Today on Kresta - November 24, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 24

4:00 – Abortion and Conscience Protection in the Senate Health Care Bill
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the Senate to make essential changes its health reform bill in order to keep in place federal law on abortion funding and conscience protection on abortion, protect access to health care for immigrants and include strong provisions for adequate affordability. The bishops called the Senate health care bill an "enormous disappointment" that creates new and unacceptable federal policy for funding and coverage of abortions, as well as rights of conscience. Kansas Senator Sam Brownback is here to discuss the debate in the Senate.

4:20 – “The Catholic Church: A History”
The Catholic Church. It began as a small band of supporters following the teachings of an itinerant preacher in an outpost of the Roman Empire. From there, the church expanded both its size and its importance in the grand scheme of Western history. Today, the church is the oldest continuously active organization on Earth and one of the most influential institutions in the world—a force capable of moving armies, inspiring saints, and shaping the lives of a billion members. But how did this powerful institution develop out of the early church community—a loosely associated group of disciples who were inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus? Why do today's Catholics worship the way they do? How has this institution influenced world history far beyond the walls of its churches and monasteries? Dr. William Cook discusses “The Catholic Church: A History.”

5:00 – A Lukian Perspective at the close of the Year of St. Paul
In writing the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke devotes nearly half of his text to St. Paul. Beginning with chapter nine, Luke narrates Paul's change from persecutor to apostle and then relates how Paul subsequently became a Roman prisoner. St. Luke gives prominence to chains as a means of bracketing the transformation that Paul experienced. Luke begins his account with Paul brandishing chains. He closes his narrative with Paul being guarded in chains. We look at this close of the year of St. Paul from a Lukian perspective. Fr. Richard Cassidy is our guide.

5:20 – USCCB Meeting Review / Choosing a Patron Saint for Detroit
Archbishop Allen Vigneron joins us for his regular monthly segment. Today, we discuss the recently-completed USCCB Meeting as well as the Archdiocese of Detroit’s search for a patron saint.

Today on Kresta - November 23, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 23

4:00 – Kresta Comments

4:20 – The Devil’s Delusion
Militant atheism is on the rise. Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens have topped bestseller lists with books denigrating religious belief as dangerous foolishness. And these authors are merely the leading edge of a far larger movement–one that now includes much of the scientific community. A secular Jew, David Berlinski nonetheless delivers a biting defense of religious thought. An acclaimed author who has spent his career writing about mathematics and the sciences, he turns the scientific community’s cherished skepticism back on itself, daring to ask and answer some rather embarrassing questions. He joins us.

5:00 – Abortion in the Senate Health Care Reform Bill
Just 38% of voters now favor the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s the lowest level of support measured for the plan in nearly two dozen tracking polls conducted since June. Meanwhile, House Democrats are at an impasse over whether their remake of the nation’s health care system would effectively allow federal funding of abortion. At least two dozen pro-life Democrats believe it would, and while their opposition is unlikely to stall the legislation in the end, they are at odds with Democratic leaders just weeks ahead of anticipated floor action on the bill. Doug Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee keeps us up to date.

5:20 – The Manhattan Declaration
The Internet and blogsphere is buzzing this morning about the The Manhattan Declaration, which is described as “a 4,732-word statement signed by a movement of Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Christian leaders who are collaborating around moral issues of great concern." The Assocaiated Press says about it: The Document…sounds familiar themes from political and social debates over the health care overhaul and gay marriage battles.” President Barack Obama's desire to reduce the need for abortion is "a commendable goal," but his proposals are likely to increase the number of elective abortions, the document contends. We talk with Fr. Robert Sirico, one of the documents signatories.

5:40 – A Postcard From the Volcano
Beginning in 1914 and ending on the eve of World War II, Lucy Beckett tells an epic story which follows the coming of age and early manhood of the Prussian aristocrat, Max von Hofmannswaldau. From the idyllic surroundings of his ancestral home to the streets of cosmopolitan Breslau menaced by the Nazi SS, Hofmannswaldau uncovers the truth about his own identity and confronts the modern ideologies that threaten the annihilation of millions of people. It’s an extraordinary work about the mysteries of faith and hope and love, prevailing in a time of radical fear.

Today on Kresta - November 20, 209

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 20

4:00 – The Fulfillment of All Desire
EWTN Television recently aired a 13-week series on Ralph Martin‘s book The Fulfillment of all Desire. In it, Ralph draws upon the teaching of seven acknowledged “Spiritual Doctors” of the Church, presents an in-depth study of the journey to God. This book provides encouragement and direction for the pilgrim who desires to know, love, and serve our Lord. Whether the reader is beginning the spiritual journey or has been traveling the road for many years, he will find a treasure of wisdom. It is destined to be a modern classic on the spiritual life. Ralph is here in studio to discuss the Fulfillment of all Desire.

5:00 – The Pro-Life Movement: A Continuation of the Civil Rights Struggle
Dr. Alveda King currently serves as a Pastoral Associate and Director of African-American Outreach for Priests for Life and Gospel of Life Ministries. She is also a voice for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, sharing her testimony of two abortions, God’s forgiveness, and healing. The daughter of the late civil rights activist Rev. A.D. King and his wife Naomi Barber King, Alveda grew up in the civil rights movement led by her uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Her family home in Birmingham, Alabama, was bombed, as was her father’s church office in Louisville, Kentucky. Alveda was jailed during the open housing movement. She sees the pro-life movement as a continuation of the civil rights struggle. Alveda is in town for a speaking engagement and joins us in studio to share her testimony, and look at the current state of the pro-life movement.

