together -- she 

proves a tower of strength to her 

husband, by turns egging him on 

and cooling him down. 

Swelling music and other 

atmospherics occasionally convey 

the impression that Helgeland’s 

picture is too convinced 

of its own importance. But the 

proceedings are buoyed by the 

feisty righteousness with which 

Ford, in a splendid turn, endows 

Rickey and by the inspiring example 

of Robinson’s unbreakable 

determination. 

While the elements listed 

below would normally exclude 

youthful viewers, the moral impact 

of Rickey and Robinson’s 

history-altering partnership may 

make their story acceptable for 

older teens. 

The film contains an adultery 

theme, racial slurs, fleeting 

humor implicitly referencing 

homosexuality, a few uses of 

profanity, at least one crude term 

and occasional crass language. 

The Catholic News Service classification 

is A-III -- adults. The 

Motion Picture Association of 

America rating is PG-13 -- parents 

strongly cautioned. Some 

material may be inappropriate 

for children under 13. 

Coming Up On ‘Proclaim!’ 

Upcoming guests on “Keeping The Faith,” Bishop 

Mark L. Bartchak’s segment of “Proclaim!” 

will include: 

Sunday Mass Telecast 

Live from Saint John Gualbert Cathedral 

Downtown Johnstown 

11 a.m. - Noon WWCP - TV FOX Channel 8 

Proclaim! 

10:30 a.m. 

A half - hour of local Church news and features 

131 South Pleasant Ave., 

Somerset, PA 15501 

(1 block east of 

Somerset Hospital) 

Michael J. Fapore, R.Ph. 

814-443-9500 

“What a Pharmacy Was Meant To Be” 

May 26 - - Representatives of the graduating 

classes of Bishop Carroll, Bishop Guilfoyle, and 

Bishop McCort Catholic High Schools reflect on 

their years of Catholic education and look to the 

future. 

June 2 - - Kelsey Ingold, a member of Saint 

Francis Xavier Parish in Cresson, shares her 

experiences in Rome during the conclave and 

election of Pope Francis.

May 

They Rest 

In Peace 

Father Ignatius Smith 

O.S.B. 

Benedictine Father Ignatius 

Smith, 86, a monk of Saint 

Benedict Abbey, Atchison KS, 

died Saturday, April 27 at Atchison 

Hospital. 

The former John Smith was 

born August 31, 1926 in Wilmore, 

the son of the late Peter J. 

and Florence (Beyer) Smith. 

Survivng is a brother, 

Thomas of Canon City CO, 

and a sister, Rose Norris and 

husband, Joseph of Cresson; a 

niece, Gia Tanksley of Nashville 

TN; and a nephew, Joseph, of 

Cresson. 

Father Ignatius began religious 

life as a monk of Saint 

Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, 

where he made profession on 

September 23, 1946. As a monk 

in simple vows, he transferred 

his vow of monastic stability to 

Holy Cross Abbey, Canon City 

CO, a foundation from Saint 

Vincent. 

He was ordained to the 

priesthood December 18, 1954. 

Father Ignatius served in parish 

ministry in Colorado, and as 

prior of Holy Cross Abbey. 

When the decision was 

made in 2002 to close Holy 

Cross Abbey, Father Ignatius 

was appointed temporary superior 

during the time of transition. 

He later transferred his monastic 

vows to Saint Benedict Abbey in 

Atchison. 

The funeral Mass for Father 

Ignatius Smith O.S.B. was 

celebrated Wednesday, May 1 in 

Saint Benedict Abbey Church by 

Abbot James R. Albers O.S.B. 

Committal was in the abbey 

cemetery. 

Memorial contributions 

may be made to Saint Benedict 

Abbey, 1020 North Second 

Street, Atchison KS 66002. 


Harrisburg’s Bishop McFadden Dies At Age 65 

By Catholic News Service 

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) 

-- Bishop Joseph P. McFadden 

of Harrisburg died May 2 in 

Philadelphia where he was attending 

a meeting of Pennsylvania’s 

Catholic bishops. 

According to a Facebook 

posting from the diocese, Bishop 

McFadden awoke at the rectory 

where he was staying and 

felt ill. He was taken to a hospital 

and was pronounced dead at 

about 7:40 a.m. 

Bishop McFadden’s cause 

of death was reported to be a 

heart attack. He was 65 and 

had been the bishop of Harrisburg 

for three years. He was also 

chairman of the U.S. bishops’ 

Committee on Catholic Education. 

A funeral Mass was celebrated 

Wednesday, May 8 at 

Holy Name Of Jesus Church in 

Harrisburg, followed by burial 

in Holy Cross Cemetery. 

He was born on May 22, 

1947 to Thomas and Ellen (Griffin) 

McFadden in Philadelphia; 

baptized at St. Rose of Lima 

Parish, attended Our Lady of 

Lourdes elementary school and 

St. Thomas More High School 

where he was class valedictorian. 

Surviving are his brother, 

John McFadden and his wife 

Mary Jo; two sisters, Immaculate 

Heart of Mary Sister Jane 

McFadden, and Ellen McConney 

and her husband Patrick; 

eight nephews and nieces, and 

nine great-nephews and nieces. 

While studying at St. Joseph 

University in Philadelphia, 

he played on the freshman basketball 

team, and also started 

coaching basketball, including 

his high school alma mater, St. 

Thomas More High School for 

Boys. 

Upon graduation from St. 

Joseph, he took a teaching job at 

West Catholic High School for 

Boys, and coached basketball 

and baseball teams there. He entered 

the seminary in 1976 and 

was ordained for the Archdiocese 

of Philadelphia in 1981. 

