Director of Communications Erik Archer introduces an interview with Bishop Gerard Battersby as ordination season begins and Kyle Lange prepares for priestly ordination at the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman. Bishop Battersby reflects on his late vocation and 1998 priestly ordination, the sacramental bond between bishop and priest, and urges priests to live self-donation in love. He explains confirmation and Pentecost as the start of public witness, describing the Spirit’s gifts and the Church’s mission, and cautions against calling confirmation a “graduation.” He emphasizes encountering Christ through sacraments, Scripture, and authentic disciples, trusting the Holy Spirit in evangelization, and recognizing God’s “winks.” The episode also connects June devotions to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart. A second segment with Fathers Sam Martin and Steven Weller previews the 13th Sunday Ordinary Time readings, focusing on reception, baptism into Christ’s death, and worthiness.

01:29 May Milestones and Marian Devotion

02:56 Late Vocation and Ordination Joy

03:52 Bond With the Ordaining Bishop

04:54 Priestly Life Advice

05:40 Confirmation Through a Bishop

07:45 Bishop Visits and Nerves

09:19 Pentecost and Confirmation Link

10:17 Confirmation Is Not Graduation

13:11 Bringing Confirmed Back

14:32 Pentecost Birthday of Church

17:27 Becoming Credible Witnesses

19:24 Lessons From Pentecost Today

21:24 Letting Spirit Lead Evangelism

22:14 Cultivating Spirit in Parishes

23:30 Daily Prayer to Holy Spirit

24:38 God Dwells in Us

25:54 Loving Difficult People

27:31 Trust and Surrender to God

29:01 Cost of Following Spirit

30:30 How to Encounter Holy Spirit

31:34 Practical Come Holy Spirit Moments

32:39 RCIA and Family Faith Journey

32:47 Spotting Spirit Moments

33:31 God Incidents and Winks

35:04 Recognizing Holy Promptings

36:31 Pentecost as Mission Fuel

37:57 Signs of a Spirit Filled Parish

40:05 Sacred Heart Devotion

41:21 Marys Yes to the Spirit

43:56 Final Blessing and Farewell

45:38 Elisha Romans and Matthew

48:18 Receiving God and Worthiness

51:00 Declared Worthy in Christ

55:14 Ordination Worthiness Reflection

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Father Sam Martin hosts “Connecting the Diocese” from the Diocese of La Crosse with newly ordained Deacon Emilio Alvarez, who shares his background growing up in Aurora, Illinois to Mexican immigrant parents, his Catholic education, meeting and marrying his wife Emily at Loras College, their four children, and his work in campus ministry at Viterbo University after serving with Camp Gray’s SALT team. They discuss discernment, the diaconate, and how marriage and family are central to diaconal life, as well as lessons on unconditional love, healing woundedness, and recognizing God’s gentle, peaceful guidance rather than anxiety or shame. Alvarez describes ministry with youth and college students, emphasizing authenticity, belonging, and being seen, and offers practical prayer tools including making time for daily prayer, Liturgy of the Hours, and the “ARRR” method (acknowledge, relate, reflect, respond). The episode also highlights brotherhood formed in diaconate formation and concludes with Father Martin and Father Steven Weller reflecting on Sunday readings about fear, persecution, original sin, and trusting God’s fatherly love.

01:18 Faith Roots and Family

03:53 Camp Gray and Early Calling

05:21 Childhood Stories and Cooking

07:20 Marriage Discernment

11:25 Formation Strengthens Family

12:39 Discernment and Peace

14:55 Learning Unconditional Love

20:04 Grace Through Emotions

21:27 Wounds and Fatherhood

27:46 Serving Students Today

29:34 Meeting Like Jesus

30:32 Teaching Young Adults

32:13 Presence And Encouragement

35:06 Prayer Tools And ARRR

38:26 Hearing God Over Time

41:45 Brotherhood In Formation

44:55 Handing On The Faith

46:25 Sunday Readings Setup

49:09 Fear And Fatherhood

54:20 Veiling And Seeing Deeper

56:24 Naming Fear And Trust

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week on “Connecting the Diocese”, Fr. Sam Martin speaks with Bishop Gerard Battersby and vocation director Fr. Steven Weller about the meaning and spiritual power of priestly ordination, ahead of Deacon Kyle Lang’s priesthood ordination at the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman on Saturday, June 27 at 10:00 a.m. They reflect on key moments of the rite—especially the candidate being declared “worthy” and the prostration during the Litany of the Saints—as signs of dying to self, an exchange of hearts with Jesus, and being conformed to Christ for sacrificial love. The conversation also covers seminary formation as discernment and growth in freedom, the influence of holy priests and saints, the role of families and the Eucharist in nurturing vocations, and concludes with a brief Mass-reading reflection for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