Today on Kresta - November 19, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 19
Live from the USCCB Fall Meeting in Baltimore, MD

4:00 – Alba House Press – Sponsor of “Kresta in the Afternoon” at the USCCB
The Pauline Priests and Brothers are an order dedicated to media. Books, magazines, web content, CDs, DVDs, and much more. They are also our sponsors for our broadcast from the USCCB Fall Meeting. We talk with Fr. Jeffrey Mickler about St. Paul’s / Alba House Publishers and his new work with stpaulstube.com.

4:20 – A Bishop’s Story of Vocation
Bishop Alexander Sample of the Diocese of Marquette, MI has an incredible story of his calling to the priesthood, and he is here to share it. In this year for priests, the Bishops are calling on all Catholics to build up the priesthood, discuss the priesthood, and suggest the priesthood to young men. It is precisely because of this type of encouragement that Bishop Sample is a priest of God.

4:40 – Terrorist Trial Moving to NYC: Good Idea or Bad Idea?
Andrew McCarthy is the federal prosecutor responsible for leading the investigation of Blind Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman and others involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He uses that experience to comment on the decision of the Obama Administration to try Khalid Sheik Mohammad and other terrorists in NYC rather than in military tribunals.

5:00 – “The Blind Side”
Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy know the Michael Oher story better than anyone, at least better than anyone other than Michael Oher himself. And they're thrilled with "The Blind Side," John Lee Hancock's feature film, starring Sandra Bullock, which opens with a nationwide release on Friday. The Tuohys spoke with the media on a teleconference Tuesday afternoon to promote the release of the movie, which is based on the former Ole Miss offensive lineman's rise from living on the streets of Memphis to becoming a first-round draft pick of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy took Oher in and later had him enrolled at the prestigious Briarcrest Christian School before going through the legal adoption process with the budding football star. We talk with Leigh Ann Tuohy.

5:20 – USCCB Study: The Causes and Context of the Clergy Abuse Crisis
Researchers from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice presented an Interim Report on the Causes and Context Study on sexual abuse of minors by clergy at the USCCB meeting this week. The research seeks to explain the rise in incidence of sexual abuse by priests in the late 1960s and 1970s and its subsequent decline after 1985. Karen Terry, PhD, the principal researcher on the Study, is with us to discuss her findings.

5:40 – Thanksgiving and Eucharist
For Americans, the term “Thanksgiving” conjures up images of turkey and cranberry sauce, parades and bowl games. These are “traditions” that have come to mark an event made a perpetual institution of American life by President Abraham Lincoln. But why did Lincoln proclaim the last Thursday in November as a national holiday? Because it was clear to him that the blessings of food, land, family, and freedom enjoyed by Americans are all gifts from the Creator. But Americans, he realized, had forgotten this. A special day was needed for us to forget our differences and remember our blessings. And from remembering naturally follows giving thanks to the Source of those blessings. We look at Thanksgiving and the Eucharist with Marcellino D’Ambrosio.

Today on Kresta - Nov. 18, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 18
Live from the USCCB Fall Meeting in Baltimore, MD

4:00 – Bishops Approve Translations of Final Five Sections of Roman Missal – Not Without Controversy However
The U.S. bishops approved the English translation and U.S. adaptations of five final sections of the Roman Missal in voting late yesterday afternoon. With overwhelming majority votes, the bishops approved translations of the proper of the saints, specific prayers to each saint in the universal liturgical calendar; the commons, general prayers for celebrating saints listed in the "Roman Martyrology"; the Roman Missal supplement; the U.S. propers, a collection of orations and formularies for feasts and memorials particular to the U.S. liturgical calendar; and U.S. adaptations to the Roman Missal. There was some debate on the floor about a separate piece of the translations -- the antiphons -- which has not come to the bishops for consideration, but instead has advanced through the Vatican's approval procedures without the consultation of the English-language bishops' conferences around the world. We talk about the votes with Fr. Peter Stravinskas.

4:20 – Fulton Sheen: His Life, Example and Cause for Canonization
Fulton John Sheen was born on May 8,1895 in El Paso, Illinois. The oldest of four sons, he was baptized Peter John in St. Mary’s Church, but soon became known by his mother’s maiden name, Fulton. The family moved to Peoria where the young Sheen attended school and served as an altar boy at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Turning down a significant scholarship for graduate school, he followed his desire to become a priest and entered St. Paul’s Seminary in Minnesota. Father Sheen went on to become Archbishop Fulton John Sheen, a universally popular evangelist, radio/TV personality, writer and missionary. He is most known for his television series, “Life is Worth Living” which had a viewing audience of over 30 million people. Archbishop Fulton John Sheen, a Son of Peoria, a Son of the Church, died on December 9, 1979 in his private chapel in his Manhattan apartment. In 2002, Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC, of the Diocese of Peoria, IL officially opened the cause for Sheen’s beatification and canonization. We talk with Bishop Jenky about Sheen’s life, example and cause for canonization.

4:40 – “Life-Giving Love in an Age of Technology”
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a document on reproductive technologies, and a proposed revision to the directives that guide Catholic health care services yesterday. “Life-Giving Love in an Age of Technology,” which addresses Catholic teaching on a range of infertility treatments, passed with 220 in favor, 4 opposed and 3 abstaining. The document looked at morally problematic procedures including in vitro fertilization, embryo adoption, sperm and egg donation and surrogacy and recommended therapeutic means that help a couple conceive through sexual intercourse rather than replacing the act itself. We talk about it with Dr. John Haas of the National Catholic Bioethics Center who advised on the document.

