Extraordinary Time is the Catholic Courier‘s seasonal podcast for the church’s liturgical seasons. The third season of the podcast — Advent 2026 — will accompany listeners through Lent with weekly Scriptural reflections.

Episodes will feature the insights of priests, deacons, women religious and others from around the Diocese of Rochester.

The first episode of Lent 2026 will launch on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, and episodes will be released each Wednesday through April 1. There will also be a special Easter episode on April 5.

To learn more about the Extraordinary Time podcast and other Catholic Courier podcasts:
https://catholiccourier.com/podcasts/

Credits:
Host: Gina Capellazzi
Music: Joseph DiJames

Extraordinary Time is the Catholic Courier‘s seasonal podcast for the church’s liturgical seasons. The second season of the podcast — Advent 2025 — will accompany listeners through Advent with weekly Scriptural reflections.

Episodes will feature the insights of priests, deacons, women religious and others from around the Diocese of Rochester.

The first episode of Advent 2025 will launch Nov. 30 and episodes will be released each Sunday through Dec. 21.

To learn more about the Extraordinary Time podcast and other Catholic Courier podcasts:
https://catholiccourier.com/podcasts/

Credits:
Host: Gina Capellazzi
Music by "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" for the harp (Storyblocks)

Extraordinary Time is the Catholic Courier‘s seasonal podcast for the church’s liturgical seasons. The first season of the podcast — Lent 2025 — will accompany listeners through Lent with weekly Scriptural reflections.

Episodes will feature the insights of priests, deacons, women religious and others from around the Diocese of Rochester.

The first episode of Lent 2025 will launch Feb. 26 and episodes will be released each Wednesday through April 16.

To learn more about the Extraordinary Time podcast and other Catholic Courier podcasts:
https://catholiccourier.com/podcasts/

Credits:
Host: Gina Capellazzi
Music by Joseph DiJames

In first episode of season 3 of Extraordinary Time, Bishop Emeritus Salvatore R. Matano, current apostolic administrator for the Diocese of Rochester, shares how Lent provides us with 40 days of imitating Christ.

Ash Wednesday readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021826.cfm

For a list of Ash Wednesday Masses and services, visit
Monroe County: https://catholiccourier.com/articles/ash-wednesday-monroe-county/
Finger Lakes: https://catholiccourier.com/articles/ash-wednesday-finger-lakes/
Southern Tier: https://catholiccourier.com/articles/ash-wednesday-southern-tier/

Extraordinary Time is a podcast from the Catholic Courier, the newspaper of the Diocese of Rochester. For more Extraordinary Time, visit https://catholiccourier.com/podcasts/ and stay up-to-date with Holy Week resources from the Catholic Courier at https://catholiccourier.com/special-sections/lent-and-easter/

Credits:
Host: Gina Capellazzi
Guest: Bishop Salvatore R. Matano
Announcer: Robert DiJames
Music by Joseph DiJames
Edited by Gina Capellazzi

Special Guest: Bishop Salvatore R. Matano.

In the final episode of season two of Extraordinary Time, Bishop Salvatore R. Matano of the Diocese of Rochester reflects on the gift of peace through Christ among us.

Sister of Mercy Barbara Giehl offers a reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent as we anticipate the celebration of Christmas.

Music heard in Sister Giehl's recording is "Creator of the Stars of Night" from Marty Haugen's 1987 album Nights of Silence, Music for Advent and Christmas.

For the readings and Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122125.cfm
To learn more about Extraordinary Time and other Catholic Courier podcasts: https://catholiccourier.com/podcasts/

For the Catholic Courier Advent calendar: https://catholiccourier.com/adventcalendar2025
For the Catholic Courier's Saints Around the Diocese: https://catholiccourier.com/articles/2025-saints-around-the-diocese-contest/

Extraordinary Time is a podcast of the Catholic Courier, newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, NY. Like and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Also consider leaving us a review!

Father Michael Merritt, parochial vicar at Church of the Holy Spirit in Webster and St. Joseph’s in Penfield, offers a reflection for the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday. This episode is sponsored by Jennings, Nulton & Mattle Funeral Home.

Extraordinary Time is a podcast of the Catholic Courier, newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, NY. Like and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Also consider leaving us a review!

For the readings and Gospel for the Third Sunday of Advent: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121425.cfm
To learn more about Extraordinary Time and other Catholic Courier podcasts: https://catholiccourier.com/podcasts/

For the Catholic Courier Advent calendar: https://catholiccourier.com/adventcalendar2025
For the Catholic Courier's Saints Around the Diocese: https://catholiccourier.com/articles/2025-saints-around-the-diocese-contest/

Credits:
Host: Gina Capellazzi
Guest: Father Michael Merritt
Announcer: Robert DiJames
Music by: Joseph DiJames
Edited by: Gina Capellazzi

In this episode, Sister Joan Sobala, SSJ, reflects on the readings for the Second Sunday of Advent. She notes that, following John the Baptist’s example presented in these readings, the season of Advent invites us to reform our thinking and transform our lives.

Extraordinary Time is a podcast of the Catholic Courier, newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, NY. Like and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Also consider leaving us a review!

For the readings and Gospel for the Second Sunday of Advent: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120725.cfm
To learn more about Extraordinary Time and other Catholic Courier podcasts: https://catholiccourier.com/podcasts/

For the Catholic Courier Advent calendar: https://catholiccourier.com/adventcalendar2025
For the Catholic Courier's Saints Around the Diocese: https://catholiccourier.com/articles/2025-saints-around-the-diocese-contest/

Credits:
Host: Gina Capellazzi
Guest: Sister Joan Sobala, SSJ
Announcer: Robert DiJames
Music by: Joseph DiJames
Edited by: Gina Capellazzi