Kresta in the Afternoon

When Fr. Aloysius Schwartz, known to his many friends as “Father Al,” was ordained he had one request – that he be assigned to one of the saddest places in the world: South Korea. The Korean War had just ended and as he stepped off the train in Seoul, he found himself entering a real-life dystopia. He would spend the rest of his life serving the poorest of the poor in Korea, the Philippines and Mexico. We look at his remarkable life with Kevin Wells.

You’ve probably seen the yard sign that states “in this house we believe…” followed by several statements. It’s the kind of thing you see when people call for “unity,” but do such generic statements actually accomplish anything? Al discusses.

“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 was not the only healing that occurred. She tells the story.

As Christians, we are confident that we will see the face of Jesus after our death. But what does that look like? If, as St. Paul says, flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, how can our bodies enter Heaven? We talk with Jim Papandrea.

What is the influence of Classical Liberalism in the world today? One thing we know is that it does not have the influence it did as recently as the 1990s. What has changed? Sam Gregg joins us.

Last night, Elvis Presley’s only daughter died at the age of 54. While not explicitly a Catholic, he was no stranger to Christian music and even once recorded a song about the Rosary. Al looks at his complicated faith life.

It may sound crazy, but there was a time when a Catholic priest won an Emmy for a television program that was seen by millions each week. That priest was, of course, Fulton Sheen, who was also the author of several books. One of them, republished late last year, addressed the growing threat of Communism to the world. As China continues to assert itself on the world stage and North Korea shows continuing signs of aggression, what advice would Archbishop Sheen have for us? We talk with Paul Kengor.

At the start of the New Year, it's popular to make a new resolution to finally get healthy - and easy to quickly drop the new habits you are trying to form. When facing this kind of challenge, it helps to reorient your thinking in line with the Divine Physician. We talk more with Louis Brown and Becca Wilson.

2018 was a tough year for American Catholics, as the truths about Theodore McCarrick were exposed and the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report revealed damning details about abusive priests and bishops. Do we need to accept that all the Church’s efforts since 2002 have been for nothing? Well, not if we compare it to other institutions. Stephen White explains.

Millions have been impacted by the music and characters of the smash hit Les Miserables, but not everyone has taken advantage of the deeper stories the novel is able to explore. The story is filled with rich, dynamic characters and Christian themes that help illustrate the Gospel. Pastor Stan Butt joins us.