Mark Bartchak

Mark Leonard Bartchak (born January 1, 1955) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church serving as bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania since 2011.

Early life and education

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Bartchak is the 5th of eight children. He attended Catholic elementary and secondary schools, graduating in 1973 from Bradford Central Christian High School, Bradford, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Erie. His college studies were at St. Mark Seminary and Gannon University, Erie, PA, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1977. He also studied for the priesthood at Christ the King Seminary, East Aurora, NY, receiving a Master of Arts degree in Theology in 1981. He studied canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC where he received the Licentiate degree in 1989 and the Doctorate degree in 1992.

Ordination and ministry

Bartchak was ordained a deacon at Christ the King Seminary on September 22, 1980, and served as deacon at St. Joseph Parish, Warren, Pennsylvania. He was ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania on May 15, 1981, by the late Bishop Michael J. Murphy at St. Peter Cathedral, Erie.

Immediately after ordination to the priesthood, Bishop Bartchak was assigned as temporary parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish, Warren, Pennsylvania. In August 1981, he was assigned as parochial vicar at St. Francis Parish, Clearfield, Pennsylvania. He was also assistant principal and theology teacher at St. Francis High School and part-time chaplain at the Clearfield Hospital. He was transferred to St. Leo Magnus Parish, Ridgway, Pennsylvania, to serve as administrator of the parish for several months when the pastor became ill. He was then appointed parochial vicar at St. Leo Magnus Parish. His duties included pastoral care at the Elk County General Hospital and the Elk County Prison. In these early parish assignments he was active in local ecumenical clergy associations. He was a speaker at ecumenical and civic gatherings.

In 1982 Bartchak was appointed part-time Defender of the Bond, and in 1986 he was assigned full-time to the Tribunal of the Diocese of Erie. During his time in Washington, Bartchak assisted as a confessor at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

In 1992 Bartchak was appointed by Bishop Donald Trautman as Judicial Vicar and Director of the Office of Conciliation & Arbitration of the Diocese of Erie. In 2000 he received papal honours from Pope John Paul II with the title of Chaplain to His Holiness. In addition to these duties, he was named Vicar for Canonical Affairs of the Diocese of Erie in 2004.

In the Diocese of Erie, Bartchak was an ex-officio member of the presbyteral council, the administrative cabinet and various diocesan committees. He served on the planning committee for the establishment of the permanent diaconate formation program of the Diocese of Erie.

In addition to his duties in the Diocese of Erie, Bartchak has been involved in various roles in the Church on the state, national and international level. In 2004, he was appointed to the Administrative Board and the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. In 2007 he was appointed as a consultant for the USCCB Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance.

Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown

On January 14, 2011, Bartchak was appointed bishop of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese and was consecrated bishop on April 19, 2011.