5:00 – USCCB Fall Meeting: An Analysis
With the major work of the USCCB Fall Meeting now completed, we get a report from Raymond Arroyo. What were the highlights, and what will have the greatest impact on the Church? What will be felt by those in the pews, and what happened behind the scenes? Raymond has it all.

5:20 – A Catholic View of Literary Classics – Part 8 of 10: Merchant of Venice
We continue our 10-week series examining Classic Literature from a Catholic perspective. Acclaimed literary biographer Joseph Pearce is the editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions and will be our guide. We will ensure that traditional moral readings of the works are given prominence, instead of the feminist or deconstructionist readings that often proliferate in other series of 'critical editions'. As such, they represent a genuine extension of consumer choice, enabling educators, students, and lovers of good literature to buy editions of classic literary works without having to 'buy into' the ideologies of secular fundamentalism. Today, we examine Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.

5:40 – “2012”
When we got word recently that the movie “2012” depicts the Vatican being blown up, along with the famous statue from Rio, Christ the Redeemer, we were unmoved. Why? Because this occurs during the end of the world in a massive destruction. This kind of sensationalism, we reasoned, is standard fare for director Roland Emmerich: he is the guru of the “blow ‘em up” genre of movies. But now we’ve learned that while Catholics get theirs, Muslims are spared. Out of fear, of course. Emmerich is more than a coward—he is a liar who has it out for Catholics. Last year, he was quoted saying, “I would like to erase all nations and religions.” Not true. He is quite content to live with Islam, even though he readily admits it is a religion of terror. When asked why he did not show the destruction of Kaaba, the religious structure in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, he said, “I wanted to do that, I have to admit. You can actually let Christian symbols fall apart, but if you would do this with [an] Arab symbol, you would have…a fatwa.” We talk about the film with Fr. Robert Barron.

Today on Kresta - November 17, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 17
Live from the USCCB Fall Meeting in Baltimore, MD

4:00 – USCCB Pastoral Letter on Marriage- “Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan”
The USCCB voted today on the approval of a pastoral letter on marriage. The letter, “Love and Life in the Divine Plan,” was overwhelmingly approved and is an important component of the Bishops’ National Pastoral Initiative for Marriage that began in 2004. The pastoral letter is written with a broad and diverse audience in mind – ranging from young unmarried adults to married couples to those who offer pastoral ministries to those whose work informs and shapes opinion and public policy about marriage. The bishops write, “We address this pastoral letter first and foremost to the Catholic faithful in the United States. In a spirit of witness and service we also offer our message to all men and women in the hope of inspiring them to embrace this teaching.” We talk with Bishop Joseph Kurtz, who chairs the Committee that wrote this document.

4:20 – A Short History of the Crusades: Why Should Catholics Care?
Jonathan Riley-Smith tells the story of the Crusades as never before. He has written no less than 8 books that detail a comprehensive history that ranges from the preaching of the First Crusade in 1095 to the legacy of crusading ideals and imagery that continues today. We look at the ideas of apologists, propagandists, and poets about the Crusades, as well as the perceptions and motives of the crusaders themselves and the means by which they joined the movement. He joins us.

5:00 – Be Thou My Vision: Meditations on the Priesthood
The Year for Priests, announced by Pope Benedict XVI earlier this year, is intended to help priests build a strong spiritual identity. The year will close on June 19, 2010 in St. Peter’s Square at a world meeting for priests. For this year for priests, Bishop David Ricken has written Be Thou My Vision: Meditations on the Priesthood. The book is a series of short mediations that will lead priests on a contemplative journey to the core of the priesthood and will deepen and renew a priest’s love of his vocation. Bishop Ricken joins us.

5:20 – A Bishop’s Story of Vocation
Bishop Alexander Sample of the Diocese of Marquette, MI has an incredible story of his calling to the priesthood, and he is here to share it. In this year for priests, the Bishops are calling on all Catholics to build up the priesthood, discuss the priesthood, and suggest the priesthood to young men. It is precisely because of this type of encouragement that Bishop Sample is a priest of God.

5:40 – Kresta Comments

Today on Kresta - November 16, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 16

Live from the USCCB Fall Meeting in Baltimore, MD

4:00 – The Year for Priests / St. John Vianney
Pope Benedict XVI opened the “Year for Priests” in June, with the theme “Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests.” The year also marks the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, known as the “Curé of Ars.” The prefect for the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes, is encouraging local dioceses and parishes to plan events that will “celebrate and show appreciation for priests.” As a key contribution to the celebration, a new theatrical drama, “Vianney,” has launched a worldwide tour. The play focuses on the question, “What is a priest?” and tells the story of St. John Vianney, whose exemplary life was so remarkable that the Pope has named him the patron of this jubilee year, and will, at the close of the year, declare him the patron of all the priests of the world. The drama, starring actor and film director Leonardo Defilippis, will be performed tonight for the Bishops here at the USCCB meeting in Baltimore. We talk with Leonardo.

