Kresta in the Afternoon

When John U Bacon played hockey for the Ann Arbor Huron High School River Rats, he never scored a goal. But years later he was asked to coach the team – which at that point hadn’t won a single game in over a year. They were proud to be called the worst team in America – and John turn them into winners. He tells us how.

Do you see your work as simply a job – or does it change who you are as a person on mission? Al discusses

For a large part of American history, it was widely believed that one could not be a good Catholic and a good American, as you would have to choose between loyalty to country and loyalty to the pope. Catholics play an important role in the American story - but we often make the mistake of seeing them as one, cohesive unit. In fact, Catholic immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Italy and other nations all had vastly different experiences that came to define what it means to be an American Catholic. Dr. Christopher Shannon explains how.

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 McKenzi

In a consumer-drive culture, it's easy to forget about the importance of gratefulness. Sure, we're encouraged to take a few minutes at Thanksgiving to "count our blessings," but it doesn't go much further. Secular writers may explore the benefits of gratitude, but they fail to explore the much deeper spiritual meaning of gratitude. We'll talk with Susan Muto about the development of Christian gratitude over the centuries and how it applies today.

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.

In October 1789 President Washington issued a proclamation that the upcoming Thursday, November 26 would be “devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is or that will be.” Al reflects on this proclamation.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells us again what will happen at the coming of the Son of Man. There will be eating and drinking and marriage, and we should stay awake for we do not know when the Lord will come. Peggy Stanton helps us connect the reading to the Catechism.

CS Lewis died on November 22, 1963. When he began the Chronicles of Narnia, he dedicated the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe to his goddaughter, Lucy, writing "I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again..." Critics look at works such as Narnia or Middle-Earth as mere fairy tales fit for children or simple-minded adults, but they are so much more. Joseph Pearce joins us to follow Aslan's invitation to travel "Further up and further in" to Narnia.

God gives us freedom to do as we ought, but we’ve redefined it to do as we want. What is the true purpose and nature of freedom, and how did it get so twisted? This was the focus of a book by the late David Schindler, who died last week. We look back on the conversation today.