Ave Maria in the Afternoon – December 27, 2024 – Hour 1
In this hour of our 2024 year in review, Reggie Littlejohn reports on China’s latest efforts to erase religion and we look back on Al’s commentary about the faith of the late country star Toby Keith.
Classic Kresta Commentary: The Faith of Toby Keith
Al Kresta was always curious about how people understood the spiritual life. When country star Toby Keith passed away on February 5 of this year, Al did some reading and found that Keith had a strong personal faith that he leaned on during his battle with stomach cancer. Keith’s songs, which largely had a patriotic theme extolling the simple things in life, resonated with millions. We look back on a commentary Al wrote shortly after Keith’s death.
Listen to this Segment
China Replaces Images of Christ with Xi Jingping
A new report details the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to “exert total control” over the Catholic Church and other religious faiths within its borders and to “forcibly eradicate religious elements” that the party deems contrary to its political and policy agenda. Reggie Littlejohn has more.
Links for this Segment
China is Removing Crosses From Churches, Replacing Images of Christ With Xi Jinping

Listen to this Segment
What is Catholic Philosophy?
The Catholic Church has always recognized that philosophy is necessary both to understand the faith as well as to defend it, and the need for a philosophically-informed faith has become more acute with the rise of secularism. James Jacobs joins us with an introduction to Catholic philosophy.

Listen to this Segment





