Kresta in the Afternoon

Thanksgiving is a time for us to reflect on the benefits God has given us. And studies have shown that there are many psychological benefits to being grateful. We take a closer look with Greg Popcak.

The Pilgrims' celebration of the first Thanksgiving is a keystone of America's national and spiritual identity. But is what we've been taught about them or their harvest feast what actually happened? And if not, what difference does it make? We talk with Robert Tracy McKenzie

Kresta Comments: Washington’s Thanksgiving Address

We all know the story of Thanksgiving. Or do we? This uniquely American holiday has a rich and little known history beyond the famous feast of 1621. Melanie Kirkpatrick takes us on a journey through four centuries of American History, giving a vivid portrait of our nation's best-loved holiday.

Darwin’s Origin of Species was published on this day in 1859.  Darwin's theory has had a revolutionary impact on ethics and morality, and that impact was seen explicitly in Nazi ideology and the rise of eugenics. We'll talk about it with Richard Weikart.

Als comments

The idea of adoption is deeply rooted in Scripture. Moses was adopted by the Pharaoh's family and Jesus himself was adopted by his foster father, Joseph. Kelley Nikondeha is very familiar with the concept; she was adopted as a child and is now an adoptive mother. She joins us with a reflection on adoption and the mystery of belonging to God's family.

The idea of adoption is deeply rooted in Scripture. Moses was adopted by the Pharaoh's family and Jesus himself was adopted by his foster father, Joseph. Kelley Nikondeha is very familiar with the concept; she was adopted as a child and is now an adoptive mother. She joins us with a reflection on adoption and the mystery of belonging to God's family.

A former Catholic priest who had previously accused Theodore McCarrick of sexual abuse has filed a new lawsuit against him and the Archdiocese of Newark. Michael Reading says that he wrote to the Archdiocese three years ago and never heard back. Reading initially wanted to remain anonymous, but decided to use his real name to encourage other victims to come forward. He was ordained in 1986 by McCa...

On November 22, 1963, three very different men died within a few hours of each other: President John F. Kennedy, Aldous Huxley, and CS Lewis. Although Lewis’ journey to Christ was heavily influenced by his Catholic friend JRR Tolkien, he never came into full communion with the Church. But his writings did help others to do so, including our guest Emily Woodham. She explains how.

You’ve probably heard of the horrific genocide that took place in Rwanda in the 1990s and is well-told in Immaculee Ilibagiza’s book Left to Tell. Immaculee now appears prominently in a new EWTN film Kibeho: Listen My Children. Doug Keck joins us with how you can tune in.

As Afghanistan unfolded into chaos, a man named Kareem reached out to Catholic News Agency. “I am a Christian. Please help me. You are my last hope.” Kelsey Wicks shares his story.

We typically think of Mexico as a very Catholic country. But it was not always so – in fact, today’s feast day commemorates a man who was martyred by the Mexican government for performing his priestly responsibilities. Msgr. James Murphy tells the story of Blessed Miguel Pro.

Michael Flynn recently commented that if we are to have one nation under God, we must have one religion under God. Al examines the history of American Christianity and how it relates to this claim.

St. Thomas Aquinas is well-known for his contributions to philosophy. But scholars have recently began to more fully appreciate his role as a biblical theologian. Why was this aspect of his thought neglected for so long? What did Aquinas’ Biblical theology look like? We talk with Dr. Matthew Levering.

If you ask some commentators on the Political Left, Kyle Rittenhouse is a white supremacist who was allowed to get away with murder. If you ask some commentators on the Right, he is a modern-day Davy Crockett, a hero for law and order. But what if it's neither? Al weighs in and also comments on the Monks of Tibhirine and the release of two missionaries in Haiti.

Being a young Catholic woman comes with many challenges. Girls are told that to be "empowered" they must enjoy complete freedoms in the professional and sexual lives. They are told that abortion is liberating. And with the gender revolution, they aren't even sure what it means to be a girl. FemCatholic is employing a three-part strategy to show how women are needed in the Church and World. They're...

Prayer rallies are being organized nationwide on December 1st when the Supreme Court takes up Oral Arguments in Dobbs v Jackson, arguably the most important abortion-related case since Roe. Monica Miller has the details.

A Catholic priest, parishioners and schoolchildren are among the injured in Wisconsin. A Prayer service has been planned for tonight at 7:00 eastern time, 6:00 local time. Monica Cardenas of the Catholic Community of Waukesha joins us.

Gertrude the Great, also known as Gertrude of Helfta, was one of the great mystics of the 13thcentury. 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. We talk about her with Rachel Fulton Brown.

The political divide in America can generally be boiled down to one question: Is America a force for Good in the world? The idea of being a “citizen” rather than a subject or a member of a tribe is unique to American heritage and was among America’s most valued ideals – could it be on its way out? We talk with Victor Davis Hanson.

Last night Al spoke on how Catholic men can be leaders in a post-Christian world. He reflects on some of those points and on what happened with the USCCB in Baltimore this week.

We probably all know someone who has struggled with depression. We want to help, but it can be hard to know where to start. Al has experienced this firsthand, as he was hospitalized twice for depression back in the 1980s. He sits down with Dr. Ray Guarendi to recount the story and how he was able to find hope.

A new university was recently launched in Texas, hoping to provide students with an alternative to the censorship that has become commonplace on mainstream universities. A reporter asked representatives from Ave Maria University to weigh in on the story, since they also work for a relatively young institution. The discussion leads us to an important distinction – how does a secular pursuit of trut...

As America moves away from Christianity, it increases its focus on new social and political religions. Archbishop José Gomez reflected on this in a recent talk, and Al weighs in.