00:45 Why Ordinations Move Us

02:55 Worthy to Be Slain

06:31 Prostration and Exchange of Hearts

09:57 Families and the Mystery of the Floor

11:43 Degrees of Holy Orders

13:39 Seminary Formation and Discernment

17:34 PPF6 and Freedom in Formation

21:11 Learning You’re Loved

23:45 Mentors and Priestly Eyes

28:29 Seeing with Faith Like Magic Eye

30:29 Deacon Ordinations Update

30:52 Raising Vocations at Home

32:56 Eucharist Forms the Heart

34:48 Saintly Gaze and Love

37:30 Priest Role Models

40:27 Trust God in Weakness

42:11 Mass Readings Reflection

45:30 Remember Who You Are

48:40 Worship Versus Hurry

51:21 Jesus Moved With Pity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Father Martin hosts Connecting the Diocese for the Diocese of La Crosse, highlighting the June 6 diaconal ordination at the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman and the significance of Corpus Christi. Guest Christopher Ruff, Director of Ministries and Social Concerns, describes his 25+ years serving the diocese, his role in restarting and shaping deacon formation and the Lay Formation Institute, and the diaconate’s scriptural roots in Acts as a ministry of humble service and charity. He outlines the five-year formation structure, growth in fraternity, and practical joys and challenges for deacons and their families, emphasizing balance and the importance of saying no when necessary. The conversation also covers St. Vincent de Paul’s home-visit model, humanitarian aid efforts to Ukraine through Chalice of Mercy, and La Crosse’s formation program serving Madison and Superior, concluding with reflections on discerning God’s ongoing call.

01:30 Chris Ruff Background

05:06 Diaconate Origins

07:11 Growth and Formation Path

11:38 Discernment and Diaconate Office

14:57 Program Evolution

19:04 Life After Ordination

22:25 Charity and Parish Collaboration

28:10 Impact and Formation Fruits

32:14 Lay Service Rising

32:48 Vincentian Spiritual Charity

33:27 Home Visits and Growth

35:03 Serving with Joy

36:26 Ukraine Relief Drives

37:15 Deacon Formation Expands

38:31 Hearing Gods Call

41:52 Adventure of Discipleship

43:08 Corpus Christi Readings

45:25 Never Forget the Lord

47:54 Eucharistic Miracle Memory

51:48 Healing of Memories

53:33 Receiving Like Children

56:17 Prepare and Receive

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Father Sam Martin hosts Connecting the Diocese with guest Tom Reichenbacher, Superintendent for Catholic Schools, to discuss what makes a Catholic school distinct: a focus on God and helping students build a relationship with Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and especially staff witness across all roles. They note academic expectations being pushed to earlier grades, technology’s impact on information and critical thinking, and a reassessment of one-to-one devices after a major tech disruption. The conversation highlights how Catholic schools support students in both celebrations and crises, aiming to form graduates marked by prudence and love, and explains the Bishop’s Medalist as a model of faith and servant leadership. The episode then shifts to Trinity Sunday reflections with Father Weller on the readings and the mystery of believing “into” God.