4:20 – TBA

4:40 – Vatican Looking at Possibility of Alien Life
E.T. phone Rome. The Vatican spent the last week studying the possibility of extraterrestrial alien life and its implication for the Catholic Church. "The questions of life's origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very suitable and deserve serious consideration," said the Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, an astronomer and director of the Vatican Observatory. Father Funes, a Jesuit priest, last week presented the results of a five-day conference, which was attended by astronomers, physicists, biologists and other specialists to discuss the budding field of astrobiology - the study of the origin of life and its existence elsewhere in the cosmos. Ben Wiker, author of “Alien Ideas: Christianity and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life,” is with us.

5:00 – USCCB Fall Conference: An Overview
The annual Fall General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will kicked off this afternoon at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel. At the assembly, the bishops will hear an address by the president of the USCCB, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago; and elect the USCCB chairs of 5 Committees. They will rework and vote on documents concerning sections of the New Roman Missal, a Pastoral letter on marriage, a document on reproductive technologies, and one on Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. The meeting agenda also will include a preliminary report on the Causes and Context Study on clergy sexual abuse of minors conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a report by the National Religious Vocation Conference on a recent study of religious vocations. We get an overview from Russell Shaw, reporter for Our Sunday Visitor and former spokesman for the USCCB.

5:20 – A Grief Like No Other
From mass tragedies like suicide bombings to sensationalized crimes that make the news only to be replaced by yet another victim, more families and friends are left with the aftermath of dealing with the violent death of a loved one. Violent death brings its own special brand of grieving: Victim's families can spend years dealing with the legal ramifications, guilt, and myriad other unique circumstances. Kathleen O'Hara knows both sides of this coin: As a therapist, she has counseled hundreds of people in dealing with grief; as a mother, she saw her worst fears realized when her college-age son was brutally murdered. In the aftermath of Aaron's death, O'Hara developed the seven-stage journey that is at the heart of A Grief Like No Other. O'Hara offers concrete, practical steps and stages for those who are left behind in the aftermath of violence, allowing family and friends safe passage through this harrowing journey.

U.S. to Seize Mosques, Skyscraper Linked to Iran

Federal prosecutors have taken steps to seize four U.S. mosques and a Manhattan skyscraper owned by a nonprofit Muslim organization long suspected of being secretly controlled by the Iranian government.

In what could prove to be one of the biggest counterterrorism seizures in U.S. history, prosecutors filed a civil complaint Thursday in federal court against the Alavi Foundation, seeking the forfeiture of more than $500 million in assets.

The assets include bank accounts; Islamic centers consisting of schools and mosques in New York City, Maryland, California and Houston; more than 100 acres in Virginia; and a 36-story glass office tower in New York.

Confiscating the properties would be a sharp blow against Iran, which has been accused by the U.S. government of bankrolling terrorism and trying to build a nuclear bomb.

FLASHBACK: 5th Avenue Skyscraper Center of Iranian Mystery

A telephone call and e-mail to Iran's U.N. Mission seeking comment were not immediately answered.

John D. Winter, the Alavi Foundation's lawyer, said it intends to litigate the case and prevail. He said the foundation has been cooperating with the government's investigation for the better part of a year.

"Obviously the foundation is disappointed that the government has decided to bring this action," Winter told The Associated Press.

It is extremely rare for U.S. law enforcement authorities to seize a house of worship, a step fraught with questions about the constitutional right to freedom of religion.

The action against the Shiite Muslim mosques is sure to inflame relations between the U.S. government and American Muslims, many of whom are fearful of a backlash after last week's Fort Hood military base shooting rampage, blamed on a Muslim American major.

Read more...

Republican Party Drops Employee Insurance Plan Allowing Rare Abortion Coverage

With members of its party unanimously opposing abortion funding in the government-run health care bill in the House, the national Republican Party has moved to drop an employee insurance plan that allows coverage of abortion.

The news web site Politico uncovered the aspect of the plan in a report issues late Thursday showing the Republican National Committee insurance plan paid for abortions.

Today, GOP chairman Michael Steele, himself a pro-life former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, said the Republican Party would remove the abortion coverage from its employee insurance plan, currently offered thorough Cigna.

However, the information indicates that abortions are only covered in the very rare circumstances in which the life of the mother is in danger, which some pro-life physicians dispute never happens except in a situation like an ectopic pregnancy where the unborn child has no chance of surviving anyway.

"Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose," Steele said in a statement. "I don't know why this policy existed in the past, but it will not exist under my administration. Consider this issue settled."

Today on Kresta - Nov. 13, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 13
Best of “Kresta in the Afternoon”

4:00 – Dan Brown, Freemasonry, and the Catholic Church
Dan Brown may loathe Catholics, but he just adores the Masons. Brown goes out of his way in his latest book “‘The Lost Symbol” to present the lodge as essentially benign and misunderstood. The Catholic Church, of course, is seen by Brown as essentially wicked and misunderstood only by its followers. “Masons are praised for their religious tolerance,” an AP article says. In the book, Brown defends the Masons against “unfair” portrayals. So kind of him. In real life Brown says he has “enormous respect for the Masons.” Must be their historic anti-Catholicism that won him over. Showing nothing but sweetness and light, the man who has made millions dumping on the Catholic Church says of his new work, “It’s a reverent look at their philosophy. I’m more interested in what they believe than all their rituals and conspiracy theories about them.” Now if only Brown had cut Catholics the same break. We are joined by John Salza, former 32nd degree Freemason in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and author of Why Catholics Cannot Be Masons and Masonry Unmasked.

