The Deeper Dive Podcast cover art
ActiveUnited States

The Deeper Dive Podcast

A layman moderates a weekly roundtable with a panel of Roman Catholic priests from the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., on matters of faith.

The brief

This is a weekly roundtable where a layman, Bill Wannall, facilitates a conversation with a consistent group of local, orthodox Catholic priests. The show tackles specific and often challenging aspects of Catholic doctrine, from apologetics aimed at Protestants to the decline in Eucharistic belief. It functions as an in-house theological discussion for the Archdiocese of Washington, providing pastoral explanations and commentary on the faith.

Unlike interview shows with rotating national experts, this podcast's strength is its consistent, local panel of diocesan priests. This creates a familiar, pastoral dynamic, as if listeners are sitting in on a conversation with the clergy from their own community.
— What makes it distinctive
§1 · The host

Who hosts this show

The Deeper Dive is a Catholic apostolate produced at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in La Plata, Maryland. Hosted by layman and producer Bill Wannall, the podcast features a regular panel of priests from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, including Msgr. Charles Pope and Father Larry Swink, for weekly discussions on Catholic theology, piety, and evangelization. In addition to the main weekly episode, the podcast also produces short, daily reflections on the scripture readings of the day.

AI-extracted bio · help us verify· Source: gemini-video-grounded

Credentials & credits

  • Bill Wannall: Host, Producer, Pastoral Associate in the Archdiocese of Washington.
  • Msgr. Charles Pope: Pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian, Dean in the Archdiocese of Washington, author, and columnist for the National Catholic Register and Our Sunday Visitor.
  • Father Larry Swink: Parochial Vicar at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, former stockbroker with a degree in Political Philosophy.
  • Father Bob Kilner: Pastor at Our Lady Star of the Sea, author of "Donkey Priest".
  • Father Dan Leary: Regular panelist.

Other ventures

  • Swampoodle Media (Production Company).
  • Msgr. Charles Pope's Blog for the Archdiocese of Washington.
  • Book: "Catholic and Curious: Your Questions Answered" by Msgr. Charles Pope.
  • Book: "The Hell There Is" by Msgr. Charles Pope.
  • Book: "Donkey Priest" by Fr. Bob Kilner.
§2 · Classification

What kind of podcast

Region
usa
§3 · Cadence & catalog

When new episodes drop

Publishing rate
~1.0/week
Not shown by Apple / Spotify
Total episodes
61
Last episode
3 months ago
Jun 24, 2026
Status
Active
§3b · Editor's picks

Notable episodes

AI-extracted picks + commentary · help us verify
  1. 01
    Five Ecclesial Issues Protestants Have With the RCC

    A representative example of the show's apologetics, directly addressing common theological stumbling blocks for non-Catholics.

  2. 02
    The Loss of Eucharistic Piety: CORRECTED LINK

    Focuses on a core Catholic doctrine—the Real Presence in the Eucharist—and discusses the pastoral and liturgical reasons for a decline in belief.

  3. 03
    An Opportunity for Renewed Evangelization Under an American Pope?

    This episode showcases the show's engagement with contemporary church affairs and its focus on the mission of evangelization for the laity.

§4 · Signature

What you'll be asked on this show

AI-extracted from recent episodes · help us verify
How the host interviews

The format is a conversational panel discussion moderated by host Bill Wannall, who poses questions to the priests. The priests, particularly Msgr. Pope and Fr. Swink, provide the core theological exposition, often referencing scripture, catechism, and papal documents. The production is straightforward, opening and closing with the same rock music sting.

Questions the host keeps coming back to

  • Father Larry, get us started.
  • What are your thoughts on that?
  • Why is there such a drop-off in belief among Catholics regarding [topic]?
  • How do we get over the issue with the laity believing it's not their job to evangelize?
  • What can we do, liturgically or in preaching, to help people realize the truth of [topic]?
  • What is your theory about how we can be a model of evangelization?
  • Why can't women be priests?
  • Why can't non-Catholics receive communion in a Catholic church?

Signature segments

  • · Opening line: "The Deeper Dive Podcast, produced locally in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington here at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in La Plata, Maryland."
  • · Introductory and outro rock music.
  • · Daily "Considerations From the Clergy" episodes.
  • · Host introduces all speakers by name at the start of each episode.

Topics covered repeatedly

Eucharistic PietyEvangelizationCatholic-Protestant Theological DifferencesMarian Doctrines (Immaculate Conception & Assumption)PurgatoryThe Role of the LaitySacred Scripture and TraditionThe PriesthoodLiturgyApologetics
§5 · Guests

Who gets booked here

AI-extracted guest list + profile · help us verify
Typical guest

The show's primary 'guests' are its recurring panel of priests. When an outside guest is featured, it is typically an author, missionary priest, or evangelist whose work is directly relevant to the episode's topic, such as Fr. Alex Mugalaasi from Uganda or author Kevin Wells.

