Kresta in the Afternoon

On April 11, 1963, Pope John XXIII promulgated what would be his final encyclical – Pacem in terris, Peace on Earth. Signed on Holy Thursday, it was a landmark piece of writing that appeared at one of the most dangerous points in the Cold War, just months after the Cuban Missile Crisis. We examine the environment in which it was written and the conditions it lays out for peace with Dan Philpott.

Yesterday the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a declaration entitled Fiducia Supplicans, which allows for the blessings of “irregular couples,” including same-sex couples. LGBT activists are hailing the document as an important step, but the text explicitly states that any blessings of couples may not in any way shape or form resemble a marriage, which is still between a m...

On October 28 in the year 312, the forces of the Emperor Constantine won a battle at the Milvian Bridge over the forces of Maxentius. The night before, Constantine had a vision which led him to fight under the protection of the Christian god. We learn more about the events of the battle and Constantine’s vision with Thomas Madden.

It may surprise you to learn that the final surviving prosecutor from the Nuremberg Trials lived until this year, dying in April. His team was tasked with prosecuting the Einsatzgruppen death squads that were responsible for much of the mass murder of Jews. We examine his life and the trials with Michael Pakaluk.

The Spanish Inquisition is among the most misunderstood events in Medieval history, and many people simply associate it with the Monty Python sketch – “nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!” Well, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition to show wise restraint in dealing with witchcraft—unless somebody has heard of Alonso de Salazar Frías, ‘The Witches’ Advocate.” Sandra Miesel joins us with his s...

Despite the efforts of some transhumanists, all of us are going to die someday. In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul writes that for him “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This idea that death could be a gain is foreign to our society and even to many Christians. This discomfort with death might be why the Anointing of the Sick tends to be an underappreciated sacrament. Roger Nutt is h...

Millions have been impacted by the music and characters of the smash hit Les Miserables, but not everyone has taken advantage of the deeper stories the novel is able to explore. The story is filled with rich, dynamic characters and Christian themes that help illustrate the Gospel. Pastor Stan Butt joins us.

It’s common for Christians to wax nostalgic about the “good old days.” We’ll see a display of public faith from the past and lament that it would never happen today. But when NFL safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field on Monday Night Football in January, it sparked a public call for prayer from the NFL, ESPN and more. And back in 1965, CBS executives were very hesitant to sign off on the Charl...

The word "Fire" appears more than 500 times in the Bible. Christ made salvation possible through a baptism of fire and the Lord hopes to accomplish much in our lives through his Holy Flames. We'll talk more with Peter Herbeck.

Earlier this year the legal blog Law & Liberty surveyed self-identified conservative and libertarian legal scholars about which Supreme Court cases they consider to be the worst ever. The answers were fascinating and included infamous cases such as Dred Scott and Roe v Wade, along with other cases that are not nearly as well-known. Dean John Czarnetzky helps us understand what makes these case...

It’s our annual book show and we want to hear your recommendations! Is there a book that lifted you up spiritually, taught you something new, helped you as a parent, changed your view of the world or just made you smile? Give us a call at 877-573-7825 and let us know!

It’s our annual book show and we want to hear your recommendations! Is there a book that lifted you up spiritually, taught you something new, helped you as a parent, changed your view of the world or just made you smile? Give us a call at 877-573-7825 and let us know!

A new letter from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith says that under certain circumstances, it may be permissible for a Catholic to keep a small portion of a deceased loved one’s ashes in a personal place of significance if some conditions are met. Did the rules just change? Matthew Bunson joins us

Anyone who follows Jesus should want to heed His call to live a life of virtue, especially during this Advent season. But how can we apply morals and virtues to our daily lives? Pat Odey-Murray is our guest.

From the horrors and senseless death of the First World War comes a touching story of peace. At Christmastime in 1914, soldiers in the trenches of the Western Front laid down their arms and ventured into No Man’s Land to sing carols, exchange gifts and even play soccer. Peggy Stanton tells the story and also helps us to prepare for the Sunday Gospel.

Yesterday’s interview with John Bursch on gender ideology brings to mind the story of Renee Richards, the first transgender tennis player who underwent sex-reassignment surgery in the 1970s. The story is little-known today, but Richards’ comments looking back on the surgery are eye-opening. Al shares more.

Gender Ideology has become one of the biggest hot-button issues of the age. 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 th...

A new gene-editing therapy called Casgevy uses CRISPR technology to modify a patient’s blood cells and reverse the problems caused by sickle cell disease, and Catholic ethicists say it is morally legitimate. Wes Smith explains more, and also looks at a reproductive start up company claiming it can sequence an embryo’s genome.

Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Unborn and namesake of the Guadalupe Workers. They recently met with a mother who planned to abort her child because she couldn’t care for the one she already had – she saw her own value in her ability to provide. Edmund Miller and Alicia Wong join us with their response.

In 2021, claims that mass graves had been discovered at Canadian Indigenous Schools sparked a wave of moral outrage. Flags were flown at half-staff, Pope Francis traveled to Alberta to apologize, and rioters began tearing down statues and burning churches. But the investigations since then have failed to turn up any human remains. Tom Flanagan joins us with more.

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, is known for many things, such as her conversion to Catholicism from atheism after being raised in a Jewish family, her scholarly works, and her martyrdom at the hands of the Nazis in Auschwitz. But not much is said about her educational vocation. Al looks at her tips for parents and also shares the story of a young boy who sent a Rosary to the Detroit Lions.

Paragraph 1131 of the Catechism defines the sacraments as efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.” Finding a metaphor to illustrate this definition can be challenging. David Fagerberg joins us to help understand what the sacraments really are.

December 10 marks the 75th anniversary of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It’s a document that Mary Ann Glendon has described as “the single most important reference point for cross-cultural discussion of human freedom and dignity in the world today.” She joins us to explain why.

The presidents of MIT, Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania have come under fire after they were asked in a Congressional hearing whether their campus hate speech policies ban anti-Semitic speech, and responded that it would depend on the context. On Saturday, Penn President Liz Magill announced her resignation. Jay Greene joins us with the details on this story.

In a recent meeting with the International Theological Commission, which works with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Pope Francis said that "one of the great sins we have had is 'masculinizing' the church,” and observed how few of the people present were women. What does it mean to emphasize the Church as feminine? Monica Miller joins us.