4:40 – UPDATE: EEOC Violates Religious Liberty By Forcing Catholic College to Provide Insurance for Contraceptives
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled last month that a small Catholic college must include coverage for artificial contraceptives in its employee health insurance plan, raising new concerns about the need for conscience protections and religious exemptions in America’s health care policies. In December 2007, Belmont Abbey College removed coverage for abortion, contraception and voluntary sterilization after they were accidentally included in the college’s insurance plan. Eight faculty members filed complaints. The EEOC determined that Belmont Abbey has discriminated against women by denying coverage of contraception. We talk with Belmont Abbey President William Thierfelder about the progression of the case.

5:00 – Adoption: Choosing It, Living It, Loving It.
Dr. Ray Guarendi, psychologist, husband and father of ten adopted children, is here to consider the most commonly asked adoption questions with insight, humor and a heart for the adoptive family. His aim? To dispel unsettling misperceptions about adoption, to encourage others to think about and act on adoption, and to guide adoptive parents to a more relaxed, rewarding family life for all involved. He’s here to talk to those considering adoption, those who have already adopted and those in the mix as family members or friends of adoptive parents.

Science and faith: a dialogue on finding life on other planets

The Pontifical Academy of Science has concluded a five-day study week devoted to the emerging field of astrobiology, the scientific study of extraterrestrial life.

“This is a quite appropriate topic for the academy, which has a multidisciplinary membership, since it is a field which combines research in many disciplines, principally astronomy, cosmology, biology, chemistry, geology and physics,” said Father José Funes, SJ, director of the Vatican Observatory.

Participants agreed that the discovery of any other sentient life forms in the universe would raise fascinating philosophical questions, but the conference was devoted to the scientific aspects of the hunt for life. The interdisciplinary conference, involving 30 scientists from research institutes around the world, explored issues such as the origins of life, the elements necessary for the emergence of life forms, and the exploration of distant planets that could be searched for signs of life.

Check out this news package from Rome Reports:

How the Stupak-Pitts Amendment May Change Our Politics

From Deal Hudson at InsideCatholic.com:

Last Friday night, when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decided to allow a vote on the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, she may have unwittingly altered the direction of the Obama presidency and the Democratic Party.

For the first time in a long time, the pro-life issue is setting the agenda for the national debate on a major piece of legislation. Even more startling is the fact that the impetus for this inversion results from the courageous efforts of a pro-life leader in the Democratic Party, Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI).

Stupak was aptly described by William McGurn of the Wall Street Journal as "The Man Who Made Pelosi Cry Uncle." He also made the media sit up and pay attention. As McGurn, a former White House speechwriter, commented:

Up until almost literally the 11th hour, Mr. Stupak's push for a vote was
treated as a sideshow. Nor was President Barack Obama ever called to answer for
his flatly contradictory public statements on the place of abortion (the
preferred term is "reproductive health care") in any health-care reform.

Democratic Party leaders, aligned with pro-abortion lobbying groups, initially saw Pelosi's move as an effort to gain passage of the bill out of the House to the Senate and ultimately to conference, where the language barring abortion could be stripped out. But if the 64 anti-abortion funding House Democrats stand their ground, that won't be possible.

That fact has not gone unnoticed. President Obama himself told ABC News that the legislation was intended as a health-care bill, "not an abortion bill." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) promised the Senate version of the bill will not contain abortion funding. (It's no coincidence that Reid is facing a tough reelection in his home state.)

Some pro-life leaders, like the pro-abortion Democrats, viewed Pelosi's decision with initial cynicism; but under persistent, behind-the-scenes urging from Doug Johnson, the legislative director of National Right to Life, they joined together to urge pro-life members of Congress to support the bill rather than merely vote "present." As John McCormack at the Weekly Standard has correctly argued:

Bringing down Stupak would have seriously hurt the effort to defeat Obamacare.
The minority Republicans need public opinion and moderate Democrats on their
side to defeat the health-care bill. Betraying pro-life Democrats and playing
the part of cynical politicians for the media would have damaged that effort.

Republicans wisely chose to stand by the 64 Democrats who risked the wrath of Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America by supporting the amendment. Pro-abortion groups have already begun their counterattack, collecting signatures of more than 40 members of Congress who would not vote for the bill if it were returned to the House with the amendment intact. The same story from CBS News reports that liberal bloggers have been quick to point out that 62 of the 64 Democrats were men, as if that were sufficient to explain their vote.

The role of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in the passage of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment has been widely, and justly, praised. But the fact that the USCCB lobbyists did not give up on members of the Democratic Party as important agents in the pro-life effort is to be especially commended. As a result, a genuinely new space within the Democratic Party for pro-life work has been opened, and the party itself, as well as the Obama agenda in the Congress, is being substantially altered.

It's because of this successful outreach to House Democrats that I am delighted to admit that I was wrong in predicting last August that Catholics would not succeed in getting abortion out of the health-care bill. It's far from a done deal, as I argued last Saturday night, but the amendment's passage puts the pro-life coalition in a strong position to influence the fate of this bill.

Obama's health-care legislation has been hailed as the flagship effort of his administration. One of his closest advisors, Tina Tchen, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, promised Planned Parenthood in late July that abortion funding would be in the health-care plan. It's safe to say that the pro-abortion groups who have supported Obama from the very beginning expected the White House and congressional Democrats to fight any effort to remove abortion funding.

Thus, the collective hysteria of pro-abortion advocates is not surprising. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) has called for an IRS investigation of the USCCB -- "Who elected them to Congress?" she huffs. Others hurl at the USCCB the same "theocracy" invectives they once threw at George W. Bush. Woolsey and her fellow travelers are only exposing their fear and frustration in the face of a pro-life majority in both houses of Congress.

