Today on Kresta - June 25, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 25
Guest Host: Nick Thomm

3:00 – 8 Habits of Highly-Effective Bishops
Never before have Catholic Americans watched more closely what happens in their chanceries. They want to know what sort of man their shepherd is, this "successor to the apostles" who comes down to us from St. Peter. How does he discharge his responsibility? Is he an example of personal holiness? Is he courageous? Increasingly, Catholic commentators locate the mission of the contemporary Church at the epicenter of a global culture of death. What qualities best equip today's bishop to fight the culture war? That's the question Mary Jo Anderson posed in a survey of Catholic authors and activists, priests and scholars. We look at 8 Habits of Highly-Effective Bishops.

3:40 – And God Said, "Tee It Up!"
Where do we encounter God? For the Christian certainly there is the Bible. For the committed golfer at least when the drives are carrying and the putts are falling there are the links. Gary Graf has brought the two together with a scorecard full of amusing and thought-provoking parallels between the Bible and golf.

4:00 – “The Stoning of Soraya M”
As the movie industry prepares to roll out its summer blockbusters, a sobering, controversial film explores the gripping story of an Iranian woman who is victimized by her husband. The movie is based on real events and is adapted from the book of the same name by the French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, played by Jim Caviezel. In the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, a husband grows tired of his young wife, who has borne him two sons and two daughters. Under Islamic law, a man may have up to four wives – but he’s also obligated to care and provide for each of them properly. Interested in a potential child bride and unable to afford the added expense of a second wife, the husband maneuvers his wife into tending house for a recent widower. Then he falsely accuses her of infidelity, after blackmailing other male village elders, including the mullah – the town’s religious leader - into colluding in his lie. Jim Caviezel is with us and Dave Forsmark reviews the film with Nick.

4:40 – Why Young Children Belong at Mass
Recently Kate Wicker wrote an article for her parish newsletter about why we must offer encouragement -- not sideways glances -- to parents who bring their young children to Mass. Overall, the response was positive, but one reader sent her a letter suggesting she leave her kids at home so she could "more fully receive Christ." It was charitable enough, but the point was clear: Children are sweet, but they don't belong in church. If we are truly a pro-life people, then how can we not welcome children -- the future of the Church -- at Mass? Kate is here to talk about why children of all ages belong in the pews right along with us.

5:00 – Umbilical Cord Cell Banking
The debate surrounding embryonic stem cell research is portrayed as an exercise in discerning politics from science. But there are undoubtedly some personal issues involved. The stem cell debate gets personal when citizens' tax dollars are used to fund the research, regardless of if the citizens are in agreement. As the U.S. government follows President Barack Obama's March 9 executive order to direct U.S. tax dollars to the funding of embryonic stem cell research, we talk with bioethicist Father Alfred Cioffi about stem cell research and the particular promise offered by these powerful cells found in umbilical cord blood.

5:40 – Newman Society: Catholic Colleges are Lost
Many Catholic universities are lost and are in need of specific policies to help them go in the right direction, says the Cardinal Newman Society. Last week, the society responded to the expressed desire of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities to eliminate the U.S. bishops' policy against honoring public figures who are at odds with fundamental Catholic beliefs. The association's board of directors concluded during its most recent meeting that "it would be desirable for the [U.S. bishops] to withdraw" their guidelines. Patrick Reilly said it was evident "that the many secularized Catholic colleges and universities are more concerned with doing away with the rules than ending the scandals." We talk to Patrick about the future of Catholic higher ed and the fallout of the ND scandal.