Kresta in the Afternoon

Christians have historically understood that Jesus rose to life in His crucified body, citing his encounter with Thomas. But some scholars now argue that Christ’s Resurrected body was a “spiritual” body “purged of every element of flesh and blood.” How can we square that with reports of Jesus eating with His disciples and inviting them to tough his wounds? We examine it with Dr. James Ware.

Suicide rates in the US are the highest they've been since WWII. What happens when a loved dies by suicide? Is there hope for their soul? Does the family have a hope of moving on? We talk with Fr Chris Alar.

Do you feel like God is calling you to…something, but you don’t know what? Don’t know where to start? Do you find it hard to clear away the noise of life, and apps, and phones and really listen to God? If you said yes to any of these, you aren't alone. Fr George Elliott joins us with practical tips for discernment.

The teaching of Christ's real presence in the Eucharist began with Jesus sharing with his apostles, followed by their education of early Church leaders, which extends to our priests and the Church of today. Deacon Dennis Lambert was raised in a Catholic home, but spent many years outside the Church before he fully understood the meaning of the Eucharist. He joins us to share his story.

St. Joseph of Cupertino is the patron saint of pilots because he is famous for having the ability to levitate. Could he really fly? What do we know? We celebrate his feast with Fr. Dwight Longenecker.

Route 60 is a concrete and asphalt road that cuts 146 miles through rocky desert and historic ruins in the Promised Land, connecting Jerusalem with Nazareth on the north, and with Beersheba on the south. People long ago would travel that ancient road to reach Jerusalem for three feasts each year. Its meaning and history are being explored in a new movie – Gail Buckley has more.

Have you ever found yourself challenged by non-Catholics to defend Church teachings? John Martignoni joins us with tips on how to answer.

September is the Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, with the official feast falling on September 15. Most of us probably can’t name those sorrows of the top of our heads. Steve Ray joins us to discuss them and takes it one step further – looking at the unknown sorrows of Mary

We don’t typically think of the professional world, especially the business world, as a place for building the Church. It’s easy to fall into the trap that work should stay at work and Church should stay at home. But that’s not how Robert Tunmire sees it. He joins us to share his journey to faith, how we shares his faith and his work, and how we can encourage men to do the same.

Ali Ghaffari’s story is an all-American one. His Muslim father named him Ali, which means “champion.” But he would grow to be a different sort of titleholder. Outcast. Scholar. Warrior. Teacher. Servant. And now, champion for Christ. He shares his story.

In his book Heart of the Christian Life, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that Christ’s presence in the Eucharist “is not static. It is a dynamic presence that grasps us, to make us his own, to make us assimilate him. Christ draws us to himself, he makes us come out of ourselves to make us all one with him.” We examine his Eucharistic Christology with Marcus Peter.

This summer, Pope Francis marked the four hundredth anniversary of the birth of Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician and philosopher who remains one of the most important thinkers in the Western tradition. In his apostolic letter Sublimitas et Miseria Hominis, the Holy Father praises Pascal as a “tireless seeker of truth.” We talk more about Pascal’s Wager and his legacy with Andrew Petiprin.

Data from the General Social Survey finds that the share of LGBTQ Americans under the age of 30 has risen from 4.8 percent in 2010 to 16.3 percent today. But rates of non-heterosexual behavioral experience have not risen nearly as sharply. Sexual behavior once comprised the key distinction to homosexuality – is that no longer the case? Mark Regnerus joins us.

St. Francis of Assisi once observed that “Men should tremble, the world should vibrate, all Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.” It was this realization – this understanding of the power of the Mass – that brought Dan Gonzalez back to the faith of his childhood. He joins us.

When Jesus was presented in the Temple, Simeon told Mary that “this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against. And a sword will pierce through your own soul.” It’s a story that we commemorate in this Friday’s Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. We talk more about it with William Albrecht.

Chris Vitale grew up in a Catholic home, but then went on a long journey through militant atheism and borderline mysticism before returning to the Church. He joins us to share his story and how he discovered a personal relationship with Christ through the Eucharist.

Bryan Topham is a recent convert to Catholicism, which gives him a different perspective on the faith than someone who was raised in the Church. He joins us to share his story and how he is using YouTube to reach others.

Since the election of Pope Francis, there’s been a lot of discussion about what it means to be “pastoral.” Pope Francis gave us an insight into his own understanding of the word last year, when he advised us to look to St. Augustine’s treatise De Pastoribus. Terence Sweeney joins us to discuss what St. Augustine would have told us about being pastoral.

A recent poll from the Wall Street Journal gives data to back up trends we have suspected for years. There has been a sharp decline in people who have a high regard for “Traditional American Values” such as patriotism, religion, and family. While the poll has its issues, it does illustrate a deeper shift in American society: our loss of community. We take a closer look with Mark Movsesian.

One of the great distinctions between the modern and ancient worlds is the absence of sacrifice. Ritual sacrifices were a part of everyday life to the Romans and other ancient civilizations, but are almost nowhere to be found today. But we cannot forget the importance of sacrifice when it comes to the Eucharist. Tyler Graham joins us with more.

In 2021 the Vatican issued a Responsum saying that the Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions. Al looks back at that document and what new DDF prefect Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández said about it.

The human person is the crown of creation. We are created to live and thrive as sons and daughters of God. We’re all dealing with wounds from our past – but healing and freedom aren’t found in the shallows. We talk with Heather and Jake Khym about finding restorative healing in Jesus.

Our societal shift away from community to individualism also increases the challenge to ‘meet people where they are.’ As good stewards we are called to invite more people to be open to a relationship with Christ. Terry Poplava joins us with some steps to take.

When American writer Walker Percy was asked why he was converting to Catholicism, his response was simple: “What else is there?” In fields as diverse as philosophy, social outreach, art, literature, science, politics, law, healthcare, and education (to name just a few), the contributions of Catholic individuals, institutions, and religious orders have been decisive, even world-shaping. We talk mor...

One of the most common questions we get from listeners is how to help their kids and grandkids remain faithful to the Church. It begins with preaching a full, vibrant Gospel instead on the watered-down one we so often see. Rachel Herbeck joins us.