Kresta in the Afternoon

If you look at the news headlines from the last few years, you may find yourself questioning what happened to the country you grew up in. This kind of reflection has led Wilfred McClay to ask himself – are we no longer a serious nation? He joins us to lay out the case and see if there is a way back.

If you’ve been thinking about joining the 2023 Good News Cruise, don’t miss your chance. Current rates are only guaranteed until August 14. And Royal Caribbean has removed the vaccination requirements for all passengers. Our world needs strong marriages and this is a great opportunity to strengthen yours. We’ll talk more with Curtis Martin.

In the last four years, the Catholic Church in Nicaragua has suffered nearly 200 attacks and desecrations in addition to persecution of clergy under the regime of Daniel Ortega. Most recently, Bishop Rolando José Álvarez has been placed under house arrest after he openly spoke against the abuses being committed regime. We learn more from Ed Clancy.

Al takes a closer look at what we know about yesterday’s FBI investigation at Mar-a-Lago and explains why he isn’t foaming at the mouth – yet. Also, a Church in Texas has produced an adaption of the Broadway hit Hamilton – Al examines what the real Alexander Hamilton believed.

You’re probably familiar with Count Dracula and Richard the Lionheart from the world of pop culture. But did you know their movie counterparts are inspired by real people who helped defend the Christian west from Islam? Raymond Ibrahim joins us with these stories and more.

Today is the Feast of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Born Edith Stein, she was raised in a Jewish home but abandoned the faith in her teens. She was drawn to the Catholic Church through the readings of Teresa of Avila and joined the discalced Carmelites. In 1942, she and her sister were sent to Auschwitz and murdered in the gas chambers. We discuss her example of suffering with Anne Costa.

Yesterday agents from the FBI raided the Florida home of former President Trump and confiscated 15 boxes of classified materials. While we don't know exactly what those boxes contain, we do know that such a move is unprecedented in our history. Michael Tabman, a former FBI agent, weighs in.

David McCullough was one of the premier historians of this generation and was known for his ability to bring the events and characters of the past to life. He died yesterday at the age of 89. Al interviewed him at a Legatus Summit in Naples, Florida in 2011 and we look back on that conversation today.

In the ancient world, crucifixion was seen as the worst fate imaginable, a punishment reserved for slaves. Yet it was a victim of crucifixion who would become the centerpiece of a religion whose influence has reverberated throughout history. We talk with Tom Holland.

Today is the Feast of St. Dominic. Unlike many of our great saints, Dominic did not leave a deposit of writings to be examined and built upon. Yet this medieval Spaniard still has much to teach us today, and we see this in the way of life he left to the Church. Fr. Patrick Briscoe joins us.