As for the person who started this ball rolling, Pelosi finds herself in a box of her own making. She can't weaken the amendment language without losing a good number of Democratic House votes, as well as that of the lone Republican, Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA). And the U.S. bishops would consider it a betrayal of the highest order if the health-care bill, containing their much-desired public option, is defeated by a Catholic speaker trying to make good on her promises to the abortion lobby.

Pro-Abortion Group Plans $12K in Online Advertising Attacking Bart Stupak

A pro-abortion liberal group has raised more than $12,000 to run online advertising attacking pro-life Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak, who sponsored the amendment that removed the massive abortion funding from the House version of the government-run health care bill.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which sponsors pro-abortion candidates to challenge pro-life Democrats in primaries, is behind the effort.

"The Stupak Amendment goes farther in restricting a women’s right to choose than Republicans passed during the entire Bush presidency," the group complains.

The group sent an email to its members on Wednesday challenging them to raise $10,000 and promising to air a barrage of Internet ads attacking Stupak if they met the goal.

In under five hours, 425 contributors pledged $12,107.

The ad features a picture of a distressed young woman with the text, "Women, not sure what to do with your body? Rep. Bart Stupak will tell you."

The group also encourages abortion advocates to sign a letter sponsored by Democratic Reps. Diana DeGette of Colorado and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois to Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying they will vote against the final version of the health care bill if the Stupak amendment is not removed.

"As Members of Congress we believe that women should have access to a full range of reproductive health care. Health care reform must not be misused as an opportunity to restrict women’s access to reproductive health services," they wrote earlier this week.

They said the Stupak amendment "represents an unprecedented and unacceptable restriction on women’s ability to access the full range of reproductive health services to which they are lawfully entitled" and promised to not "vote for a conference report that contains" it.

Stupak has responded by saying they are "playing with fire" by making such threats and promising to defeat the bill if his amendment is removed.

"We won because [the Democrats] need us," says Mr. Stupak. "If they are going to summarily dismiss us by taking the pen to that language, there will be hell to pay. I don't say it as a threat, but if they double-cross us, there will be 40 people who won't vote with them the next time they need us—and that could be the final version of this bill."

Today on Kresta - Nov. 12, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 12

4:00 – Touched by an Angel: Inspiration Collection - Holiday
Touched by an Angel was a television phenomenon. Executive Producer Martha Williamson made US television history as the second woman to ever solely executive produce two prime-time dramas simultaneously on American networks. She is certainly the first person ever to head two such programs that both blatantly honor God. After viewing the disastrous pilot for Touched by an Angel, no one believed that the show could be saved, but save it Martha did. Not only did she completely transform the program, her new version was the first religious drama to ever make it to top 10 in the ratings. Now we have the Touched by an Angel Holiday Inspirational Collection. Martha is here to discuss it.

4:20 –The Life of Harold Kletschka, M.D. - Father of the Artificial Heart
To Change the Heart of Man, the newest book by Dave Racer is a charming, dignified yet penetrating look into the life of a multidimensional man with a singular focus — to save lives. Driven by deep faith, a brilliant mind and insatiable scientific curiosity, Dr. Harold Kletschka made major medical and business innovations by humbly challenging the ‘status quo' and slaying the dragons of the establishment who greedily sought to devour his life saving work of developing the artificial heart. We talk about this man who consecrated his work on the invention of the artificial heart to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

5:00 – Health Care Reform: House Narrowly Passes Bill With Abortion Restrictions
The House on Saturday evening voted 220-215 to pass its health care reform bill after the chamber approved an amendment that would prohibit public AND private plans in new health insurance exchanges from covering abortion if they accept people who receive government subsidies. The amendment was introduced by Reps. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) and passed with 64 Democratic votes and 176 Republican votes. Under the amendment, women with subsidized insurance policies seeking abortion coverage would be forced to buy separate abortion-only "riders" for their policies with their own money. The pro-abortion lobby is furious. Does that mean we should be elated? Leonard Nelson has the analysis.

5:20 – Direct to my Desk - Health Care Reform: The Catholic Argument

Today on Kresta - Nov. 11, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 11

4:00 – Catholic Women’s Conference

4:20 – Apostolic Constitution on Anglicans Released
The apostolic constitution responding to Anglicans who wish communion with the Holy See opens "a new avenue for the promotion of Christian unity," the Vatican says. This evaluation was given in a statement from the Vatican announcing "Anglicanorum Coetibus," Benedict XVI's apostolic constitution that establishes personal ordinariates for Anglicans who want to enter the Catholic Church. Complementary norms and an official commentary were also published. The constitution "introduces a canonical structure that provides for such corporate reunion [...] which will allow the above mentioned groups to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony," the statement explained. We get analysis from Fr. Peter Stravinskas.

4:40 – Is American Exceptionalism a Thing of the Past?
When James K. Polk was elected president in 1844, the United States was locked in a bitter diplomatic struggle with Britain over the rich lands of the Oregon Territory, which included what is now Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Texas, not yet part of the Union, was threatened by a more powerful Mexico. And the territories north and west of Texas -- what would become California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and part of Colorado -- belonged to Mexico. When Polk relinquished office four years later, the country had grown by more than a third as all these lands were added. The continental United States, as we know it today, was established -- facing two oceans and positioned to dominate both. In a one-term presidency, Polk completed the story of America's Manifest Destiny -- extending its territory across the continent, from sea to sea. We look at the period of American exceptionalism and ask if it is a dead concept. Robert Merry is here.

