CrosierCast

Following one's moral conscience can be challenging at the best of times, but even more so during election season. How to best combine our religious obligations with our civic duties? In this episode, Bishop Wall gives suggestions on how best to participate in secular and civic life while doing our best to also follow Catholic teaching.

Marriage is an underrated and often misunderstood vocation, especially within secular societies. What makes this sacrament so beautiful, and how can couples navigate the challenges and joys that come from a lifelong commitment to one another? In this episode, Bishop Wall chats with special guests Hayden and Nicole Wallace about their recent marriage and growth as a couple.

How easy it is to feel powerless, angry, and saddened in the face of oppression, racism and injustice! But to act justly and kindly in response, Catholics must keep in mind the two most powerful commandments: to love God, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. In this episode, Bishop Wall reflects on the killing of George Floyd, unjust systems, and offers advice for Catholics on how to productive...

For most American Catholics, the Coronavirus is unprecedented; no public Masses, suspension of Confirmations, closures of schools - the list goes on. But pandemics, limited access to the Sacraments, and tough times have occurred many times throughout the history of the Church, and so it is up to Catholics to face uncertain times with courage, perseverance, and hope. In this episode, Bishop Wall is...

It's time once again for our annual Lenten podcast! In this episode, Bishop Wall shares his personal Lenten habits and gives advice on how to make this your most prayerful and fruitful Lent ever, whether you're just now kickstarting your prayer life or have a solid spiritual life already.

Every 5-8 years, each catholic bishop must go to the Vatican for what is known as an "Ad Limina" visit - Latin for "To the Threshold". The bishop is visiting the "threshold" of the Apostles, and the Pope as the successor of St. Peter. During this visit, a bishop gives an accounting of his diocese, and receives counsel, instructions or advice from the Pope. In February 2020, Bishop Wall, along with...

The Rosary is often considered the second most important prayer in Catholicism - the most important, of course, is the sacrifice of the Mass. What makes it so powerful is its connection with the Blessed Mother, and ultimately, how it brings us closer to Christ through her example. Indeed, Mary herself has exhorted Catholics to pray the Rosary through apparitions and appearances to Saints. Traditio...

Bishop Wall takes a look at all the important things happening at the annual November meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore.

On October 13, 2019, John Henry Newman was canonized a saint by Pope Francis. A convert from Anglicanism, Newman became one of the most prolific English Catholic writers and teachers of the 19th century. In our 2nd episode on Newman, Dr. John Freeh joins Bishop Wall to discuss why Newman's approach to literature and learning may just provide the ideal blueprint for evangelization and a radical lov...

"Heart Speaks Unto Heart" - this was the motto for Cardinal John Henry Newman, who will be canonized a saint on October 13, 2019. What spoke to Newman's heart was truth, which he followed throughout his life. It was the truth of Catholicism that led to his conversion in 1845, even though it cost him the loss of some friendships. Newman's greatest legacy today is his philosophy on the relationship...

It's been making the rounds lately: a recent PEW religion survey has found that 7 in 10 American Catholics believe the Eucharist is merely a "symbol". The number starkly falls among weekly Mass-goers, the majority of whom believe in the True Presence, but among fallen away and seldom-attending Catholics, a large majority either do not understand or do not believe in transubstantiation. But the wor...

In our final episode on Tolkien, Bishop Wall and Dr. Helen Freeh discuss the major differences between the Lord of the Rings books and films, and why reading the books is necessary to understand the themes and true beauty behind the world and stories of Middle-Earth.

In our second of of three episodes examining the life and legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien, Dr. Helen Freeh joins Bishop Wall to discuss Tolkien's upbringing, faith, and friendships. Tolkien was acquainted with death from an early age, losing his father as a little boy and later 2 close friends in the horrors of World War 1. Throughout it all, his Catholic faith was a constant source of strength, as were...

Dr. Helen Freeh joins Bishop Wall for this first in a three-part discussion on the life, legacy and faith of British author J.R.R. Tolkien. Most known for his books "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings", Tolkien was an Oxford Professor and devout Catholic who infused his works with religious meaning without ever falling into preachiness or allegory. In this first part, Dr. Freeh examines how To...

Why does the life of a young Algonquin-Mohawk woman from a 17th century mean so much to the Catholics of New Mexico and Arizona? In this episode, Bishop Wall takes a look at St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first canonized Native American saint. “When we look at the saints, and this our special saint, St. Kateri, we would imitate her as she imitates Christ, and one of those virtues, I would say, is not...

Catholic Bishops from around the United States gathered in June for a meeting with a unique agenda - a continuing need for efforts to combat sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. In response to a recent letter from Pope Francis, and a year of intense scrutiny from the laity and secular media, the bishops enacted several new polices - especially those that outline how to report and future allegation...

A "santero" is a practitioner of the only Catholic Spanish colonial artform that is indigenous to the American southwest. Many santeros still create art in the same way as their ancestors - from grinding up the shells of the cochineal bug to make red pigment, to depicting patron saints and religious icons. Guest Jerry Montoya joins Bishop Wall to talk about growing up in a New Mexico mining commun...

As the political and legislative debate around abortion heats up, it can be all too easy to forget the humanity of those on the other side, and to demonize or belittle the human beings on the various sides of the pro-life and pro-abortion spectrum. Our Catholic faith calls us to fight against the evils of abortion, but it also reminds us to act in love and charity when engaging in advocacy. In thi...

Bishop Wall gives more insights into Holy Week, covering everything from the significance of Palm Sunday to the intricate liturgies of the Triduum. Why do we cover statues and paintings? Why is there no Mass on Good Friday? And what kind of mindset will help us to appreciate more fully the end of the Lenten season? All these questions and more are discussed in this episode!

This year, Bishop Wall announced that the Sacrament of Confirmation would be restored to its original order, to be given at the age of reason at around 7-8 years of age. In this episode, he explains his reasons for the restoration, how the sacrament confers grace at a crucial period, and how Catholics and families should prepare to receive Confirmation.

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes." When a quick video clip emerged in late January that supposedly showed a group of Catholic high school students engaging in harassment of Native Americans, celebrities, news outlets and social media were quick to pile on with condemnations, threats, and outrage. But within 24 hours, a different picture emerg...

The New Mexico legislature is considering two radically anti-life bills that, if enacted, would carry devastating consequences for the state's citizens. The first, NM HB51, removes conscience protections for doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who refuse to perform or refer for abortions. It would also protect human traffickers, rapists, and those who prey on children by allowing abortions on m...

The Little Sisters of the Poor is an order of women religious who operate nursing and hospice homes for the elderly poor throughout the world. In December of 2018, they celebrated 150 years of service in the United States. In the Diocese of Gallup, the Little Sisters have operated their home, Villa Guadalupe, for 35 years. In this episode, Bishop James Wall speaks with Sr. Maria Christine, the Mot...

At the National USCCB meeting in November, the American bishops were set to vote on several action items that would address abuse among high-ranking prelates...until a last-minute directive from the Vatican required them to table the voting. So has anything been done to address the improper and sometimes criminal conduct that has been reported happening in the Church in recent months? In this firs...

Bishop Wall sits down with his newest priest, Fr. Mitchell Brown, who was ordained in June of 2018 and was born and raised in the Diocese of Gallup. They compare notes on their first days as priests - their first time hearing Confessions, offering the Mass, and having someone address them as "Father".