Kresta in the Afternoon

How does change happen in the Church that preserves the core of who we uniquely are? As we shift from Christendom to an Apostolic context, renewal is driven by two principles. We explore them with Tim Glemkowski.

In Romans chapter 12, St Paul exhorts us to no be conformed to this world. We talk with Rachel Herbeck about having a transformed mind.

St. Mary’s College in Indiana has announced that it now “considers admission for undergraduate applicants whose sex is female or who consistently live and identify as women.” Mary Rice Hasson joins us with more.

You’ve probably heard of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. But did you know it’s named after a Catholic WWII pilot? We get the story from Jay Copp, who has other examples of things you never knew were Catholic

When the resurrected Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, they didn’t know him. He was there in the flesh, talking, teaching, but they didn’t recognize him. Until the breaking of the bread. Then their eyes were open, and everything fell into place. Joe Heschmeyer joins us with more.

Today is the Feast of St Catherine Laboure, whose visions of the Blessed Mother led to the creation of the Miraculous Medal. We get to know her with Michael O’Neill.

In Romans 5:1, St. Paul writes that “since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Justification – the manner by which we are saved – is one of the major theological disputes between Catholics and Protestants. We discuss it further with Hugo Delgado.

The Vatican has informed German bishops in writing that the ordination of women and changes in the Church’s teaching on homosexuality cannot be subjects of discussion in the upcoming meetings with delegates of the German Synodal Way in Rome. Marcus and Al discuss it further.

On November 24, 2013, Pope Francis signed Evangelii Gaudium [The Joy of the Gospel], his apostolic exhortation on the proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world. Michael Dauphinais reflects on its significance a decade later.

Is Christianity about Progress? Well, yes and no. Although Christians cannot be above the fray because we are part of it—called and commanded to love our neighbors, and even our enemies—we are nonetheless beyond the fray in the sense that we are called to something beyond it. Joseph Pearce joins us.

The mystery of death strikes at the core of the human soul. We instinctively recoil at the pain of losing loved ones, and as we grapple, we are quick to seek remedies to console ourselves. There is no one better suited to assuage our grief than the translator of the Bible, St. Jerome, who wrote extensively to friends who were suffering the loss of loved ones. We take a look at them with David Bona...

Christianity is very upfront about the reality and inevitability of suffering. Yet, far from being a pessimistic worldview, Christianity sees in suffering a deeper spiritual significance. The deeper spiritual significance of suffering can be, broadly speaking, looked at in two ways: ethically and metaphysically. Cole DeSantis joins us with more.

When John U Bacon played hockey for the Ann Arbor Huron High School River Rats, he never scored a goal. But years later he was asked to coach the team – which at that point hadn’t won a single game in over a year. They were proud to be called the worst team in America – and John turn them into winners. He tells us how.

Do you see your work as simply a job – or does it change who you are as a person on mission? Al discusses

George Whitefield was one of the most famous and influential men in Colonial America, but most people today have never heard of him. He was a leading evangelical figure of the age and his writings continue to influence American Evangelical Christianity. Thomas Kidd joins us with a look at America’s Spiritual Founding Father.

This Sunday concludes the Liturgical Year with the Solemnity of Christ the King. In the Gospel, Jesus warns us of what will happen when the King comes again in Glory – the separation of the sheep and the goats. We talk more about the reading with Peggy Stanton.

The Pilgrims' celebration of the first Thanksgiving is a keystone of America's national and spiritual identity. But is what we've been taught about them or their harvest feast what actually happened? And if not, what difference does it make? We talk with Robert Tracy McKenzie

In a consumer-drive culture, it's easy to forget about the importance of gratefulness. Sure, we're encouraged to take a few minutes at Thanksgiving to "count our blessings," but it doesn't go much further. Secular writers may explore the benefits of gratitude, but they fail to explore the much deeper spiritual meaning of gratitude. We'll talk with Susan Muto about the dev...

We all know the story of Thanksgiving. Or do we? This uniquely American holiday has a rich and little known history beyond the famous feast of 1621. Melanie Kirkpatrick takes us on a journey through four centuries of American History, giving a vivid portrait of our nation's best-loved holiday.

In October 1789 President Washington issued a proclamation that the upcoming Thursday, November 26 would be “devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is or that will be.” Al reflects on this proclamation.

November 22, 1963 saw the deaths of three of the most influential men of the 20th century. JFK's assassination dominated the headlines that day, so few people realize it is also the death day of CS Lewis and Aldous Huxley, the author of Brave New World. These three men had vastly different opinions on life and spirituality. Kennedy was a Catholic politician who firmly supported the separation...

On this day 60 years ago, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Peggy Stanton was a young reporter at the time, working in Milwaukee in the early stages of her career. She shares her memories of that day.

St. Thomas Aquinas is well-known for his contributions to philosophy. But scholars have recently began to more fully appreciate his role as a biblical theologian. Why was this aspect of his thought neglected for so long? What did Aquinas’ Biblical theology look like? We talk with Dr. Matthew Levering.

As St. Juan Diego ascended Tepeyac Hill before his famous encounter with the Blessed Mother, he found himself surrounded by beautiful music and wondrous sights. In wonder, he asked himself if he had found the place his ancestors spoke of – the “Flower World Paradise in the land of heaven.” What is this Flower World prophecy? Joseph and Monique Gonzalez join us.

Pope Francis has expressed deep reservations about the direction of the Catholic Church in Germany, warning that concrete steps currently being taken “threaten” to undermine unity with the universal Church. Matthew Bunson has more.