Connecting the Diocese

Host Jack Socha opens Connecting the Diocese for the Third Sunday of Advent, urging COVID-19 vaccination and boosters while noting ongoing infection and death rates and local vaccine availability. Bishop William Patrick Callahan explains Gaudete Sunday and Advent’s palpable joy, encouraging Mass attendance, gratitude, compassion, volunteering, and focusing on Christ’s coming amid societal negativity and consumer pressure, including supply-chain shortages. Socha highlights support for Catholic Charities and warming shelters during dangerous cold weather, then the bishop offers a prayer and blessing for thankful hearts and preparation for Christmas. The episode also features discussion of Advent and Christmas hymns and listening to lyrics as prayer.

00:44 COVID Update and Vaccines

03:05 Gaudete Sunday Explained

06:36 Finding Joy Amid Negativity

11:36 Charity and Volunteering

14:16 New Priests and Hope

17:41 Supply Chain and Simple Gifts

20:19 Cold Weather and Warming Shelters

22:14 Prayer and Blessing

23:40 Christmas Suite Introduction

24:33 Church and Family Music

37:50 Advent Hymns and Lyrics

57:22 Closing and Farewell

Host Jack Socha welcomes viewers to the second week of Advent in the Diocese of La Crosse, featuring Salvation Army Band music and highlighting collaboration with Catholic Charities to assist people in need, including 13,000 Afghan refugees at Fort McCoy. Socha and Bishop William Patrick Callahan discuss ongoing COVID concerns, vaccination and boosters, and the importance of staying cautious while not missing the season. Bishop Callahan explains Advent as the start of the liturgical year, the structure of readings (including Luke and Philippians), Advent’s focus on both Christ’s birth and his promised return, and clarifies that the 12 days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day. The episode encourages charitable giving through trusted diocesan ministries and the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, includes “God-incidence” stories and a reading of “A String of Blue Beads,” and concludes with background on Longfellow’s “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”

03:08 Salvation Army Spotlight

04:20 COVID Caution Reminder

06:28 Bishop Callahan Joins

07:44 Fort McCoy Updates

10:28 What Advent Means

15:50 Gaudete And Christmas Days

17:51 Bethlehem Census Story

20:08 Living With COVID Season

22:27 Philippians Joy Partnership

24:59 Schedules And Staying Informed

26:33 Genesis Order And Love

28:47 Rotten Times Hope

29:40 Czina Final Suite

33:19 Giving Wisely

35:40 Advent Prayer Blessing

37:26 Variant Close Home

38:29 God Incidence Stories

43:25 Blue Beads Tale

50:13 Longfellow Bells Origins

Host Jack Socha reflects on Thanksgiving, the start of Advent, and stories of charity and hope, including food and coat drives in La Crosse and a Florida woman awakening from a COVID coma after prayer. He encourages eligible listeners to seek COVID booster shots and explains their purpose amid variants. Soscia interviews Catholic Charities Director Roberto Partaru about warming centers operating since Nov. 1 at capacity in La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Wausau, providing meals, showers, laundry, counseling, and housing support through collaborations with other agencies, emphasizing dignity, security, and trust. Development staffer Karen Becker describes Catholic Charities’ work at Fort McCoy since Aug. 26, expanding legal education, women’s and children’s centers, sewing and recreation programs, and volunteer support, plus urgent needs for winter gear, supplies, donations, and volunteers, while also noting local programs.

