Kresta in the Afternoon

We all know someone who is battling addiction and recent studies have shown alcohol abuse has risen over the last year as people try to cope with the stress and isolation brought on by the pandemic. Addiction attacks the mind, the body and the spirit, and all three areas must be addressed to get help. We’ll look at a pastoral approach to addictions with Fr Anthony Pinizzotto.

One hundred years ago or more, if you had problems in your marriage or suffered from depression, you might turn to your pastor. In response, he’d address your problems in explicitly Christian terms. What’s changed since then? Al takes a closer look.

Satan is constantly at work disturbing our peace, corrupting our thoughts, demoralizing us in our weaknesses, and diverting our attention away from God. His goal: to paralyze our spiritual efforts and mire us in a life of sin. How can we overcome these sinful thoughts? Fr. Thomas Morrow joins us.

Throughout Scriptures, God asks us Questions. "Where are you?" "Do you want to be healed?" "Whom do you seek?" and of course the ever-important "Who do you say that I am?" Leonard DeLorenzo join us to examine the questions Jesus poses to us and how they reveal the hidden secrets of our hearts.

Catholic positions on contested moral issues are rejected by the majority in the secular West and are increasingly rejected by Catholics themselves. David Deane has written a new book articulating two reasons for this problem. He joins us.

On February 25, a twenty-five-year-old member of the United States Air Force named Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire in a gruesome public suicide spectacle outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. Proclaiming “Free Palestine” as his body was engulfed in flames, Bushnell live-streamed his self-immolation on Twitch, and the video has now been seen by millions worldwide. His act has been laud...

The beauty of creation reflects in the infinite beauty of our creator, and the Annie Moses Band exists to do just that. Siblings Annie and Alex Wolaver join us.

Mike and Alicia Hernon of the Messy Family Project will be in Brighton, MI this Saturday for a Parents’ Retreat at Holy Spirit Parish. They’re on a mission to empower parents to embrace their sacred calling which they believe is the key to the renewal of the Church and our society. They join us.

The process of tearing down a building is much like what we experience during Lent. As we engage in the Lenten practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, we are hopefully examining the blueprints of our lives and finding those structurally unsound areas that would best be visited by the wrecking ball of spiritual mortification. We talk more about it with Matt Paolelli.

The Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the most beautifully-written and theologically-dense books of the New Testament. It shows how the Old Covenant finds its fulfillment in Christ and calls upon its readers to maintain their faith despite persecution. This single epistle contains the basis for several core Catholic beliefs. We'll take a look with Shane Kapler.

You’re invited to join Teresa Tomeo to explore the “bellissima” sights and sounds of Italy, and walk in the footsteps of St. Padre Pio, St. Maria Goretti, and many more. The Dolce Fede pilgrimage begins on October 26 and will take you everywhere from the Amalfi Coast to the Adriatic. Teresa Tomeo has the details on how you can join and save with early registration.

Born in 1906, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian active in the “Confessing Church”, an ecumenical group of Christians united in resistance to the Nazis. While he never came into full Communion with the Church, he has profound insights which we can use in our Lenten journey. Ken Craycraft takes a look.

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read how God has “made everything beautiful in its time.” Focusing on things that are beautiful, true and good is part of what makes the Christian worldview unique. How do we keep this worldview in an ugly and noisy world? Jimmy Mitchell is our guest.

While celebrating Mass on February 24, an Italian priest noticed a strange smell coming from the chalice. Bleach had apparently been poured into the liturgical vessels. He stopped the liturgy and informed the police. What happened? Matthew Bunson joins us.

The National Eucharistic Congress is coming up fast. Dioceses in Michigan are offering special packages, but need to fill them by March 25. Nate Wine has details on how you can participate in this once-in-a-lifetime event.

If your parish has RCIA candidates this year, you’ll hear a different set of readings at Sunday Mass. They’re called the Scrutinies, and as a whole they illustrate who Christ is. This weekend, Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well and asks her for a drink. Al reflects on the meaning of the readings.

The Our Lady of Victory Shrine near Buffalo, New York was founded by Fr. Nelson Baker, who was born on February 16, 1842. At the time of his death, it was known as a “city of charity” and included a home for unwed mothers, a boy’s orphanage, a hospital, and more. Msgr. David LiPuma joins us to share his story.

Jonathan Feldstein is an Observant Orthodox Jew who was born and educated in the United States, but now lives in southern Israel. He joins us in the studio to talk about what he has seen since the October 7 attack, and the work he does to foster relations between Jews and Christians.

A funeral for Russian opposition leader Alexi Navalny will be held this Friday after several locations declined to host the service. It comes just over two years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Navalny’s death could end up rallying support for Putin’s opponents, but will it? We get the latest with Stephen Nix.

Earlier this month the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen human embryos should be considered children under state law and are due all the same rights as other humans. Many IVF services in the state have been suspended as lawmakers scramble to figure out what happens next. The ruling has been criticized by many Democrats, as well as Donald Trump, especially because one of the judge’s concurrin...

The Catholic Church teaches beautiful lessons about human sexuality and our identity as sons and daughters of God, lessons that promote human flourishing. Yet gender activists and their allies in the government and in the media denounce the Church's message of love as harmful and hateful. How do Catholics respond to that criticism? John Bursch will join us this weekend at Fr. Gabriel Richard H...

In June 2022, a group of theologians met at the Pontifical Academy for Life to discuss how traditional Catholic sexual moral teachings are applied in the modern world. They proposed questions such as the meaning of a “radical paradigm change” in moral theology and whether some Church moral teachings are infallible. Dr. Robert Fastiggi and other theologians have complied a response to these questio...

Over the weekend, Donald Trump dominated a straw poll at CPAC, then handily won the South Carolina primary in Nikki Haley’s home state. CPAC covered a range of topics, including a panel devoted to sanctity of life issues. Michael New has more.

The US government’s debt has reached $34 trillion, leading to many pundits predicting that the US could default on its debt and declare bankruptcy. But would this happen? Warren Buffett has pointed out that since our debt is in its own currency, we don’t face the risks that other countries do. Economist Robert Whaples helps us sort it out.

Yesterday Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron wrote a pastoral letter to the faithful addressing questions on the challenges of Gender identity. He approaches this hot-button issue with grace, patience, and concern for all who are affected by it. Al shares parts of the letter with his own thoughts.