01:31 What Makes Schools Catholic

04:29 Witness and Relationships

07:36 Role Models and Conversion

09:06 How Education Has Changed

12:29 Why Choose Catholic Schools

14:05 Faith in Crisis and Grief

18:46 Marks of Exemplary Schools

22:03 Mission and Sacraments

23:25 Technology and Discernment

27:58 Wonder Over Screens

30:17 Graduation and Virtue Goals

30:41 Choosing Love and Prudence

31:33 Hope in a Redeemed World

32:23 Bishops Medalist Explained

35:06 Holiness and Servant Leadership

37:32 Bears Helmet and Competition

40:18 Eight Minutes or Less

41:49 Mosaic of Salvation Story

43:07 Trinity Sunday Readings

46:03 John 316 and Trinity Love

47:10 Aquinas Through Flannery

49:50 Believe Into and Trust

53:34 Universe Made for Others

54:54 Belonging to the Trinity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week on Connecting the Diocese, Father Martin talks with Chris Rogers (Director of Youth Ministry and Family Life) and Father Steven Weller (Vocation Director) about Adventure Camp, a longstanding summer program in Mason, Wisconsin. They describe four Sunday-to-Friday weeks featuring outdoor adventures (rock climbing, rappelling, kayaking, ropes courses) alongside daily Mass, catechesis, small groups, adoration, and frequent confession, emphasizing community, healing, and countercultural face-to-face connection away from phones. They share traditions like open-mic faith sharing, “Stump the Priest,” talent shows, and water wars, plus testimonies of lasting impact, vocations, and leadership paths like SOGs (Servants of God). The episode also includes a Pentecost discussion of Acts 2, 1 Corinthians, and John 20, focusing on the Holy Spirit’s role in renewal, sonship, and hearing God’s voice.

00:49 Adventure Camp Origins

02:42 Camp Details Schedule

03:54 Sacraments Faith Life

05:47 Why Camp Heals

08:10 Long Term Impact

13:46 Sharing Faith Open Mic

15:51 Stump the Priest

18:09 Bonding Games Talent

21:55 Camp Memories Culture

24:22 Countercultural Connection

28:26 How to Invite Skeptics

31:10 Parents Not Fixers

32:19 Relationships Over Sales

34:42 Unexpected Joy Stories

35:36 Creation And Grace

37:07 Sign Up And Scholarships

38:03 Canoe Fails And Growth

41:37 Wildlife And Farewell

43:12 Pentecost Readings

48:15 Spirit Like The Wind

54:23 Hearing God Personally

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Father Sam Martin hosts Bishop Gerard Battersby on “Connecting the Diocese” to mark the bishop’s second anniversary as the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse. Bishop Battersby recalls being surprised by the nuncio’s call, accepting the appointment with trust in Jesus, and the joy of his installation Mass, early confirmations, and major diocesan events like The Answer and the Eucharistic Procession, which he says deepened Eucharistic awareness and hope in the Diocese of La Crosse. He reflects on leaving Detroit, discovering the rural character and beauty of the region, and the diocese’s interdependence, including Rural Life Days and Project Milk benefiting Casa Hogar in Peru. He emphasizes reliance on Jesus, devotion to the Sacred Heart, prayer, the sacraments, and Marian devotion. The episode concludes with an Ascension-focused scripture discussion on Acts 1 and Matthew 28, highlighting mission despite doubt and Christ’s affirmation of humanity.

01:43 Called to La Crosse

03:13 Installation Day Memories

05:09 Telling Family Goodbye

08:34 New Bishop New Gifts

12:36 Early Events Surge

13:48 Eucharistic Renewal Hope

18:33 Sacred Heart Trust

23:42 Beauty of the Diocese

30:19 Forming Holy Priests

32:13 Jesus Is Enough

33:14 Carmelite Retreat Lessons

33:38 What Makes A Priest

34:13 Trust The Process

35:29 Practicing Gods Presence

37:19 Sacraments And Daily Habits

40:51 Acts And Universal Church

42:51 Great Commission Legend

45:00 Fly Interruption And Collect

46:03 Sticky Hand

48:55 The Eleven And Doubt

50:16 Do It Anyway Depend On God

52:28 Ascension Affirms Humanity

54:10 God Loves Me

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This episode features an interview with Father Biju and parishioner Chris Hollar about Father Biju’s Catholic upbringing in Kerala, India, the influence of his grandparents’ prayer life, his call to the priesthood, and his formation as a Missionary of St. Francis de Sales. Father Biju shares his years of missionary work in Northeast India, challenges like isolation during monsoons, long travel by train, and how the universal Mass connects cultures. He reflects on serving three parishes in Wisconsin, pastoral trust through moments like hearing confession during a storm, and his desire not to lose souls due to priestly attitude. The episode closes with Fathers Sam Martin and Steven Weller previewing the Sixth Sunday of Easter readings focused on the Holy Spirit, discipleship, and hope.

