Kresta in the Afternoon

In his new book True and False Reform, Cardinal Gerhard Müller explores the long-term implications of Vatican II and writes that “No opposition may be made between the spirit and the letter of Vatican II.” He also criticizes the contrasting interpretations of the Council for being unwilling to engage in dialogue. We talk more about it with Dr. Eduardo Echeverria.

When Al was in Nebraska, he sat down with Bishop Joseph Conley for a wide-ranging conversation. They discussed pro-life and transgender legislation, struggles with mental health, and more. We’ll share the conversation today.

All of us are invited by Jesus to accept his gift of Eternal Life. What does the Bible say about this? Al discusses.

Everyone has heard of the Fatima apparitions, but many people don’t know the details of exactly what happened. Who was the Angel of Peace? How many times did the Blessed Mother appear? What are the “Secrets” and “Message” of Fatima, and where do they fit into the story? We’ll talk with John Preiss.

On Saturday we celebrated the anniversary of the Blessed Mother's apparition to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. The apparitions came at a dark time, early in a century that would see two World Wars, the rise of Nazism and Soviet-Style Communism, genocides across the globe and countless other horrors. But in the years since then we've seen miracles, testimonies and prayers springing from Fatima. Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle joins us with some of the best.

When Shane Kapler first heard someone speak of being “Consecrated to Mary,” he was skeptical – it seemed to be a clear violation of Scripture. But after studying the life of John Paul II, he came to understand how a consecration to Mary unites us with her and deepens our Baptismal consecration to Jesus. Shane joins us to talk more about the Biblical basis for this consecration.

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 despite the challenges, research by Msgr. Stephen Rossetti finds that most priests are happy, like their work, and have vibrant spiritual lives. He shares his findings.

The Archdiocese of New York is investigating a Catholic parish in Manhattan for hosting an art exhibit called “God is Trans: A Queer Spiritual Journey.” Matthew Bunson has more on this and other Church news.

This weekend we’ll be celebrating our mothers. Mother Amata Veritas is a mother in a very different way – she provides leadership and spiritual guidance for more than 150 sisters of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. She joins us.

While Al was in Nebraska last week, he sat down with Bishop Joseph Hanefeldt of the Diocese of Grand Island. In his role as a bishop, he has noticed a disturbing trend – that many Catholics think the role of the Church is to make them “feel good” about their lives, rather than pursue the Truth. We’ll share his thoughts today.