By Justin Kirkland
Proclaim!
The Church celebrates Advent as a time that we may prepare our souls for the birth of Christ. Traditionally, before every major feast, time was taken by the faithful to prepare their hearts, through prayer, fasting, and penance. Christ came to us at His birth to reconcile the world to Himself and this Advent we have the opportunity to reconcile our hearts to His.
To prepare ourselves for the coming Christ, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be provided throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, though not in its usual Communal Penance Services. Instead, the Bishop has encouraged parishes to schedule Confessions at varying times to increase the opportunity to receive the Sacrament leading up to Christmas.
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Office of Communications has invited all parishes to submit a schedule of Advent Reconciliation opportunities. The following is a schedule categorized by Deanery, which will be updated as parishes continue to send in their Reconciliation times:
ALTOONA DEANERY
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona
– Sundays during Advent 4:00 PM
– Wednesday during Advent 7:00 PM
– Saturdays during Advent 12:30 PM
– December 14th through 18th after 6:45 AM and 12:00 PM Weekly Masses
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Altoona
– Saturdays during Advent 3:00 PM
– Assumption Chapel: Sundays during Advent 9:00 AM
– December 14th 6:00 PM
Sacred Heart, Altoona
– December 4th 7:15 AM and 10:45 AM
– December 12th 12:30 PM
– December 17th 5:30 PM
– December 19th 12:30 PM
– December 20th 4:00 PM
St. Joseph, Williamsburg
– Saturdays during Advent 4:30 to 4:50 PM
– Sundays during Advent 8:30 to 8:50 AM
St. Mary (Immaculate Conception), Altoona
– December 12th 3:00 PM
– December 19th 3:00 PM
– December 22nd 4:00 PM
St. Mary, Hollidaysburg: Confessions in Social Hall
– December 13th 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
– December 16th 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
– December 18th 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
– December 19th 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
– December 23rd 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
St. Michael, Hollidaysburg: Confessions in Social Hall
– December 14th 5:45 PM to 7:45 PM
– December 15th 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
– December 17th 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
– December 20th 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
– December 21st 5:45 AM to 7:45 AM
– December 22nd 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
St. Rose of Lima, Altoona: Confessions held in Parish Church
– December 21st 7:00 PM
– December 22nd and 23rd 9:00 AM (After 8:30 AM Mass)
St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Altoona
– Saturdays during Advent: 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
– December 21st 8:15 AM and 5:00 PM
– December 22nd 8:15 AM and 12:00 PM
– December 23rd 9:30 AM and 3:00 PM
– December 24th 10:00 PM
JOHNSTOWN DEANERY
Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Johnstown
– December 15th 6:30 PM
Our Mother of Sorrows, Johnstown: Hospitality will direct penitents for Confession
– December 14th 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
– December 15th 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
St. Benedict, Johnstown
– Wednesdays during Advent 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
– December 20th 5:00 PM
NORTHERN DEANERY
Good Shepherd, Port Matilda
– Saturdays during Advent 4:15 PM
Our Lady of Victory, State College
– Wednesdays during Advent 6:00 PM
– Saturdays during Advent after 9:00 AM Mass
– December 20th 2:00 PM
St. John the Evangelist, Bellefonte
– December 11th 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM
– December 12th 10:00 AM o 10:30 AM and 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM
– December 17th 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM
– December 18th 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM
– December 23rd 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Spring Mills
– December 13th 10:30 AM
PRINCE GALLITZIN DEANERY
Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel, Loretto
– December 12th and 19th 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
– December 13th thru 18th 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Holy Family, Portage: Confessions hear in temporary Confessional in Sanctuary
– Saturdays during Advent 3:00 PM to 3:40 PM
– December 7th and 8th after 8:00 AM Mass
– December 9th and 10th 12:00 PM
– December 11th 3:00 PM
– December 14th 7:00 PM
Our Lady of the Alleghenies, Lilly
– December 22nd 6:00 PM
– December 23rd 6:00 PM
Prince of Peace, Northern Cambria: Confessions at Church worship site
– December 16th 7:00 PM
– December 17 7:00 PM
– December 20 7:00 PM
Queen of Peace, Patton
– December 17th 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
St. Augustine, Dysart
-December 13th 6:00 PM
St. Benedict. Carrolltown
– December 12th 1:30 PM
– December 13th 2:00 PM
– December 15th thru 17th 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
– December 19th 1:30 PM
St. Mary, Nanty Glo: All Confessions are behind a screen, no face to face
– Mondays during Advent 9:00 AM
– Fridays during Advent 8:00 AM
– Saturdays during Advent 3:30 PM
– December 11th 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM
– December 16th 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM
– December 21st 7:00 PM
St. Monica, Chest Springs
-December 14th 6:00 PM
St. Nicholas, Nicktown
– December 5th , 12th, 19th 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
– December 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
SOUTHERN DEANERY
St. Anthony of Padua, Windber
– December 10th 6:00 PM
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Windber
– December 17th 6:00 PM
