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Family Life

Family Life Photo

The Family Life Office exists to help families through the different stages and trials of life, to equip them to hand on the faith, and to support them when life becomes difficult.

The office oversees various marriage preparation programs that occur throughout the Diocese, as well as encouraging marriage enrichment opportunities. The office produces resources for new parents, as well as for families celebrating the holidays.

The office also promotes pro-life causes in the Diocese, including Respect Life Sunday in October, and the Walking With Moms In Need Initiative.

Family Life sponsors Anniversary Masses in Altoona and Johnstown to recognize couples celebrating milestone marriages. The Office also works with Family Ministries already in place in parishes to help train Family Life Ministry Coordinators.

For all those mourning the loss of their spouse, the office sponsors Masses for Widows and Widowers, and can send a “Heaven’s Treasure Box” to anyone who has lost a child through miscarriage. There are also videos for grieving during the holidays, and for what to say to a person who has lost a loved one. 

Widows Mass Candles

Family Life Office

familylife@dioceseaj.org

Maureen Roberts

Maureen Roberts

Missions Coordinator
mroberts@dioceseaj.org

2026 Marriage Preparation Series - Dates Available Now!

To view the 2026 Marriage Preparation Series Dates, Click HERE.

For more information and to register online, visit our Marriage Preparation ministry page HERE.

The Collection Basket: February 2026

To view the February 2026 Collection Basket, click here.

The Collection Basket: March 2026

To view the March Collection Basket, click here.

Marriage Preparation

Visit our Marriage Preparation page to find information on classes and more

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is the general title for the scientific, natural, and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancy. NFP methods are based on the observation of the naturally-occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy. Since the methods of NFP respect the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the conjugal act, they support God’s design for married love!

Resources:

Marriage Resources

  • Worldwide Marriage Encounter
    WWME is the largest faith-based marriage enrichment organization in the world. They offer a peer-to-peer experience, typically over a weekend, though there are other options available, where married couples and priests can pause and reflect privately on the meaning of their vocations and are given the tools for nurturing their love.
  • Retrouvaille
    (n.) the happiness of meeting or finding someone again after a long separation
    Retrouvaille is a program solely dedicated to providing the necessary support to help save marriages, primarily through the Retrouvaille Retreat weekend and its follow-up support. Many struggling couples can be helped by learning the effective tools of communication offered in the Retrouvaille program.
  • Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Retreats
    Retreats for married couples in Cresson

Marriage Counseling

  • Catholic Charities
    Catholic Charities provides a caring, professional response to individuals who find themselves experiencing emotional and spiritual life situations, such as depression, anxiety, other mental health issues, bereavement, marital and family conflicts, abuse or neglect, and more.
  • Telecounseling
    Based out of western Pennsylvania, the Catholic Counselors offer telecounseling services to families in need of help for marital struggles, parenting issues, addiction, depression, spiritual crises, and more.

Parenting Resources

Navigating the Internet and Media

  • Childhood 2.0
    A secular movie about the difficulties and challenges children and parents face in the digital age.

    Warning: Suggested for parents/teachers to preview this movie before sharing. Some material may not be appropriate for children.

  • Tech Talk
    via CatholicMom
    Sharenting, Online Safety, and Your Children – Are you sharing too much about your children online?

  • CleanBrowsing
    A DNS-based content filtering service that offers a safe way to browse the web without surprises. It intercepts domain requests and filters sites that should be blocked, based on your filtering needs.

    Blocks pornography and obscene/adult content, while still allowing Google, Youtube, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and the rest of the web to load safely.

Book Suggestions

Strengthening Your Domestic Church (Family)

Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Respect Life Committee

Visit their website

The Gabriel Project
A confidential and compassionate outreach to women who are distressed over an unplanned pregnancy. In addition to providing emotional and spiritual support, the “Gabriel Angel” helps the expectant mom with various practical needs, including finding assistance with pre-natal care, maternity and baby clothes, cribs, strollers, and various baby items, referrals for housing, medical care and counseling, and parenting support or adoption information.

Ebensburg: 500 North Julian Street, Ebensburg, PA 15931 | (814) 472-8814
Johnstown: 120 Barron Avenue, Johnstown, PA 15906 | (814) 539-0155
State College: (814) 867-5511
Fulton County Catholic Mission: (717) 485-5917

Mom’s House of Johnstown
Mom’s House provides high quality child care to single parents, often at no cost but to volunteer at the center. This enables the parents to get an education or further their career so as to care for their children. There is also counseling, tutoring, and advocacy support offered by the program.

1325 Franklin Street, Johnstown, PA 15905 | (814) 269-4391

Birthright
A non-profit charitable organization that has been providing love and support for over 50 years to women facing unplanned pregnancies. They offer information on pregnancy, childbirth, adoption, prenatal care, community programs, parenting skills, and child care. They can refer for medical support, financial resources, housing, legal and social assistance, and professional counseling. They can also offer on-hand pregnancy tests, as well as maternity and baby items. All services are free, non-judgmental, and confidential.

Toll-Free Number: (800) 550-4900

Johnstown: 216 Dibert Street, Johnstown, PA 15901 | (814) 535-8231
Somerset: 238 W Union Street, Somerset, PA 15501 | (814) 445-9300

Precious Life
A faith-based, non-profit organization which offers practical help to those impacted by unplanned pregnancies through their pregnancy care centers. They try to meet the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of women and their families, empowering them to make positive, life-affirming choices. Precious Life can provide resources to women in need, help them to choose life for their children, and to walk alongside each woman as she parents her child.

