Kresta in the Afternoon

In the aftermath of mass shootings, it's common to portray the perpetrator as a madman disconnected from reality. But Mark Follman has studied scores of shootings and has found that shooters don't suddenly snap - they make a decision and make a plan. Understanding this can help us prevent the next attack. He joins us.

In John 12, Jesus meets some Greeks who said they wanted to see him. In response, Jesus predicted his death and that the Father’s name would be glorified. What does it mean to say that Jesus shows us the way to the Father? Al discusses.

There is no greater horror for a parent than to bury their child, especially under such violent circumstances. Al looks at two other school shootings – the Amish school shooting and Sandy Hook – and how people from those communities were able to come to forgive their attackers.

After a tragedy, it is natural for people to turn to God. And the Catholic community in Uvlade is there to greet them and mourn with them. Fr. Matthew DeLeon of Sacred Heart Parish in Uvalde joins us.

Stephanie Gager has lived in Uvalde, Texas for more than 40 years and her children attended Robb Elementary school. She joins us with a report of how the community is responding to yesterday’s tragedy.

Archbishop Cordileone has been accused of “politicizing” the Eucharist by barring House Speaker Pelosi from receiving Communion. Yesterday, Pelosi told MSNBC that she comes from a pro-life background and “respects” the opinion, but does not respect forcing it on others. What does it mean to live as a Catholic in Public life? Jason Negri joins us.

As Ukrainian Orthodox parishes affiliated with the Orthodox patriarch in Moscow defect to an autonomous Ukrainian Church, an upcoming summit of the Moscow-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox Church may give voice to a growing body of support for a definitive break from Russia. Dan Philpott explains what’s going on.

Nineteen children and two teachers were murdered yesterday at Robb Elementary in Texas by an 18-year-old gunman. Across America, people of all creeds, races, backgrounds and beliefs reacted with horror. And this universal response tells us something about reality. Al discusses.

In the last few centuries, a new focus has been given to the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the work of our redemption. Is she a co-redemptrix, or does this title place her on equal level with Christ? Dr. Robert Fastiggi joins us with a review of how Church leaders have approached the issue.

“This is your cross, and I am not going to take it away from you. I will be with you, and I will help you, but it is yours to carry.” Christy Wilkens heard Jesus speak those words after she prayed for her son Oscar’s healing in her parish adoration chapel one bright September day. Almost a year later she would find herself in Lourdes, France, seeking a miracle. And while her son did improve, that...

In his book Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind, Mark Noll examines how the Christianity that was preached by the apostles can supply the motives for guidance and learning. How did the first Christians introduce the concept of Jesus to a mostly polytheistic world? What makes Jesus so unique? Al discusses.

Christ has established the Church on earth and with its rich array of sacraments, prayers and teachings it is fertile ground for profound Christian conversion. But no true conversion is purely spiritual. It must bear fruit in our daily lives. Fr. Robert Spitzer returns with a further look at moral transformation, drawing from everything from the Writings of Ignatius to Modern Psychology.

In one of his letters to early Christians, the apostle Paul wrote, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone" And in Ephesians 4:15 he instructs us to "speak the Truth in love." But the art of charitable, effective rhetoric has been lost for many Christians. We talk with Dr. Jim Beitler about the work of some of Christianity's gr...

Why did it take Archbishop Cordileone so long to bar Nancy Pelosi from the Eucharist? For what purpose did he do it? And how has the mainstream press responded? Al discusses.

Have you ever wondered how to make sense of it all? Starting this summer, the Acts XXIX program Rescue Project Live will propose a narrative through which the deepest cry of the heart is answered. It kicks off June 18 in Columbus, OH. Mary Guilfoyle and Albert Faraj join us.

In a letter to the faithful released today, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not to be admitted to Communion in his diocese until she publicly repudiates her support for abortion. Al discuses.

Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh knew they were putting their lives on the line. Islamic laws in Iran forbade them from sharing their Christian beliefs, but in three years, they’d covertly put New Testaments into the hands of twenty thousand of their countrymen and started two secret house churches. In 2009 they were caught, arrested and sentenced to death. They share their story.

On the night of March 26, 1996, monks of the Catholic Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance were kidnapped during the Algerian Civil War. They were murdered on May 21 of that year. John Kiser tells their story.

In 1995 about 80% of Latin America self-identified as Catholic. By 2018, the number had fallen below 60%. Why is the Church losing Latin America? Al discusses.

Michelle Paine was raised in a devout Christian home, and outside of the Christmas season she didn’t give Mary much thought. That began to change when she spent a year studying Art History in Italy, where Marian imagery was everywhere. She shares how encountering Mary through art helped her find her way to the Church.

Primaries have now been held in several states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania – two states that were pivotal in the last two Presidential elections. Donald Trump has endorsed candidates in several races, and their success or failure could be a telling indicator of his ongoing influence in Republican politics. We get analysis from Paul Kengor.

A recent column in the Wall Street Journal explores the idea of “superpowers,” the modern-day technologies that allow us to do things our ancestors never even dreamed of. But when we use these “superpowers” we lose something else; a sense of the beauty and the sacred that the author refers to as “Flow.” For Catholics, this “Flow” would be Grace. Peggy Stanton joins us with more.

Zac Kriegman spent six years working in Data science at Thomson Reuters, one of the world’s largest news organizations. His job was to study numbers and stats and figure out what they really meant. When he turned his focus to race and police brutality, he came across a shocking realization – the data was being used incorrectly in our national conversation, with disastrous effects. But when he trie...

The Christian faith is deeply rooted in Hebrew tradition. The New and Eternal Covenants are ratified in the blood of Jesus and the promise of his father. Dr. Phil Gigliotti has devoted his ministry to exploring these covenants and the connections between Jesus and the Old Testament. He joins us to discuss his work.

Pope Benedict is now 95 years old, but his influence remains strong. As the defender of the Faith, Pope Benedict XVI fought tirelessly and largely successfully against the forces of secularism both before and after his papacy began and even years from now we will look back on his life with enormous gratitude. Joseph Pearce joins us.