Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop William Callahan, O.F.M., Conv. of Diocese of La Crosse; Appoints Bishop Gerard Battersby as Successor

WASHINGTON – Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop William P. Callahan, O.F.M., Conv., 73, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of La Crosse for health reasons, and has appointed Bishop Gerard W. Battersby, auxiliary bishop of Detroit, as his successor.

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on March 19, 2024, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The Diocese of La Crosse is comprised of 15,078 square miles in the state of Wisconsin and has a total population of 875,018, of which 135,268 are Catholic.

###