Recent guests
  • Msgr. Charles Pope
    on Recurring Panelist
  • Father Larry Swink
    on Recurring Panelist
  • Father Bob Kilner
    on Donkey Priest: A New Book by a Priest for Priests (and the Laity too!)
  • Fr. Alex Mugalaasi
    on Postcards From Uganda-Meet Fr. Alex Mugalaasi: A True Priest We Need to Save the Church!
§6 · Channels & links

Where to find this show

§7 · Stats

Audience & reach

YouTube · first-party
Subscribers
159K
159,000
Avg views / video
142K
Trailing window
Total views
4.5M
4,466,708
Videos published
61
Sponsor readEstimated

The podcast is presented as a Catholic Apostolate and the reviewed episodes contained no commercial sponsors or advertisements.

AI-extracted sponsor read · help us verify

Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.

§8 · Contact

Pitch this show

Sign-in required
Verified contact
Host / booking email
b•••@•••.com

Free: limited reveals · Pro: unlimited reveals + CSV export
You’re only charged when we return a verified hit.

§9b · FAQ

People also ask

AI-extracted researched answers · help us verify
Who are the main speakers on the podcast?
The podcast is hosted by layman Bill Wannall and features a regular panel of priests from the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., primarily Msgr. Charles Pope and Father Larry Swink, with frequent appearances by Father Bob Kilner and Father Dan Leary.
What is the format of the show?
It is a weekly 45-60 minute roundtable discussion. There are also daily 5-10 minute reflections on the scripture readings for the day.
Is this an official podcast of the Archdiocese of Washington?
It is a Catholic Apostolate produced within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., and recorded at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in La Plata, Maryland.
Where can I listen to the podcast?
The podcast is available on its official website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and other major podcast platforms.
Is the podcast still active?
Yes, the podcast is active, releasing a long-form episode weekly and short reflections daily.
Last updatedJun 29, 2026Not yet host-verified
Research depthDeep dossierHigh confidence · Jun 29, 2026 · gemini-2.5-pro

Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.

§9c · Methodology

Sources & how this page was built

This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence

  1. [01]The Deeper Dive Podcast Official Websitethedeeperdivepodcast.com
  2. [02]The Deeper Dive Podcast on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
  3. [03]Official Bio of Monsignor Charles Popemsgrpope.com
  4. [04]Monsignor Charles Pope's Blog (Archdiocese of Washington)blog.adw.org
  5. [05]Bio of Rev. Larry Swinktasteprogram.org
  6. [06]Monsignor Charles Pope at the National Catholic Registerncregister.com
  7. [07]Monsignor Charles Pope at Our Sunday Visitorosvnews.com
More to explore

Podcasts like The Deeper Dive Podcast

DIVE Studios / 다이브 스튜디오

A media company and podcast network where K-pop idols and Korean-American artists discuss culture, careers, and personal identity.

1.7M subs· Daily· United States· ✓ verified
Self Help

PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE

PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE

Um podcast brasileiro de longa duração onde dois apresentadores entrevistam médiuns, mentores e especialistas sobre suas experiências paranormais e estruturas espirituais.

848K subs· Daily· Brazil
Parenting

Saad Rashid - YouTube Automation

Saad Rashid

A Pakistani host interviews creators of 'faceless' YouTube channels, breaking down their niche strategies, AI workflows, and revenue generation.

191K subs· ~2/week· Pakistan
EducationAutomotive

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered

A history storyteller who narrates short, engaging videos about forgotten events and figures, typically in 15 minutes or less.

1.6M subs· ~4/week· United States
HistoryRelationships

Silicon Valley Girl

Silicon Valley Girl

An entrepreneur interviews the founders and scientists building the next wave of AI to uncover practical strategies for career and business growth.

1.6M subs· ~4/week· United States
BusinessMarketingFinance

The Arena

The Arena

A daily sports debate show where 3-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas and a panel of former pros give unfiltered takes on basketball news.

1.3M subs· Daily· United States
BusinessSportsMedia

Shallu Nisha Podcast

Shallu Nisha

A long-form interview podcast exploring the careers and business of North Indian digital creators, artists, and entrepreneurs.

454K subs· Daily· India
Health & WellnessPolitics

Backstage with Millionaires

Pankaj Chauhan

A weekly news show and documentary-style channel breaking down the biggest stories and trends in the Indian startup and venture capital ecosystem.

1.1M subs· ~2/week· India
BusinessEducation