Kresta in the Afternoon

On November 16, 1993, President Clinton signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, commonly known as RFRA, into law. Why did Clinton feel the law was necessary at the time, and what is its significance today? Dean John Czarnetzky joins us.

Ninety years ago, one of the greatest minds in history defended the Western heritage and explained how Jews contributed to it. Al tells the story and shares some of his own thoughts.

At the Fall Assembly last week, the US Bishops voted to advance the cause of beatification for Fr. Isaac Hecker, founder of the Paulist Fathers. Hecker is an important figure in American Catholic history, but most people today likely aren’t familiar with him. Dr. John Farina helps us get to know him better.

The latest viral trend on TikTok is surprising, to say the least. Users began rediscovering the “Letter to America” that Osama bin Laden wrote in 2002, explaining his reasons for the 9/11 attacks. Multiple users on TikTok declared that “their eyes had been opened” and that Bin Laden made good points. Raymond Ibrahim joins us with more.

Europe has witnessed a 44% jump in anti-Christian hate crimes across more than two dozen European countries over the past year, according to a new report from the Vienna-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe. Anja Hoffman joins us with the details, and also updates us on the victory of the Finnish lawmaker who was accused of hate speech.

This weekend the Israeli military released videos allegedly showing fortified Hamas tunnels running under the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. David Adesnik tells us what we know.

Despite signs of a crisis in the Church, there are many great things going on. Lay Catholics are expressing new interests in intense forms of prayer and the spiritual life, including contemplative prayer. Fr Donald Haggerty has developed a blueprint for this type of prayer life and he joins us.

Gertrude the Great, also known as Gertrude of Helfta, was one of the great mystics of the 13th century. She practiced a spiritualty called “nuptial mysticism” in which she came to see herself as a Bride of Christ and had a deeply personal union with Jesus and his Sacred Heart. Yesterday was her feast, and we talk about her with Rachel Fulton Brown.

The false notion that man is the measure of all things has permeated the culture and even influenced Christian thought. It reduces the faith to an inordinate concern for “social justice,” radical political change, and an increasingly fanatical egalitarianism, stripping it of its transcendental reference points. Humanitarians, secular or religious, confuse peace with pacifism, equitable social arra...

Last week political cartoonist Michael Ramirez published a cartoon mocking Hamas for using human shields while it accuses Israel of targeting civilians. Like his other work, it was featured in the Washington Post - but after some readers complained the cartoon was racist, it was pulled off the Post's website. Michael shares his story with us.

When Catholics look at the crises and challenges facing the Church today, it’s common to have two reactions: either to assert this is the worst things have ever been, or declare that everything is fine and the Holy Spirit is in charge. Taken from the perspective of history, neither of these reactions is accurate, nor are they helpful. Steve Weidenkopf joins us with more.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells us another parable – the man who entrusted three of his servants with a gift of talents, and returned to very mixed results. What is Jesus trying to tell us? We take a look with Peggy Stanton.

The Archbishop of Beijing is visiting Hong Kong this week in a trip that marks the first since the CCP severed relations with the Vatican 70 years ago. Matthew Bunson joins us to discuss this and the latest from the USCCB meetings.

The Catholic Church has always recognized that philosophy is necessary both to understand the faith as well as to defend it. Philosophy helps us to discover the rational principles underlying the intelligible order of reality. James Jacobs joins us with an introduction to Philosophy in the Catholic tradition.

Today we celebrate the feast of Albertus Magnus, also known as Albert the Great. He’s the patron saint of scientists, philosophers and students because he always sought to know more – and he used Reason to seek a deeper knowledge of God. We talk more about the integration of Faith and Reason with Doug Kries.

At the Fall Assembly today, the US Bishops approved an introductory note to give voting guidance to Catholics, which includes language emphasizing abortion as the preeminent priority for the Catholic Voter. Matthew Bunson joins us from Baltimore.

Bishop Strickland has been an outspoken critic of the Synod on Synodality. During the Synod, it became clear that there would be no change on the Church’s teaching on women’s ordination – but there are still prominent figures in the Church calling for a change to the Church’s anthropology, especially when it comes to teachings on sex and gender. Al discusses.

We recently came across a list in which marriage therapists shared the most shocking things couples had told them over the course of their careers. Dr. Ray Guarendi joins us with his thoughts and experiences as a therapist and how our culture’s understanding of marriage and family has changed.

Dr W Lee Warren has firsthand experience with treating people whose injuries and illnesses mean their time on earth is limited. Even as he tries to console and give them hope, inside he is thinking "I've seen the end of you." He joins us to share how we can remain on solid ground even when everything goes wrong and find light in the darkest hours of life.

The USSCB Fall Assembly kicks off today. Matthew Bunson joins us live from Baltimore with a report.

In his letter to the Philippians, St Paul is in chains – and those chains are marks of his union with the suffering Christ. We look at St Paul’s persecution and the joy of the Philippians with Fr Richard Cassidy

For years, Colleen Campbell saw herself as a perfectionist. She drafted her first résumé in sixth grade, spell-checked her high-school boyfriend’s love letters, and thought of herself as an ambitious but well-rounded person who worked hard and played hard. But after she became a mother, she saw how insidiously perfectionism had infected her spiritual life, and how harmful it could be to her family...

Many of us were shocked by the news Saturday morning that Pope Francis had removed Bishop Joseph Strickland as the leader of the diocese of Tyler, Texas. In the days since, there has been much speculation as to the reasons for the removal - but with no official statement from the Vatican, it's just that - speculation. What do we actually know? Matthew Bunson joins us.

The Armistice ending the Great War was signed on November 11, 1918, finally ending four years of lethal destruction. The “War to End All Wars” left millions dead, set the stage for another War just a few years later, and did incalculable damage to the Christian witness. We talk more with Regis Martin.

The First World War is often acknowledged as the event that transitioned America from a frontier power to a global superpower. We take a look at the US’s role in the war and the war’s lasting effects on the world with Harry Crocker.