5:00 – When Hell Was in Session
On this Veteran’s Day, Admiral Jeremiah Denton, the senior American officer to serve as a Vietnam POW, tells the amazing story of the almost eight years he survived as a POW in North Vietnam. In 1966, he appeared on a television interview from prison and blinked the word 'torture' in Morse Code, confirming for the world that atrocities were taking place in the Hanoi Hilton. And while in prison, he acted as the senior officer and looked after the morale of his troops at great risk to himself. After his release in 1973, Denton was promoted to rear admiral and in 1980 won election to the United States Senate where he worked with President Reagan to fight communism in Latin America. Admiral Denton tells his story.

5:30 – A Catholic View of Literary Classics – Part 7 of 10: Pride and Prejudice
We continue our 10-week series examining Classic Literature from a Catholic perspective. Acclaimed literary biographer Christopher Blum is one of the editors of the Ignatius Critical Editions and will be our guide. We will ensure that traditional moral readings of the works are given prominence, instead of the feminist or deconstructionist readings that often proliferate in other series of 'critical editions'. As such, they represent a genuine extension of consumer choice, enabling educators, students, and lovers of good literature to buy editions of classic literary works without having to 'buy into' the ideologies of secular fundamentalism. Today, we examine Pride and Prejudice.

Today on Kresta - Nov. 9, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 9
Live from Redeemer Radio in Fort Wayne, IN

4:00 – Fort Hood jihadist's coworkers saw warning signs, but said nothing for fear of seeming bigoted
Some who knew Nidal Malik Hasan said they saw clear signs the young Army psychiatrist, who authorities say went on a shooting spree at the Army base Fort Hood that left 13 dead and 29 others wounded, had no place in the military. There was the classroom presentation that justified suicide bombings. Comments to colleagues about a climate of persecution faced by Muslims in the military. Conversations with a mosque leader that became incoherent. But some of those colleagues now say they were afraid to speak up because they feared appearing to be bigoted. Robert Spencer brings us up to speed on this fast-developing story.

4:20 – Taken Into Custody: The War Against Fathers, Marriage, and the Family
Why is the American family in crisis? Stephen Baskerville argues that the most direct cause is the divorce industry: a government-run system that tears apart families, separates children from fit and loving parents, confiscates the wealth of families, and turns law-abiding citizens into criminals in ways they are powerless to avoid. Taken Into Custody exposes the greatest and most destructive civil rights abuse in America today. Family courts and Soviet-style bureaucracies trample basic civil liberties, entering homes uninvited and taking away people's children at will, then throwing the parents into jail without any form of due process, much less a trial. No parent, no child, no family in America is safe.

5:00 – 20 Years Ago Today: The Berlin Wall Comes Down – The Behind the Scenes Story of Reagan and John Paul the Great
With prayers, music and pomp, Germany today remembered the 20th anniversary of the day the Berlin Wall fell, sending East Germans flooding west and setting in motion events that soon led to the country's reunification. We talk with Paul Kengor about Ronald Reagan, John Paul the Great, and the fall of Communism.

5:20 – St. Damien of Molokai / 2010 Catholic Almanac / 4 Clubs
Matthew Bunson joins us in studio at Redeemer Radio in Fort Wayne. He tells us about his trip to Rome for the canonization of Damien of Molokai, the latest edition of the Catholic Almanac and much more.

JihadWatch.com

Below are the most recent headlines at JihadWatch.org. All are hyperlinked. Robert Spencer joins us on KPM today at 5:40 Eastern.

Just before his jihad

Fort Hood shooter was member of Homeland Security Panel advising Obama

"A person behind counter stood up, and he said, 'Allah Akbar!' And just opened up on everybody"

Fort Hood jihad shooter handed out Korans the morning of his attack

Spencer: Jihad at Fort Hood

Fort Hood jihad shooter was disciplined for Islamic proselytizing

Fort Hood shooter a devout, observant Muslim

Authorities were concerned about Fort Hood shooter because of Net postings about suicide bombings, etc. -- but did nothing

Islamic Awakening Forum on Fort Hood shooter: "What a brave mujahid"

Fort Hood jihad shooter said "Muslims have to stand up against the aggressor"

Today on Kresta - Nov. 6, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 6

4:00 – God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades
In God's Battalions, award-winning author Rodney Stark takes on the long-held view that the Crusades were the first round of European colonialism, conducted for land, loot, and converts by barbarian Christians who victimized the cultivated Muslims. To the contrary, Stark argues that the Crusades were the first military response to unwarranted Muslim terrorist aggression. Stark reviews the history of the seven major Crusades from 1095 to 1291, demonstrating that the Crusades were precipitated by Islamic provocations, centuries of bloody attempts to colonize the West, and sudden attacks on Christian pilgrims and holy places. Although the Crusades were initiated by a plea from the Pope, Stark argues that this had nothing to do with any elaborate design of the Christian world to convert all Muslims to Christianity by force of arms. Given current tensions in the Middle East and terrorist attacks around the world, Stark's views are a thought-provoking contribution to our understanding and are sure to spark debate.

