Kresta in the Afternoon

The question of gender—who we are as men and women—has never been more pressing, or more misunderstood. Tragically, an issue that should be left in the hands of psychologists has been hijacked by political activists on both sides of the aisle. Abigail Favale joins us again to explore the roots of the gender paradigm.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus gives us very clear instructions as to what we should do when someone commits a sin against us. Peggy Stanton joins us with a look at what the Catechism has to say on the matter.

This Saturday is the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children, when we visit the burial places of the unborn victims of abortion and other memorial sites dedicated to them. Join us at a prayer vigil near you. Monica Miller and Eric Scheidler have the details.

For millions around the world, Jimmy Buffett’s music symbolized summer, the beach, and an escape from the worries and tedium of everyday life. Many people probably don’t know that he was raised as a Catholic. Although he seems to have left the faith, a Catholic influence can still be seen in many of his songs. Richard White shares how Jimmy Buffett’s music helped enrich his own faith.

April 17 was the anniversary of the 2015 death of Francis Cardinal George, former Archbishop of Chicago. He was a man of great intellect and a great leader in the Church, but most of all he was a disciple of Christ. We look at his life and influence with Michael Heinlein.

Scholars and popular authors regularly claim that Christianity, at least orthodox Christianity, has fostered oppression and intolerance, and that rejecting religion is a key step to advancing liberty and equality. But throughout American history, Christians have been motivated by their faith to create fair and just institutions, fight for political freedom, oppose slavery, and secure religious lib...

Most of us remember Mother Teresa as the woman who broke death's stranglehold on the poor of Calcutta and showed us how to conquer the sin and darkness in what she called the slums of the hearts of modern man. But she was also much more than that. David Scott joins us on her feast day with a look at Mother Teresa's private visions and secret sufferings.

Principled Entrepreneurship is the mindset that, among other things, enables and empowers the American Dream. Principled Entrepreneurs connect people to their purpose and passion by forming teams that create value for customers. We look at Five Pillars that define Principled Entrepreneurship with Andreas Widmer.

The cause of free enterprise is under assault from the progressive left, but are the foundations of economic truth understood well enough by those who defend a market economy? Can they withstand the assault? David Bahnsen is our guest.

Christians may not have the social influence we once did, but in all areas of life you can still find Catholics who are committed to integrating their faith and their everyday life. One example is Dan Weingartz, whose commitment to his faith led him to join the fight against the HHS Mandate. He joins us to discuss integrating his faith and work life.

When we reminisce about the "good old days," one of the features we tend to remember is how we spent our Sundays. Almost all the stores were closed, and after church we'd have a family dinner and spend the day resting. While the culture has long since abandoned such traditions, it doesn’t mean we can't restore it within our families. Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle joins us to dis...

Substance abuse is the 3rd-leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 175.000 lives every year – and the crisis has accelerated since the pandemic. Many contemporary therapists overlook the fact that addiction isn’t just a physical and physiological illness – it’s a spiritual disease that requires spiritual remedy. Keaton Douglas joins us with more.

A baby has been born in the UK with DNA from three parents via a revolutionary IVF procedure designed to prevent rare but dangerous mitochondrial diseases. When the UK first considered approving the procedure in 2015, the English bishops said it was happening too hastily and objected to the destruction of human embryos. We look closer at the story with Fr. Tad Pacholczyk.

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.

There was a time when the priesthood was largely respected by the general public. Actor Alec Guinness began his journey to the faith after a young boy saw him in his Father Brown costume and assumed he was a real priest; Guinness reflected that a Church which could inspire such trust in a child must be doing something right. Sadly, the abuse crisis and shifts in the culture have changed that. But...

The French writer René Girard once observed that the “Eucharist is really related to sacrifice, but rather than representing the violence against the victim, of it being the victim that you eat, you eat the total refusal of violence, which is Christ.” We unpack the meaning of this passage with Fr. Brian Carpenter.

When doors are locked and keys are taken away, those homebound can still bask in the Real Presence and unite in a most intimate, incarnational way with our dear Jesus. Alyssa Murphy and her dad have spent years serving as Eucharistic ministers to the homebound, and as her dad faces a terminal cancer diagnoses his joy lies in the Eucharist. Alyssa joins us.

In last week’s Gospel, Jesus told Peter that he was the rock on which He would build the Church. This Sunday, just a few verses later, Jesus looks at Peter and declares, “Get behind me, Satan!” Why the change? Peggy Stanton joins us.

The Catholic intellectual tradition addresses everything from Theology to astronomy to psychology and more —even as it remains a powerful inspiration to ordinary people. And it’s something we need right now. We talk more with Robert Royal.

Chuck Gaidica has been in the TV business for more than 40 years, telling the stories of Detroiters as a well-known figure in the community. Now, he’s sharing his own story: his road to the Catholic Church. He joins us.

Although all the Gospels are rich in theology, it is the Gospel of John that stands out in making the point that Christ is not just the last of the Prophets; He is the Creator of Earth and Heaven. So much can be gleaned from the first 18 verses alone. Anthony Esolen is our guest.

We all know the parable of the unforgiving servant, who tormented a fellow servant over a small debt just after his master forgave him of a much larger debt. It’s easy to be disgusted at his actions, but we must be careful lest we make his mistakes ourselves. Al reflects further on this passage.

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of St. Augustine. His masterful Confessions is one of the great works of Christian writing and through it he teaches us a lot about Christian conversion and discipleship. We’ll talk about it with Dr. John Love.

Last month the State Department issued a travel advisory for Haiti, ordering all non-emergency US Government personnel to leave. The order came among widespread kidnapping and other violence in the country. Sean Forrest has dedicated his life to serving the poor in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. He joins us.

On this day in 1949, the Soviet Union tested its first nuclear weapon. The test likely would not have happened so early without the help of spies, who collected intelligence on Anglo-American atomic projects even while they were allies during World War II. We examine the history of Soviet espionage with Harvey Klehr.