Today on Kresta - January 4, 2010

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Jan. 4

4:00 – The Biggest Vatican Stories of the Decade
'Tis the season for end-of-decade countdowns, like “best baseball comebacks” and “worst fashion blunders.” In that spirit, John Allen recently dedicated his column to the biggest Vatican stories of the decade. Of course, John says, “most covered” and “most important” are hardly equivalent terms, but at least we can say with certainty which Vatican stories of the past decade generated the most buzz in the United States -- making them most likely to shape the perceptions of the average American about what the Vatican and the pope are up to.

4:20 – Nancy Pelosi Explains How Her Conscience Trumps Church Teaching
The rift between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Catholic Church will likely grow thanks to new comments the abortion advocate made. Pelosi said in a new interview that the "free will" of women wanting abortions outweighs pro-life Catholic teachings. Pelosi said "I practically mourn this difference of opinion because I feel what I was raised to believe is consistent with what I profess, and that is that we are all endowed with a free will and a responsibility to answer for our actions," she continues. "And that women should have that opportunity to exercise their free will." J. Budziszewski is here to explain the proper understanding of conscience in moral decision-making.

4:40 – WORLD Magazine: Top 10 stories of 2009
The editors of WORLD Magazine have released their list of the top 10 stories of 2009. WORLD magazine is the nation's most widely-read Christian news magazine. WORLD maintains staff writers in Washington, New York, and other key U.S. cities, and has a network of correspondents around the world. Editor Mindy Belz is here to look at Barak Obama, health care, wars, and triumphs.

5:00 – Sports Faith International: Hall of Fame Induction
The legendary George Halas, the founder of the Chicago Bears and the coach for forty years, referred to God as the Divine Coach. His family described him as a man who didn’t always talk about his faith but lived it very strongly. Today his grandson follows in his traditions and as a board member of the Bears ensures the great traditions of faith and sportsmanship, initiated by George Halas, continues to flourish as part of the very essence of the Bears organization. Pat McCaskey is co-owner of the Bears and Founder & Chairman of Sports Faith International. He is here to tell us about this years’ Sports Faith Hall of Fame inductees and the new Catholic High School Hall of Fame.

5:20 – Pope Attacked / John Paul II and Pius XII Declared “Venerable”
Our Sunday Visitor’s Catholic Almanac remains the only annual, comprehensive guide to the Catholic Church. It is the essential one-volume reference work for researchers, homilists, writers, media professionals, students, and teachers. Published for more than one hundred years, this is a proven resource that offers solid Catholic teaching and information. Its in-depth index makes finding specific, exact information easy. Editor Matthew Bunson is here to look at the 2010 Catholic Almanac as well as some stories from while we were away, including the attack on Pope Benedict XVI, and the declarations of Pope John Paul the Great and Pope Pius XII as venerable.