4:40 – Iran Hostage Crisis Begins – 30 Years Ago This Week
It was 30 years ago this week that the Iran hostage crisis began. We talk with Mark Bowden, author of the definitive history of the Iran hostage crisis, America's first battle with militant Islam. On November 4, 1979, a group of radical Islamist students, inspired by the revolutionary Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini, stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran. They took fifty-two Americans hostage, and kept nearly all of them hostage for 444 days. In Guests of the Ayatollah, Bowden tells this sweeping story through the eyes of the hostages, the soldiers in a new special forces unit sent to free them, their radical, naïve captors, and the diplomats working to end the crisis. Bowden takes us inside the hostages' cells and inside the Oval Office for meetings with President Carter and his exhausted team. We travel to international capitals where shadowy figures held clandestine negotiations, and to the deserts of Iran, where a courageous, desperate attempt to rescue the hostages exploded into tragic failure. Bowden dedicated five years to this research, including numerous trips to Iran and countless interviews with those involved on both sides.

5:00 – Life After Death: The Evidence
Unlike many books about the afterlife, Life after Death makes no appeal to religious faith, divine revelation, or sacred texts. Drawing on some of the most powerful theories and trends in physics, evolutionary biology, science, philosophy, and psychology, Dinesh D’Souza shows why the atheist critique of immortality is irrational and draws the striking conclusion that it is reasonable to believe in life after death. He concludes by showing how life after death can give depth and significance to this life, a path to happiness, and reason for hope.

5:40 – Fort Hood Shooter – Mainstream Media Refuses to Discuss Mounting Evidence of Radical Islam
Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a U.S. Army psychiatrist, murdered at least twelve people and wounded twenty-one inside Fort Hood in Texas yesterday, while, according to eyewitnesses, "shouting something in Arabic while he was shooting. One man says his daughter heard the shooter exclaim "Allah Akbar" as he opened fire. Yesterday morning, neighbors said Hasan handed Qurans and donated his furniture to anyone who would take it. He was also a member of Homeland Security Panel advising Obama. We look at all of the evidence with Robert Spencer.

Abortion doctor: 'Am I killing? Yes, I am'

Dr. Curtis Boyd is no stranger to controversy. In 1973, Boyd opened the Fairmount Center, which was the first abortion clinic in Texas. (Watch video here)

Boyd is the only doctor in North Texas who will perform late-term abortions to women up to six months pregnant.

"We see patients from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and across Texas," he said.
Now, the doctor has made a jarring admission.

"Am I killing?" Boyd said. "Yes, I am. I know that."

Boyd said he is an ordained Baptist minister who has now turned Unitarian. He said he prays often.

"I'll ask that the spirit of this pregnancy be returned to God with love and understanding," he said.

Those prayers are vastly different than the ones that are made by members of the Catholic Pro-Life Committee who gather outside his office in hopes to sway women seeking abortions.
"Well, we're certainly disappointed to hear any unborn child will be killed by abortion," said Karen Garnett, with the Catholic Pro-Life Committee. "But, to hear it's a late-term abortion in Dallas, once again, it's particularly devastating."

The doctor opened the Southwestern Women's Surgery Center last week on Greenville Avenue. By law, Boyd must have a surgery center in order to abort a fetus more than 16 weeks along.
But, opposition to the late-term abortions doesn't just come from religious groups. Rep. Jeb Hensarling, whose district is where the surgery center resides, told News 8 he is troubled by the facility as well.

Boyd said he too has been troubled, but said his plight comes from the torment that drives patients to seek his services.

"The hardest ones are the young girls," he said.

Girls as young as nine and ten have come to his clinic, he said.

Death threats have become a norm in Boyd's life. He was a close friend of Dr. George Tiller, who was a Wichita, Kansas abortion doctor murdered in May.

"I don't want the fate that befell Dr. Tiller, but I'm not going to be deterred because what I'm doing is important," he said.

Boyd said he tries to make his phone numbers and address as private as possible and has heavy security.

Thomas More Law Center Attorney Running for U.S. Congress

Brian Rooney, an Iraq War veteran and conservative constitutional lawyer, today announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Michigan's 7th Congressional District. The seat is currently held by liberal Mark Schauer, who has consistently voted with Nancy Pelosi to expand government and bail out Wall Street, while ignoring the everyday concerns of the people of Michigan.

"I am running for Congress because of my children," said Rooney. "As a husband and father, I can no longer sit back and hope that someone else will take care of the mess that career politicians have wrought on our state and nation. The out of control spending of the peoples' hard earned money has driven our deficit to nearly $1.5 trillion and our national debt to $12 trillion. These are no longer real numbers, but a plaything to be used for pet projects and social engineering by the elites in Washington D.C."

Rooney, who re-enlisted in the Marines Corps after September 11, served in Iraq from 2004-5. His Marine Corps experience taught him an important lesson that is lost on today's Congress, "When I was an officer, I would always teach my Marines - like I was taught - that wherever we went, we had to leave the place better off than the way we found it. I've carried this belief with me outside the Corps as well. Every generation has been given an America better than what was given them, but my children will not have that benefit with Mark Schauer's voting record," said Rooney.

Rooney now works as a constitutional lawyer at the Thomas More Law Center, a conservative law firm dedicated to the defense and promotion of life, religious freedom, and a strong national security.

"Mark Schauer and his like-minded friends in Congress have betrayed over 200 years of American history as they take over private companies, fire CEOs, and bail out Wall Street Fat Cats. The reward for working families is 15% unemployment," said Rooney. "We need to get Michigan and America back to work, and that starts with replacing Mark Schauer with someone who will represent the interests of the people of the 7th District , not Washington Special Interests."

Brian Rooney is married to his high school sweetheart, Tiffany, and they live in Dexter, Michigan with their three children.