00:45 Stories of Hope and Charity

03:08 Historic Snapshot Tease

03:55 COVID Booster Explained

05:59 Meet Catholic Charities Director

06:58 Warming Centers Winter Response

12:26 Donations and Dignity

15:23 Work as Love in Action

18:53 Introducing Fort McCoy Mission

20:11 Refugee Support Expands

23:16 Community Donations and Volunteers

25:10 A Formula Can Story

27:44 Refugees Settling In

28:45 Escape From Afghanistan

29:46 Joy At Fort McCoy

30:17 Blonde Hair Icebreaker

33:22 Hospitality Pays Forward

35:08 Faith Support On Base

37:28 Volunteer Safety And COVID

39:43 Life In The Barracks

41:44 Donate Money And Supplies

44:40 New Babies And Layettes

47:33 Roberto Wrap Up

49:02 Why Charities Serve

51:52 Thanks For Supporting Radio

Host Jack Socha presents a pre-Thanksgiving “Connecting the Diocese” episode built from past shows, contrasting 2019 with two COVID-era Thanksgivings and noting both ongoing loss and the joy of some military members returning home, as well as Afghan newcomers at Fort McCoy. Bishop William Patrick Callahan reflects on celebrating Thanksgiving in Rome at the North American College, including classes continuing in Italy, traditions like turkey, pies, and Wisconsin care packages for seminarians, and reassurance that the military prioritizes Thanksgiving meals even in difficult locations. Socha and the bishop encourage gratitude, outreach to loved ones, support for the diocesan annual appeal, and mindful planning to reduce COVID spread at family gatherings, citing breakthrough infections including the bishop’s. The program closes with excerpts from Steve Allen’s 1983 interfaith LP “The Great American Feast,” followed by samples of Zoom-era choral music.

00:31 Thanksgiving Time Capsule

01:44 COVID Era Reflections

03:46 2019 Thanksgiving Monologue

06:11 Bishop Joins Studio

06:59 Thanksgiving In Rome

08:47 Turkey Traditions Abroad

10:52 Military Holiday Meals

12:49 Food Memories And Safety

14:54 Modern Thanksgiving Shopping

17:00 Vintage Holiday Recordings

19:32 Holiday Music Debate

20:59 Movies And Musical Oddities

22:12 Diocese Highlights And Vocations

23:10 Pope Visit Banter

23:31 Annual Appeal Needs

25:09 Giving and Bequests

26:21 Gratitude and Advent

27:48 Thanksgiving COVID PSA

29:48 Steve Allen Feast Intro

30:44 Pilgrims and Survival

34:22 Hard Times Thankfulness

37:47 Refugees and Freedom

42:17 Helen Hayes Giving Tale

44:15 Prayer of Thanks

51:23 Nostalgia and Radio Roots

53:44 Zoom Choirs Sampler

57:44 Final Hymn Farewell

Host Jack Socha interviews Bishop William Patrick Callahan of the Diocese of La Crosse as he recovers from a vaccinated COVID-19 breakthrough case, thanking listeners for prayers and urging common-sense precautions, vaccination, and boosters amid variants and waning efficacy. Callahan shares the heartbreak of missing his goddaughter’s wedding due to isolation and notes supportive, orderly travel experiences during a recent Rome trip with Father Woody Pace. The episode highlights rising costs and the need for generosity to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal and Catholic Charities, especially as church attendance dips and COVID adds expenses. They discuss supporting homeless services and Afghan refugees at Fort McCoy with warm clothing, socks, underwear, and children’s items, plus pet food donations for food-insecure households. The show also previews flexible parish Advent/Christmas Mass planning and ends with a seasonal prayer and reflections on local, resourceful holiday giving.

00:30 Bishop Health Update

02:12 Vaccines Breakthroughs

03:31 Reinfection Booster Advice

07:39 Missing Wedding Story

11:40 Holiday Season Small Talk

13:43 Appeal Rising Costs

15:46 Thanksgiving Military Refugees

17:42 Donating Coats Socks

22:30 Rome Trip Travel Rules

28:06 Media vs Reality

28:53 Kindness During COVID

30:22 Maximum Stress Season

31:17 Keeping Parishes Open

33:16 Advent and Christmas Plans

35:48 Patience and Flexibility

38:09 Break and Pet Food Drive

40:41 Supply Chain Holiday Gifts

46:30 Prayer Blessing and Wrap

48:33 Boosters and Vaccine Update

51:37 Handmade Local Treasures

54:23 Happy Autumn Sendoff