Kresta in the Afternoon

In September 2001, Jim Nicholson had just arrived in Rome to serve as US Ambassador to the Holy See for the Bush administration. He was meeting with the French ambassador when he learned what was happening back home. He shares his experiences and how John Paul II reacted.

Jim Nicholson is an attorney and former US Ambassador to the Holy See. He has also served as chairman of the Republican National Committee and was the US Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2005 to 2007.

As the North Tower burned, FDNY Chief Rich Picciotto charged up the burning stairs. He was between the sixth and seventh floors when the tower collapsed and prayed that God would “make it quick.” He is the highest-ranking firefighter to survive the World Trade Center collapse, and joins us.

Richard Picciotto is the author of Last Man Down: A Firefighter's Story of Survival and Escape from the World Trade Center. He was an FDNY Battalion commander on 9/11 and served in the FNDY for more than 30 years. He is also a former New York City police officer.

Here is the latest news from Ave Maria Radio for Monday, 13 September 2021.  It's the feast of St. John Chrysostom.

At 9:25 am on September 11, the Department of Transportation ordered US airspace closed. Thousands of planes suddenly had no place to go. 38 of them were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. The tightly-knit community of less than 10,000 suddenly found itself playing host to nearly 7,000 scared and confused travelers. What followed was an incredible display of love and humanity on one of the world's darkest days. Jim Defede shares the story.

Jim DeFede is the author of The Day the World Came to Town. He's an award-winning journalist who was a staff writer for the Spokesman Review and Miami New Times before becoming a metro columnist for the Miami Herald. His work has appeared in Talk, the New Republic, and Newsday. He is currently an investigative reporter for the CBS station in Miami. Follow him on Twitter @DeFede.

Al shares his thoughts on former President Bush's speech on the anniversary of 9/11 and how he sees America twenty years after the terrible terrorist attacks.  

Here is the latest news from Ave Maria Radio for Friday, 10 September 2021.  It's the feast of St. Nicholas of Tolentino.

It was 1943 – World War II was in full swing and Italy had just switched to the Allies’ side. Two German soldiers were killed in the northern part of the country when some abandoned munitions exploded. The Germans insisted it was sabotage and rounded up 22 civilians, demanding to know who was behind the plot. That’s when policeman Salvo D’Acquisto stepped in. Dino Valle tells the story.

Dino Valle is a voice teacher and performer from Italy. He is also a radio personality for AM1440 WMKM Detroit.

When asked last week about the new abortion law in Texas, President Biden made two things clear: He will use every resource of the government to ensure Texas women have access to abortion, and he does not believe life begins at conception. This is the latest example of how he has completely towed the line of the Democratic Party on abortion. Paul Kengor joins us.

Paul Kengor is author most recently of The Devil and Karl Marx. He’s professor of political science at Grove City College in Grove City, Pa., and senior academic fellow at the Center for Vision & Values. Dr. Kengor is author of over a dozen other books, including A Pope and a President: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Extraordinary Untold Story of the 20th Century; The Politically Incorrect Guide to Communism; and Dupes: How America’s Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century.

Here is the latest news from Ave Maria Radio for Thursday, 9 September 2021.  It's the feast of St. Peter Claver.

Many people, when discussing the challenges we face today, make the mistake of taking a very narrow view of history, which allows them to declare emphatically that things are the worst they have ever been. And we can make the same mistake when discussing the problems facing the Church. But to do so misses the point – the Church has faced great challenges in the past and risen from them stronger than before. Steve Weidenkopf joins us.

Steve Weidenkopf is the author most recently of Light From Darkness - Nine Times the Catholic Church Was in Turmoil and Came Out Stronger Than Before. He teaches Church history at the Christendom College Graduate School of Theology. His other books include The Glory of the Crusades, and The Real Story of Catholic History, and he is the creator of the Epic video series on Church history. He is also a popular author and speaker on the Crusades and other historical subjects.