“Kresta in the Afternoon”—July 30, 2014
Talking about the “Things That Matter Most” on July 30, 2014
4:00 – The Catholic Writer Today
With more than 68 million members, the Catholic Church is by far the largest religious denomination in the US. Yet Catholic contribution to the fine arts is virtually nil. Why is good Catholic literature, film, music and art such a rarity? Dana Gioia, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, joins us.
4:20 – Reading and Writing an Icon
Icons play an important role in the history and tradition of the Catholic Church. How is an icon created? Why are icons so important to the Church? Fr. Thomas Loya is with us to discuss.
5:00 – The State of the Church in America
It is a time of challenge for the Catholic Church in America. New laws attempt to restrict religious freedom. An increasingly secular culture wants us to confine our faith to our household and never proclaim it in the public square. Despite the challenges, this is a great time to be a Catholic layperson in America. As the culture declines, the Church becomes more distinguished. It becomes easier and easier to differentiate between Church teaching and the teachings of the culture. Mark Brumley, the CEO of Ignatius Press, joins us to discuss the state of the Church in America.
5:20 – Catholic Bishops, Religious Liberty and Health
When the HHS contraception mandate became public in early 2012, the US Bishops immediately came together to fight against it. They were joined by hundreds of Catholic groups to push back against this attack on religious freedom. Dr. Phillip Muñoz from the University of Notre Dame is here to talk about it.