Connecting the Diocese

Host Jack Socha explains this episode is a re-edited revisit of last week’s important interview, which many missed due to a network pledge drive and Mother’s Day. He highlights major local giving by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, including a surprise $1.1 million grant to the Family & Children’s Center and $6 million pledged to 23 organizations over three years. Socha then speaks with Viterbo University servant-leadership professor Tom Thibodeau about lessons from the first year of COVID-19: global interconnectedness, the hunger for face-to-face relationships, compassion and empathy for those grieving, creative renewal, letter writing, and the need to rebuild community through places like parish life. Thibodeau describes The Place of Grace hospitality ministry, pandemic hardships, and personal takeaways of marriage, contemplation, and technology-enabled connection.

00:00 Show Opening

00:31 Why Last Week Was Missed

01:31 Tom Thibodeau Returns

02:43 FSPA Surprise Gift

05:40 Interview Setup

07:17 Viterbo Students on Frontlines

08:55 Catholic Means Connected

11:07 Isolation and Human Need

12:51 Empathy and Compassion

16:08 Creativity in Crisis

19:03 Aging Well Skills

20:17 Healing After Pandemic

23:12 Letters as Love

26:49 Break and Norway Story

28:51 Small Kindnesses

30:20 Common Good and Justice

31:29 Origins of Place of Grace

32:39 Pandemic Pantry Struggles

33:32 Honoring Guests Lost

35:57 Gifts to Offer Others

38:12 Catholic Giving Impact

40:50 Marriage in Hard Times

42:40 Street Monk Contemplation

43:29 Tech Connections Worldwide

44:40 Cooking and Creative Writing

46:58 Stories Feed Your Wolf

50:40 New Normal Lessons

53:19 Gratitude for Essential Work

56:01 Conspiracy of Goodness

58:02 Final Sign Off

In this Mother’s Day episode of Connecting the Diocese (#467), host Jack Socha interviews Viterbo University servant leadership professor Tom Thibodeau about spiritual, mental, and physical lessons from the pandemic, urging continued caution as many remain unvaccinated. Thibodeau praises Viterbo students—especially nursing/CNA workers—for responsible service amid elders’ loneliness and isolation, and reflects on Catholic concern for the whole world, including suffering in India and elsewhere. They discuss rebuilding relationships through face-to-face community, church life, and places like La Crosse’s 25-year-old house of hospitality, The Place of Grace, which shifted to pantry and takeout meals and will honor two guests who died of COVID. The conversation highlights empathy, journaling as gratitude and history, humor and creativity, renewed letter writing, essential workers, and personal takeaways on marriage, contemplation, and technology-enabled connection.

00:00 Show Opening

00:37 Pandemic Caution

01:15 Meet Tom Thibodeau

01:59 Viterbo Students Serve

03:58 Catholic Global View

05:24 Zoom Fatigue

06:10 CNA Story Loneliness

07:20 Rebuilding Community

09:06 Empathy And Compassion

10:52 Journaling Through Crisis

11:55 Humor Sparks Creativity

15:19 Aging Skills For Resilience

16:33 Mental Health Aftermath

19:14 Letters As Love

23:05 Mothers Day Break

25:06 Small Kindnesses

26:35 Common Good And Taxes

27:44 Place Of Grace Explained

29:47 Honoring Lost Guests

31:23 Hospitality Like Family

31:39 Back Porch Gathering

31:56 Gifts Beat Loneliness

33:05 Charity Hope Stories

34:27 Voicemail From India

36:28 Honoring Loss Together

36:55 Pandemic Takeaways

39:00 Street Monk Contemplation

40:56 Cooking And Creativity

43:14 Grandfather Dog Tale

44:36 Feed Your Wolf Lesson

46:56 New Normal Reflections

50:34 Essential Workers Gratitude

53:16 Saying Yes To Goodness

55:47 Show Wrap And Mothers Day

Host Jack Socha remotely records an episode of Connecting the Diocese with Fr. Nate Kuhn, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of La Crosse, and three men in the Journey Program: Kyle (24, from West Salem, studied psychology at Princeton and served at UW–Madison), Matthew Szymanski (50, former Chicago-area police officer), and Alex Radtke (from the Wausau area). Fr. Kuhn explains the Journey Program and Regency, and the men share when they first felt a “tug” toward priesthood, how they learned about the program, and encouragement to seek guidance and discern without fear. They discuss starting a prayer life through adoration and viewing prayer as relationship with a real God, describe program life and recreation, recount a COVID outbreak in their house and Zoom access to Mass and adoration, note helping with diocesan TV Masses, and share next steps as they head to seminary.

