Al Kresta’s first producer shares her memories

Al Kresta, host of the nationally syndicated talk show “Kresta in the Afternoon” on Ave Maria Radio and the EWTN radio network, has gone to his eternal reward at age 73. His illness was brief, having been diagnosed with liver cancer just two months ago, in April, but he was blessed to have the opportunity to say goodbye to friends and loved ones. His daughter Alexis posted a family photo on social media, and I count 28 smiling faces: Al and his wife Sally, their children and their many grandchildren.

Al’s voice will be greatly missed. His show, which airs on more than 200 stations nationwide and Sirius Satellite Radio, had as its goal, in Al’s words, to “look at all areas of life through the lens of Scripture and the teaching of Christ’s Church.” Al was interested in politics, theology, culture, literature, and the arts. His great love of God showed itself in his great generosity toward the people with whom he came in contact each day: his friends and neighbors and co-workers, of course, but also the people who joined the conversation on his daily talk show. Al was always kind, understanding that you can catch more flies with honey—and what he wanted, most of all, was to “catch some flies,” to lead others to Christ through his words and his work.

I was Al’s first producer at evangelical radio station WMUZ-FM in Detroit, when he was still a Protestant serving as pastor of Shalom Ministries in Taylor, Michigan. I remember how I learned about the position: just reentering the workplace as our children grew older, I had accepted a temporary position through Kelly Services. I was driving home from downtown Detroit and listening to Al Kresta’s fairly new show on the car radio. “I’d like to find a producer,” Al was saying; “someone who could answer phones and help set up interviews…”

“I’d love to do that!” I thought, although I’d never set foot inside a radio station in my life. I applied for the job and was invited for a personal interview with Al and the station’s manager, Frank Franciosi. Noting from my resume that I’d earned a bachelor’s in sociology from the University of Michigan, Al asked me why I didn’t continue my studies and become a teacher in that field; I told him, in all honesty, that I didn’t believe what they’d taught me. In fact, the idea that if your parents did this, you would necessarily grow up and do that seemed in direct opposition to the Christian concept of free will. I guess that was the right answer, because he offered me the job.

So, there I was, Al Kresta’s producer, scheduling speakers at his request or sometimes suggesting someone I’d read about on my own, and watching from my desk as Al urged his guests to explain their positions more fully. In those first years in the radio business, there was no internet, so I’d read magazines and newspapers, searching for news of interest to our Christian audience. I’d call the Information Desk at the Detroit Public Library to find a phone number in another city.

Read more at Catholic World Report