The Most Reverend William Patrick Callahan
William Patrick Callahan was named the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. Bishop Callahan had always loved being a parish priest, but when asked to take on new duties, he answered the call. A member of the Conventual Franciscans of the St. Bonaventure Province in his native Chicago, his service included being spiritual director for the Pontifical North American College in Rome and auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee before eventually becoming the first Conventual Franciscan to be named a bishop in the U.S. Known for his love of the Church, his brother priests, and his people, Bishop Callahan ultimately oversees the diocese’s 156 parishes, 56 schools, Catholic Charities, and numerous other entities, departments, and initiatives. He is a member of the United States Council of Catholic Bishops and served on the boards for the Committee of Clergy, Consecrated Life & Vocations, Catholic Relief Services, and the National Religious Retirement Management. He also serves on the board for the Mundelein Seminary, Sacred Heart Seminary, and School of Theology, and is a former member of the Catholic Rural Life Commission. His implementation of a propaedeutic year (prayer and preparation for the priesthood) before seminary was adopted nationally. Bishop Callahan is passionately pro-life and has worked diligently over the years in support of children, marriage, and Catholic schools and education. He enjoys a strong bond with the priests of the diocese, whom he describes as “incredibly gifted and a joy with whom to work.”