A summer tradition is returning to the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
Outdoor Masses at the historic Our Lady of the Alleghenies Shrine in Loretto will be celebrated every Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. beginning on Memorial Day weekend – May 25, 2025.
Sponsored by the Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel in Loretto, faithful from throughout the diocese are warmly invited to experience the Liturgy at the beautiful, peaceful, and sacred Shrine.
Those who attend Mass should bring their own lawn chair. If it is raining, Mass will be celebrated inside the Basilica, located next to the Shrine.
The outdoor Masses will conclude on Labor Day weekend – August 31.
This year, four special outdoor Masses are planned.
On June 8, a “Come and See” vocations awareness Mass will be celebrated by Father Brian Norris, Pastor of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Altoona. Young men prayerfully considering a call to the priesthood are especially invited and encouraged to attend.
Bishop Mark will celebrate the Mass on June 29 – the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. The outdoor Liturgy will cap off an afternoon of observances marking the Jubilee Year 2025 in the Catholic Church universal. The emphasis that day will be on the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown’s missionary outreach. The guest homilist for the outdoor Mass that evening will be Father Marek Bzinkowski, Pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Maggotty, Jamaica, a partner parish with Good Shepherd Parish in Port Matilda.
The annual outdoor Mass celebrating married couples and the Sacrament of Marriage is always among the most popular outdoor Masses of the year. It is scheduled for July 20, with Bishop Mark as celebrant and homilist. During the Liturgy, husbands and wives will be invited to renew their sacramental commitment to each other.
On August 3, Bishop Mark will celebrate the annual outdoor Mass for students entering or returning to college, as well as 2025 high school graduates entering the military or workforce.
