Kresta in the Afternoon

Kresta Comments: Where was God in Auschwitz?

Scripture speaks of two types of sin: “sin which is mortal” and “sin which is not mortal” and lays out three conditions that must be met in order for a sin to be considered mortal. At first glance, one might say that it’s rather hard to commit a mortal sin. Is it? Joe Heschmeyer joins us.

This week Pope Francis thanked the Vatican press corps for reporting on scandals in the Church with delicacy in an environment that often distorts the news. He observed that “being a journalist is a vocation, somewhat like that of a doctor, who chooses to love humanity by curing illnesses.” Matthew Bunson joins us with more on this and other stories.

This Sunday’s Gospel is short, but its message is deep. Jesus is teaching in the Temple when he encounters a man with an unclean spirit, astonishing all who are present. We break it down with Peggy Stanton.

There are some passages in St. Paul’s writings that seem to suggest taking religious vows is a “higher” calling than marriage – but by looking at his entire body of work, we can see that we are all called to holiness. Al discusses, and also looks at what Pope Benedict predicted about Gender ideology.

“Nothing so much presses man’s heart as love,” wrote St. Francis de Sales, whose feast day we celebrate today, in Treatise on the Love of God. “If a man know that he is beloved, be it by whom it may, he is pressed to love in his turn.” We talk about his life with David Bonagura.

Jesus gives his disciples many instructions and their duties as disciples. For example, in the great commission in Matthew 26:19, he instructs them to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” This is a message for the Apostles and all of us as baptized Christians. The question is, are we doing it? Jeff Kassab joins us.

Years ago, a friend asked Regis Martin what he thought was necessary for a successful marriage. Regis answered “prayer and earplugs.” A bit of a silly answer, yes, but it leads us to discuss what does really help a marriage work. Regis joins us.

Since the year 2000, Greg Lukianoff’s Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has tracked instances of free-speech violations on US college campuses. The numbers back up what many of us suspect: since 2014, there has been a massive uptick in campaigns to investigate or punish scholars for “unacceptable” views, resulting in almost 200 firings and hundreds of other sanctions. This is completely antithetical to what we once believed was the purpose of higher education – to expose one to opposing views and opinions – but thankfully there is a solution. Greg joins us.

Next week we will commemorate Catholic Schools Week. Pope Benedict once wrote that “not even the greatest values of the past can simply be inherited; they must be claimed and renewed through an often anguishing personal option.” What is the state of Catholic education in America? Kevin Murphy joins us from the Cardinal Newman Society.