Kresta in the Afternoon

Every year, the United Nations publishes a “World Happiness Report” to rank each country based on its citizens’ happiness. European countries, particularly in Scandinavia, have dominated the list in recent years. But other surveys show that the West overall is facing a happiness crisis, and less than a quarter of American adults say they are “very happy.” Why is true happiness so hard to define, much less obtain? J. Budziszewski is our guest.

Dr. John Bruchalski is a pro-life OB/GYN who has founded two practices that help pregnant women. But he wasn’t always this way – during his years in residency, he performed abortions up into the third trimester. He tells us what brought about the change.

Why is it that, when asked to describe the Church, so many people would say it is "oppressive" or "Close-minded" and not acknowledge the contributions the Church has made to civilization? Al discusses.

Do Catholics and Evangelical Protestants share a common faith in Christ? The teachings of Vatican II say yes, but some Protestants would disagree and say we can work together on cultural matters such as abortion but don’t share a common cause in the Gospel. Dr. Eduardo Echeverria weighs in

Last week, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in Iran in police custody after she was arrested for failing to properly wear her hijab in public. Protests have erupted across the country in the days since then, and five people have been shot dead at the demonstrations. Michael Rubin explains what's going on

The power to define is the power to control. If we can’t even agree on the meaning of terms as basic as “male” or “female,” how can we ever hope to have reasonable discourse on the meaning of marriage or the issue of abortion? A breakdown in our common understanding of words leads to a society of chaos, frustration and distrust. How can we respond? Noelle Mering joins us - see her live in Michigan tomorrow!

Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest yesterday and will go down in history as England’s longest-reigning monarch. Coincidentally, the other Elizabeth would also make the top ten; she reigned for 44 years in the latter half of the 16th century. Other than their namesakes, do the two Elizabeths share any similarities? How do their life and times compare? Dr. Patrick Allitt is our guest.

A lot of Catholics tend to view the Sacrament of Confession as something like going to the dentist – it’s good to do every so often, but it’s certainly not something you look forward to. But Confession is much more than a chance for us to confess our wrongs – it is a door to the heart of God. And as we enter the three-year Eucharistic Revival, there’s never been a better time to get reacquainted with the sacrament. Fr. John Clote joins us.

It’s easy to get concerned about the future of the Church. Al helps us find comfort in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.

In open defiance of the Vatican, Catholic bishops in Belgium have announced the introduction of blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples in their dioceses. The bishops of Flanders also published a liturgy for the celebration of homosexual unions. Matthew Bunson has more.