CNS Photo/Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness 

BISHOP JOSEPH MCFADDEN: Bishop Joseph P. McFadden of 

Harrisburg, Pa., died May 2 in Philadelphia where he was attending 

a meeting of Pennsylvania’s Catholic bishops. According to a Facebook 

posting from the diocese, Bishop McFadden, 65, awoke at the 

rectory where he was staying and felt ill. He was taken to a hospital 

and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. He is pictured during 

his 2010 installation in Harrisburg. 

In 1982, he was named administrative 

secretary to Cardinal 

John Krol of Philadelphia, 

a post he held until 1993. From 

1993 to 2001, he was president 

of Cardinal O’Hara High School 

in Springfield, Pa. 

In 2001, Bishop McFadden 

was named pastor of St. Joseph 

Parish in Downingtown, where 

he served until he was appointed 

an auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia 

in 2004. He served in that 

capacity until taking the reins of 

the Harrisburg Diocese in June 

2010. 

Bishop McFadden called 

Catholic schools “centers for the 

new evangelization” in a Jan. 29 

statement for Catholic Schools 

Week. “The unique atmosphere 

of our Catholic schools is a 

space and place where the new 

evangelization can reach out to 

parents and children in a way 

that is respectful of the human 

person, presents the teachings of 

the church, and supports family 

life,” he said. 

Also in January, he issued 

a one-page report on the implementation 

of the 1990 Vatican 

document “Ex Corde Ecclesiae” 

(“From the Heart of the 

Church”). “Bishops reported 

that they believe our institutions 

of Catholic higher education 

have made definite progress in 

advancing Catholic identity,” 

the report said. “The relationship 

between bishops and presidents 

on the local level can be 

characterized as positive and engaged, 

demonstrating progress 

on courtesy and cooperation in 

the last 10 years.” 

At his 2010 installation 

Mass as bishop of Harrisburg, 

Bishop McFadden said, “I ask 

you to pray for me that I may be 

a good shepherd after the heart 

of Jesus. Pray that together we 

may be good builders of the 

kingdom of God here in Harrisburg.” 

Bishop McFadden also 

served on the bishops’ Task 

Force on Faith Formation and 

Sacramental Practice. 

He served as a member of 

many organizations including 

as President of the Pennsylvania 

Catholic Conference. He served 

as a member of the Board of 

Trustees at St. Vincent Seminary 

in Latrobe and in 2009 became 

the recipient of the first Shamrock 

Award presented by the 

Alumni of St. Thomas More and 

West Catholic High Schools. 

On Monday, May 6the diocesan 

College of Consultors 

met and elected Father Robert 

M. Gillelan Jr., Pastor of Prince 

of Peace, Parish, Steelton as administrator 

of the Diocese, to 

be in charge of the day-to-day 

operation of the Diocese until a 

new bishop is appointed. 

“I was shocked and deeply 

saddened” to learn of Bishop 

McFadden’s death, said a May 

2 statement from Archbishop 

Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia. 

“I am grateful that I had the 

opportunity to be with him over 

the last few days,” Archbishop 

Chaput added, “and spend time 

in conversation with him.” 

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Vatican’s Spring Cleaning Uncovers Hidden Gems, 

Forgotten Artistic, Archeological Treasures 

By Carol Glatz 

Catholic News Service 

CNS Photo/Courtesy Of Vatican Museums 

DETAIL OF FRESCO: This is a detail view of what a Vatican Museum official believes may be the first painted depictions of Native 

Americans. The male figures appear just below the depiction of the risen Christ in Pintoricchio’s fresco of “The Resurrection” in the Vatican’s 

Borgia Apartments. The paintings were completed in 1494 and the director of the museums, Antonio Paolucci, said the Spanish Pope 

Alexander VI who commissioned them “was interested in the New World” and would have known about the discovery of the Americas by 

his co-national, Christopher Columbus. 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) 

-- A little bit of spring cleaning 

or a much needed renovation 

can turn up the most unexpected 

things -- especially if you’re 

sprucing up or digging through 

the Vatican. 

Home of hundreds of thousands 

of artifacts, archived documents, 

ornate frescoes, plaster 

niches and underground tombs, 

it can be heavenly for a treasure 

hunt. 

The latest precious find 

came after restorers tackled the 

Borgia Apartments, which were 

decorated by the Renaissance 

master, Bernardino di Betto, better 

known as Pintoricchio. 

The Vatican Museums’ 

director thinks what restorers 

found under soot and successive 

coats of color are the very 

first painted depictions of Native 

Americans. 

Antonio Paolucci told the 

Vatican newspaper the recently 

unveiled portion of the fresco 

shows a cluster of “nude men, 

ornate with feathers, in the act 

of what seems to be dancing.” 

The mysterious men appear 

in the background under a Risen 

Christ in Pintoricchio’s fresco of 

“The Resurrection” in the Room 

of the Mysteries of Faith in the 

Borgia Apartments. 

Paolucci said it wasn’t inconceivable 

that the Renaissance 

painter included the thenrecently 

discovered inhabitants 

of the New World. 

Spanish Cardinal Rodrigo 

Borgia, whose country of origin 

was funding the voyages, was 

elected Pope Alexander VI in 

1492, just a month before Christopher 

Columbus sighted land in 

the Americas. 

(Continued On Page 12.) 

PERIODICAL RATE MAIL 

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Official Publication of the 

Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown

May 20, 2013 - Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown

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