Altoona: 1716 12th Avenue, Altoona, PA 16601 | (814) 944-2669
Bedford: 215 S. Juliana St, Bedford, PA 15222 | (814) 494-0069
Johnstown: 1062 Bedford Street, Johnstown, PA 15902 | (814) 269-4391
State College: (814) 867-5511

Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities’ goals are to promote a woman’s physical and mental well-being during her pregnancy and postnatal period, to improve the physical well-being of the unborn child and newborn, and to encourage adoption as an option for women who choose not to parent their newborn child.

Phone: (814) 944-9388 

Every Life Matters – Pregnancy Support Services
Provides free and confidential pregnancy confirmation, ultrasounds, and support services to individuals facing unplanned pregnancies. All services are free and confidential.

221 Hospital Drive, Suite 5, Tyrone, PA 16686 | (814) 650-7899 | The.ELM.PSS@gmail.com

Crossroads Pregnancy Center
Crossroads Pregnancy Center exists to help those facing pregnancy decisions know and understand all their options. Services are free and confidential, and include pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, STI testing, options counseling, relationship counseling, and material assistance.

Huntingdon: 424 Washington Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652 | (814) 643-3570
Mount Union: 119 S Division Street, Mount Union, PA 17066 | (814) 542-2880

 

Other Resources

Parish Groups

  • Blair County
    Saint Michael the Archangel Parish, Hollidaysburg
    Mary Jo Lanzel
    (814) 934-6793
    mjlanzel9@gmail.com
  • Centre County
    Saint John the Evangelist Parish, Bellefonte
    Barbara Materna, Bereavement Support
    (814) 359-0354
    minnscpo@verizon.net

  • Cambria County
    Holy Name Parish, Ebensburg
    Sister Margie McGuire, CCW
    (814) 472-8315

    Our Mother of Sorrows Grief Ministry, Johnstown
    Diana Tyger
    (814) 535-7646
    ddtyger@atlanticbb.net

Resources

Counseling

  • Grane Hospice Care
    Offers counseling to anyone in the community, regardless of whether they have used their hospice services.
  • Interim Hospice Care
    Offers counseling to anyone in the community, regardless of whether they have used their hospice services.

  • The Healing Patch
    via Home Nursing Agency
    A peer support program based in Altoona and Ebensburg, designed specifically for children and their families who have suffered the death of a loved one, such as a parent, sibling, grandparent, or close family member

  • Catholic Counselors of America
    Rose Trexler, a compassionate counselor in Cambria County, offers counseling services in the areas of depression, anxiety, and anger issues:

    (814) 505-7178

  • Telecounseling
    via Catholic Counselors
    Based out of western Pennsylvania, the Catholic Counselors offer telecounseling services to families in need of help. They can offer help for marital struggles, parenting issues, addiction, depression, spiritual crises, and more.
  • Catholic Miscarriage Support
    Offers practical and spiritual support for Catholics who have lost a child to miscarriage.
  • Catholic In Recovery
    A website dedicated to Catholics who are struggling with addiction and looking for freedom through the Grace of God in the 12-step process
  • SAMHSA National Hotline
    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 1-800-662-4357 
  • Create In Me A Clean Heart
    via USCCB
    A Pastoral statement from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in response to the widespread problem of pornography in our culture today
  • Integrity Restored
    The mission at Integrity Restored is to help restore the integrity of individuals, spouses, and families that have been affected by pornography addiction. Integrity Restored provides education, training, encouragement, and resources to break free from pornography, heal relationships, and to assist parents in preventing and responding to pornography exposure, which is so devastating in the lives of our children. It is also a resource that trains and helps clergy in assisting families at the parish level.
  • Resources for Men and Women Struggling With Pornography Addiction
    via ForYourMarriage
  • Out of the Darkness, Into The Dawn
    Practical and spiritual ideas for grieving persons and families. Focuses on grieving as a normal process of healing. Includes a section with questions for individual reflection or group discussion. (55 pages)
  • Holiday Spirituality in the Home
    The ideal guide for families and individuals in search of spiritual and festive home practices. Contains traditions, activities, home rituals, and holiday legends from Thanksgiving to the Epiphany. (53 pages)
  • Lent and Easter at Home
    The ideal guide for families and individuals in search of spiritual home practices focusing on the Lent and Easter seasons. Contains popular traditions, rituals, and devotional activities. (40 pages)
  • Diocesan Children and Youth Protection Website
  • The Catholic Church and Human Trafficking Policy
    via USCCB

  • National Human Trafficking Hotline
    Has resources on safety and awareness, as well as the prevalence of the problem, how to find help, how to spot it, and how to protect your loved ones.

    Call: 1-888-373-7888 (TTY: 711)
    Text: 233733

  • When I Call For Help
    via USCCB
    A pastoral response to domestic violence from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
  • Catholics for Family Peace
    A center for informing everyone on ways the Catholic community can promote peace and prevent and respond to domestic abuse, and to provide resources and promote prayer for all families.
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline
    1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
  • Faith Journeys
    How to start a ministry for children of divorce
  • Adult Children
    via Life Giving Wounds
    Retreats for adults who are dealing with the pain of their parents’ divorce
  • Accompanying The Dying
    via USCCB
    The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has released some suggestions for how to accompany a loved one who is nearing death
  • End Of Life Planning
    Catholic guidance for End-Of-Life decision making
  • The Art of Dying Well
    A helpful Catholic website with information on talking about dying, caring for the dying, personally facing death, and grieving the loss of a loved one.
  • Catholic Considerations for Our Earthly Passing
    via USCCB
    A general overview of end-of-life considerations.
  • “Samaritanus Bonus”
    via Vatican Press
    The letter Samaritanus bonus of the Congreagation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life.
  • Funerary Checklist
    A list of the appropriate steps to take after a loved one passes away.
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