Memorial Day Reflections, Diocese Update on Fr. Altman, and Chris Ruff on Ministries & Social Concerns

On Memorial Day weekend, host Jack Socha opens Connecting the Diocese by reflecting on the meaning and history of Memorial Day, sharing his visit to the Houston, Minnesota Veterans Memorial and his own experience processing casualty reports during the Vietnam War, and urging listeners to remember the fallen and those lost during the pandemic. The program includes an official Diocese of La Crosse statement that Bishop William Patrick Callahan has asked Fr. James Altman to resign as pastor of St. James the Less Parish and that the diocese will proceed according to canonical process. Jack then interviews Chris Ruff, Director for Ministries and Social Concerns, about pandemic impacts, lay and deacon formation adaptations, a June 5 virtual Theology of the Body conference, parish social ministry and immigrant outreach, religious freedom concerns including the Equality Act, and support for the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, concluding with Memorial Day observance and A Soldier’s Prayer.

00:00 Show Intro Memorial Weekend

00:45 Memorial Day Origins

02:44 Veterans Memorial Reflections

04:47 Personal Vietnam War Memories

06:04 Break Diocesan Statement

08:13 Pandemic Catch Up

10:24 Hybrid Formation Programs

14:51 Theology of the Body Event

16:49 Virtual Conference Q and A

22:05 Zoom Lessons and Lay Formation

26:52 Monks And Isolation

27:55 Annual Appeal Pitch

28:48 Parish Social Ministry

32:01 Immigrant Outreach

35:11 Religious Freedom Week

36:02 Equality Act Concerns

40:41 Gender Dysphoria Compassion

43:09 Hopeful Legal Trends

45:23 Show Notes And Audio

46:02 Why Phone Audio Varies

48:53 Memorial Day Covid Warning

51:23 Memorial Day Remembrance

54:09 Soldiers Prayer Closing