Kresta in the Afternoon

California Governor Gavin Newsom easily defeated a recall effort last night in the first major election since President Biden took office. As the parties look to the midterms and begin making plans for 2024, many conservatives are wondering what happens next. What effect will Donald Trump have? Will the media's claim that the Texas abortion bill will hurt Republicans come true? Henry Olsen joins us.

Henry Olsen is the author of Working-Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservativism. He is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and his work focuses on how America's political order is being upended by populist challenges from the left and the right. Follow him on Twitter @henryolseneppc and visit eppc.org.

On his flight home from Slovakia today, Pope Francis reaffirmed that abortion is murder and urged priests to be “pastoral” rather than “political” when faced with the question of who can receive the Eucharist. Matthew Bunson weighs in.

Matthew Bunson is Executive Editor and Washington Bureau Chief for EWTN News and a Senior Fellow at St Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He’s the author or co-author of more than 50 books including the first English-language biography of Pope Francis and The Encyclopedia of Catholic History. Follow him on twitter @MattBunson. Register Radio airs Saturdays at 7 pm and Sundays at 11 am.

For the Hebrew people, the temple was the center of the universe. God revealed Himself through the temple, the priesthood and the covenants. Steven Smith takes us on a deep dive through the Old and New Testaments, exploring the priesthood and God's covenant with His people.

Dr. Steven Smith is a nationally-recognized speaker and the author of The House of the Lord: A Catholic Biblical Theology of God's Temple Presence in the Old and New Testaments. He is Chair and Professor of Biblical Exegesis at the University of St Mary of the Lake and Mundelein Seminary in Illinois and previously taught Scripture at Mount St Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburgh, Maryland. His other books include The Face of the Lord: Contemplating the Divine Son through the Four Senses of Sacred Scripture and the forthcoming Gardens of Meaning: Myth, Poetry and Symbol in the Bible.  Visit him at thegodwhospeaks.com

Here's the latest news from Ave Maria Radio for Wednesday, 15 September 2021.  It's the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.

The late Fr Paul Mankowski wrote with a unique wit, a singular breadth of learning, and a penetrating insight into the challenges of Catholic life in the postmodern world. He suffered for his convictions but never lost hope in the renewal of Catholicism, and the truth of what the Church proposed to the world. We examine his legacy with George Weigel.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow and William E Simon Chair in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He's the author of many books including Witness to Hope, the Next Pope and Evangelical Catholicism and most recently edited Jesuit at Large: Essays and Reviews by Paul Mankowski

More than just a contest, the OSV Challenge is a unique experience for participants who aim to think beyond the status quo and view the Catholic Church through the lenses of innovation and creativity. The Final Round is this weekend, which Al will be addressing virtually. He talks about it with Jason Shanks.

Jason Shanks is the President of the OSV Institute for Catholic Innovation. Visit osvchallenge.com

In December 2015, Petr Jasek traveled to Sudan to evaluate how his ministry could help persecuted Christians there. He planned to be back home within a few days. But as he prepared to board his return flight, he was summoned for questioning by Sudanese security agents. He would spend the next 445 days in prison and would share a cell with ISIS fighters. He shares his story.

Petr Jasek is the author of Imprisoned with ISIS: Faith in the Face of Evil. He is the son of a pastor who was persecuted in Communist Czechoslovakia and joined the Voice of the Martyrs in 2002 to aid and assist persecuted Christians. He now serves as their global ambassador. Visit him at petrjasek.com.

Here is the latest news from Ave Maria Radio for Tuesday, 14 September 2021.  Its the feast of the Triumph of the Cross.

In the weeks following the terrorist attacks, firefighter Tom Colucci attended the funerals of several of his friends and coworkers. While present at them, an old thought returned to his mind: “Why don’t I become a priest?” He joins us.

Fr. Tom Colucci is the Pastor of Most Precious Blood Parish in Walden, New York

Fr. Kevin Madigan was leaving his parish of St Peter’s in Lower Manhattan when he heard the first plane hit the towers. He grabbed his anointing oils and rushed to the scene, looking to minister to the injured. As he worked, he heard a second explosion rock overhead. He joins us.