00:29 Father Biju’s Roots in Kerala

02:08 Home and Homesickness

03:41 Why a Missionary Order

05:04 Grandparents and Family Prayer

08:30 Serving Three Wisconsin Parishes

09:41 Belonging and Parish Community

12:28 New Pastor Transition Stories

14:43 Discernment and Seminary Formation

16:13 First Arrival in the US

20:07 Universal Church Across Cultures

23:25 Train Journeys and Mission Life

25:08 Christianity in India and Reverse Mission

27:28 Mission Schools Outreach

28:20 Touring Remote Villages

30:06 Isolation and Monsoon Trials

31:50 Priest Behind the Collar

33:00 Storm Confession Story

35:22 Parishioner Perspective

37:36 Basketball and Community

40:59 Parish Life and Support

42:00 Gardening Green Thumb

42:59 Not Losing Any Souls

46:07 Easter Readings

50:32 Holy Spirit and Saints

58:00 Do You Want the Spirit

This week on Connecting the Diocese, Fr. Sam Martin interviews Kayla Hoecherl, the diocese’s new Natural Family Planning (NFP) coordinator, about her background as a nurse, camp director at Crossroads Adventure Camp, wife and mother, and how she was called into the role. Kayla explains NFP as learning the body’s language to both achieve or postpone pregnancy, addresses common objections (effectiveness, burden on women), and shares questions from a college women’s retreat about anatomy, cycles, and coming off birth control. She highlights the ways the office currently supports engaged and married couples and is looking to grow into youth education, adoption guidance and other new resources. The episode concludes with a weekly meditation for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, reflecting on John 14, the calling of deacons, the longing for union with the Father, “living stones,” and hope for salvation.

01:07 Meet Kayla

01:28 Faith and Camp Roots

02:25 Nursing to NFP Calling

06:14 What Is NFP

08:09 Common NFP Concerns

14:20 Retreat Questions

19:57 NaPro and Catholic Clinics

22:28 Motherhood and Faith

29:18 Diocesan NFP Office

30:49 Fertility Care Mission

31:20 Adoption Support Path

31:59 Postpartum Help Resources

33:29 Become an NFP Instructor

35:40 When Spouses Disagree

40:16 Adventure Camp Formation

44:37 NFP Segment Wrap Up

47:01 Easter Readings Setup

47:55 Way Truth Life

48:33 Deacons Prayer Word

51:27 Longing for the Father

55:51 Living Stone Church

58:28 Hope of Salvation

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Father Steven Weller, Vocations Director for the Diocese of La Crosse, speaks with Bishop Gerard Battersby about the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Good Shepherd Sunday, focusing on Christ’s invitation for all the baptized to share in his mission. They discuss humility, sinfulness, and the need for a Savior, emphasizing that God wants sons and daughters, not slaves, and that true conversion brings interior freedom to say yes or no. Bishop shares his vocation story, including years of resistance and a decisive moment in prayer that led him to contact the vocations office and enter seminary. They highlight shared discernment with the Church, the importance of prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, Eucharistic time, and saints such as Carlo Acutis. A second segment with Father Martin reflects on John 10, shepherding with charity, and healing through Christ’s wounds.

00:31 Good Shepherd Vocations

02:25 Saved by the Shepherd

04:05 Need for a Savior

05:24 Confession Breakthrough

06:41 From Slave to Son

10:20 God Provides the Tools

11:15 Bishop Vocation Story

14:13 Freedom to Say Yes

16:41 Interior Freedom Journey

20:00 Discernment and the Church

24:07 Redeeming the Past

28:44 Knowing Jesus Daily

30:25 Saints and Eucharist

33:11 Prayer and Freedom

36:46 Small Steps Practice

39:43 Easter Truth and Mission

42:24 Good Shepherd Readings

44:05 Shepherd Heart Leadership

49:19 Wounds That Heal

53:38 Gate and Discernment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download