Kresta in the Afternoon

What is American political conservatism? Is it the movement defined by William F Buckley and Ronald Reagan? The Tea Party movement that arose in the mid-2000s? That which is identified by allegiance to Donald Trump? All of the above? Something else? We’ll talk it over with Matthew Continetti.

Vatican II is one of the most significant events in modern Church history and has been studied endlessly over the last 60 years. Is there anything left to say about it? George Weigel thinks so – by reexamining the event through the prism of Pope John XXIII’s original intentions for the council. He joins us.

When Msgr. Hilary Franco was a young priest, he served as an assistant to Bishop Fulton J Sheen and was with him during the Second Vatican Council. 60 years later, he may be the only priest alive who witnessed those events firsthand. He joins us to share his memories.

Though much has been done to address the issue of sex abuse in the Church, wounds remain in the hearts of victims and their loved ones. What might be done? As a scholar of genocide, civil war and other injustices, Dan Philpott has a unique view of how societies respond and rebuild after trauma. He joins us.

When the Dobbs decision was announced, many pro-lifers wondered what would happen to the annual March for Life. Would it still be necessary? What would its message be? We got our answer last night. Clare Kosmalski joins us with the latest pro-life news.

In a tweet, PETA brought attention to another alleged stain on our society – speciesism; in other words, favoring the human race over animal “races.” PETA claims that this is manifested in our everyday language; when we say a sloppy person is a “pig” or a treacherous politician is a “snake,” we are practicing speciesism. Al shares some thoughts.

“At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life." So said Justice Anthony Kennedy in the 1992 Supreme Court case Planned Parenthood v Casey. This viewpoint that defines humans by their capacity to choose is pervasive in American law and policy, but it disregards a stubborn fact - we are naturally limited to be dependent on others. Carter Snead has more.

We live in a world surrounded by lies. People lie to their friends, their employers, their pastors, their spouses and even themselves. And it makes public conversation virtually impossible. How do we combat this problem? It begins with the most basic step – being mindful of the words we use. We’ll talk with Marilyn McEntyre about caring for words in a culture of lies.

Today is the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima. What happened that day? What effects did the events of Fatima have on the greater world? Al discusses.

If Vatican II is an ongoing theological event, it has now been ongoing for 60 years – if it were a person, it might be looking at retirement! Has the Council — once young, hip, celebrated as part of the 1960s baby-boomer revolutions — become creaky and tired, even “over the hill?”  Was Vatican II about this-worldly power or deeper fidelity to the cruciform love of Christ? How the Church answers will ultimately determine the Council’s legacy. Matthew Levering joins us.