Today on Kresta - April 17, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Apr. 17

3:00 – Sign and Counter-Sign: Theological and Canonical Reflections on Religious Life in View of the Maciel Disgrace
The name of Marcial Maciel now seems destined to become a byword for duplicity and manipulation of the most craven and cynical kind. In the wake of Maciel’s disgrace, a lively debate has ensued over the future of the religious congregation that he founded. Some charge that the Legion of Christ is bound so inextricably to the persona of its founder that the congregation cannot continue and must be suppressed or merged into another order or congregation. However, defenders of the Legion and its associated lay organization Regnum Christi argue against suppression, pointing to their good works and the undoubted existence of many faithful members who played no part in the Maciel fraud. We take the opportunity to examine – with canon lawyer Michael Dunnigan - theological and canonical reflections on religious life in view of the Maciel disgrace.

3:40 – Pope Benedict’s Divine Mercy Mandate
On the world stage and in the life of the Catholic Church, John Paul II became known as the Great Mercy Pope devoting his second encyclical to Gods mercy, forgiving his would-be assassin, making Sr. Faustina, the great apostle of Divine Mercy, a saint and establishing Divine Mercy Sunday as a universal feast day in the Church. With that feast upon us this Sunday, Pope John Paul the Great’s successor, Benedict XVI, has become known as a Pope of Mercy in his own right. He opened the first ever World Apostolic Congress on Mercy in Rome last April and at its conclusion called the participants to go forth and be witnesses of Gods mercy. David Came is here to help us discover Pope Benedicts Divine Mercy Mandate.

4:00 – Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood
Upon graduating from Princeton with high honors, Donovan Campbell joined the United States Marine Corps, despite pleas from friends and family to choose a safer, more lucrative profession. Campbell was inspired in large part by his Christian faith, which he believed called him to serve others and, in doing so, to live out the example of Jesus Christ. Campbell has served three combat tours and has become highly decorated in the process. Throughout his new book, Campbell describes how his Christian faith molded his concept of leadership. Believing that Jesus Christ’s willing sacrifice provided Christians with a strong servant-leadership model, Campbell sought to copy that model while leading his men. How can the Christ-like servant-leader model be applied in other areas of life? He’s here to tell us.

4:40 – Mt. Soledad Cross in Court AGAIN!
If you thought this story had already come to a conclusion – multiple times – you are in good company. So did we. However, the fight over the Mt. Soledad Memorial is back in court again. Arguing that removing the memorial would cause “real, irreparable harm” to war heroes and their families, the Thomas More Law Center has filed a brief opposing a legal challenge to the constitutionality of California’s historic Mt. Soledad cross which honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces. Over 2,100 plaques honoring individuals or groups of veterans are displayed near the Mt. Soledad cross, which is the centerpiece of the veterans’ memorial. Some of the plaques display Stars of David in honor of Jewish veterans. A large American flag flies at the memorial’s base. Attorney and former marine Brian Rooney is here to discuss the case.

5:00 – The Case for the Historical Resurrection
A resurrected body. Glorified. Fully God and fully man. When the alternatives have all spent themselves in fruitless clamor for our attention, it's the old Christian story that still persuades. Catholic writer, speaker and apologist Mark Shea is here to offer a comprehensive and far-reaching argument for the historical veracity of Christ's resurrection. We look at evidentiary claims that support a historic belief in the resurrection.