00:00 Show Intro

00:29 Meet Father Nate

01:03 Journey and Regency

02:58 Meet the Discerners

06:31 First Tug from God

11:39 Encouragement to Discern

13:50 How They Found Journey

15:55 What the Year Is Like

18:29 Reactions and Support

20:30 Break and Magazine Spot

22:49 Starting a Prayer Life

28:32 Journey During COVID

30:33 Mass During Quarantine

31:35 Peru Orphanage Parallel

32:11 Masks Vaccines And Support

34:17 Diocesan Center Stories

34:45 Basement Chapel Tour

36:42 Love One Another Message

39:50 Seminarian Life And Fun

41:52 Music And TV Mass Help

46:10 Next Steps In Formation

51:38 Advice And Farewell

55:42 Final COVID Update Song

Host Jack Socha welcomes back Roberto Partarrieu, executive director of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of La Crosse, to discuss increased demand for help as overdue utility bills lead to power shutoffs amid the pandemic. Partarrieu explains the St. Lawrence program’s financial assistance for rent, utilities, and other needs, along with budgeting education; last year Catholic Charities provided over $320,000 in direct aid to more than 2,000 families, funded by donations from over 7,000 donors. They also help prevent homelessness, expand access through parish-based technology, and distribute free LED bulbs donated by Focus On Energy to lower energy costs. The episode covers shelter operations and vaccinations for homeless clients, adoption work, concerns about immigration and trafficking at the border, global pandemic instability, and a call to support the Bishop’s Annual Appeal and pray for guidance.

00:00 Show Intro

00:43 Power Shutoffs Surge

02:25 Small Business Ripple

04:49 Help Is Available

06:39 Budgeting Not Bailouts

08:26 Donors Make It Possible

09:32 Giving Back Stories

12:38 Rural Need And Access

13:31 Parish Tech Pilot

14:54 Free LED Bulbs Program

18:01 Act Before Disconnects

18:55 World Meeting Prayer

20:50 Shelters Reopening

23:54 Young Homeless Reality

25:51 Addiction And Outreach

27:38 Hope Through Success

29:05 Faith In Action

30:12 Mercy Not Judgment

32:36 Adoption And Border

33:28 Broken Immigration System

40:12 Pandemic Global Fallout

41:32 Latin America Lockdowns

45:46 Humility And Forgiveness

50:55 How To Get Help

52:23 Prayerful Sendoff

54:17 Sealed With A Kiss

Jack Socha interviews Bishop William Patrick Callahan by phone during Easter season, discussing the streamed Easter Vigil and Mass from a dimly lit, under-repair cathedral, and announcing Bishop-elect Dan Felton’s May 20 ordination and installation as Bishop of Duluth, including the tradition of a bishop-elect knocking on the cathedral door. Callahan recounts the Gospel story of the road to Emmaus, stressing that faith is a gift, Christ accompanies each person, and recognition comes in the Eucharist, leading believers to share the Gospel. They reflect on gratitude, symbols like birthday candles, and examples of unexpected kindness. The show thanks Relevant Radio and Spirit Radio for free airtime, promotes Catholic Charities assistance and the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, reviews ongoing COVID precautions amid variants, notes upcoming diaconate and priesthood ordinations, and ends with a call against racism and a closing hymn.

00:00 Easter Greetings

00:55 Cathedral Vigil Stream

01:54 Cathedral Repairs Update

02:24 New Bishop for Duluth

04:25 Duluth Weather Talk

06:14 Bishop Installation Ritual

08:09 Knocking Door Memories

09:51 Bishop Responsibilities Today

12:38 Thanks to Radio Networks

14:38 Road to Emmaus Story

21:45 Faith as a Gift

23:37 Eucharist and Gods Word

27:28 Candle Symbolism

29:29 Gratitude And Perspective

32:06 Unexpected Help From Don

34:57 Catholic Charities Power Aid

36:55 Pandemic Variants And Church Safety

44:15 Zoom Life And Upcoming Ordinations

46:59 Prayer Blessing And Farewell

48:26 Anti Racism Message

51:18 Staying Connected Online

54:13 Army Memory And Closing Hymn