Kresta in the Afternoon

The state of Israel was admitted to the United Nations on May 11, 1949. Ever since the state was founded, there has been debate over whether it should exist. The issue of “the Land” is central to Jewish identity and the Church respects the covenant between God and the Jewish people, but how does this relate to modern-day Israel? Andre Villeneuve joins us.

On March 22, 1606, St. Nicholas Owen, the Jesuit lay brother and carpenter extraordinaire, died under torture in the Tower of London. Stephanie Mann tells us his story.

The Bible has played a decisive role in the shaping of American History, and American History has shaped how we interpret the Bible. From the writings of Tom Paine to the fall of slavery to Teddy Roosevelt, the two are intertwined. Mark Noll joins us looking at the rise and fall of America’s Bible civilization.

The Beatitudes go to the heart of how Christians think about their relationship to God and their relationship to one another. Dr. Rebekah Eklund joins us with a look at how writers and teachers, both ancient and modern, have reflected on the Beatitudes and developed spiritual disciplines to enter more deeply into the knowledge of God.

Al was out of town in early January caring for his mother, who died at the age of 90. By all accounts, she was a joyous and caring woman. Al shares some memories of his mother and lessons he learned from her.

Baylor University, the largest Baptist university in the world, has officially chartered Prism, an LGBT student organization, on campus. It’s simply the latest example of how successful the LGBT movement has become. How did the world arrive at its current state of identity politics and how can the Church respond? We talk with Carl Trueman.

Have you ever been told that the Catholic Church is “obsessed” with Sex? That the Church could help the world more if it focused less on people’s personal sexual preferences and more on issues such as promoting peace or combatting poverty? Well, it’s not the Church that is preoccupied with sex – it’s the world. Al discusses this issue through the lens of recent comments by the German bishops.

Paul Jernberg is a composer and conductor who has worked in the fields of ballet, theater and opera. More recently, though, he has worked to compose sacred music, including music for Mass. He has composed a new fully-sung Mass for Persecuted Christians, which raises awareness and encourages prayer for Christians facing persecution around the globe.  He joins us to share what it is like to com...

In his Second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul writes that when we see the Glory of the Lord, we are “transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” This study of the supernatural life is formally known as ascetical theology. We dive into this spiritual life with Fr. Jeff Kirby.

It’s our annual open line program taking your calls on the best books for Christmas. Is there a book you’ve read this year – or even in the past – that you would recommend to others? What are some books that have influenced how you view the world and your faith? We continue with your calls. View the full list at avemariaradio.net 

It’s our annual open line program taking your calls on the best books for Christmas. Is there a book you’ve read this year – or even in the past – that you would recommend to others? What are some books that have influenced how you view the world and your faith? We take your calls. View the full list from today's program at avemariaradio.net 

Most of us are familiar with the life story of St. Paul. But what about the men and women who surrounded him, learned from him, and grew to assist in his ministry? We get to know some of them with Al.

In Second Corinthians, St. Paul writes that we are ambassadors for Christ. What does this mean for the clergy and the laity? What should a newcomer see or think when they walk into our church for Worship? We continue with Fr. John Riccardo.

Everywhere you look, the world is asking us where we find our identity, whether it be in race, nationality, political allegiance, or sexual orientation. What happens when we rediscover an identity that is rooted in Jesus? We sit down with Fr. John Riccardo.

Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of Saint John of the Cross, the Church's premier teacher on contemplative prayer. He authored four massive treatises on the Spiritual life, helped Teresa of Avila renew the Carmelite order, and was a favorite of Therese of Lisieux. Such work demands to be better understood, but it can be intimidating. Fr. Donald Haggerty helps us out.

There has been a lot of talk in the Catholic world over the past year on the concept of synodality, most notably in Germany , and there’s reason for concern about where these synods could go. Would a “Lay Synod” be a solution to the Church’s problems? Jason Negri joins us.

The famous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose feast we celebrate today, has become a powerful cultural icon associated with motherhood, feminism, social justice, dignity and hope. But for Dr. John Bruchalski, she represents something more personal. It was through her intercession during that the Lord called him to turn away from performing elective abortions and to practice life-affirming medic...

A new law in Indonesia, set to go into effect in 2025, will prohibit sex outside of marriage and cohabitation and applies not only to citizens but also to tourists. Most of the reaction globally has focused on how this may hurt the country’s tourism industry – but why should we care? Robert Reilly weighs in.

Ben Rogers first went to China just a few years after the Tiananmen Square Massacre. He planned to spend six months teaching English and then move on with his life. Little did he know he would spend the next 30 years closely studying the country and the CCP. He shares his memories and lessons with us.

This Sunday's Gospel continues the story of John the Baptist. Now in jail, John sends messengers to Jesus to ask if He is the one who was promised. We take a locser look with Peggy Stanton.

Many grandparents today are concerned about the world their grandkids are growing up in. You want to pray for your grandkids and assist them however you can - but maybe you aren't sure where to start. What if we approached the role of the grandparent as a form of youth worker? Mike Shaughnessy joins us.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was one of the great souls of the twentieth century. A survivor of World War II, cancer, and 11 years in captivity in the Soviet Gulag, he exposed the true nature of Soviet brutality to the Western world. December 11 is the anniversary of his birth and we are looking back at his life with David Deavel.

The Michigan State Supreme Court recently redefined sex discriminations laws to protect sexual orientation and gender identity. This could pose a problem for institutions who want to hire employees that pledge to live by a certain code of values, especially Catholic institutions who want their employees to publicly uphold Church teachings. St. Joseph Parish has filed a lawsuit against the State At...

May may be the “official” Month of Mary, but December is a special month as well. With the Feasts of the Immaculate Conception and Guadalupe, not to mention Christmas, it’s an ideal time to rediscover what the Gospels say about our Blessed Mother. William Albrecht and Fr. Christiaan Kappes join us.

St. Augustine said that "the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old is fulfilled in the New." The early Church Fathers saw every part of Scripture as linked to every other part, and the Blessed Mother's role in Scripture is no exception. In what ways can we find Marian imagery in the Old Testament? We talk with Sandra Miesel.