Today on Kresta - January 19, 2011

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Jan. 19

4:00 - Supreme Court lets stand DC gay marriage law
The US Supreme Court on Tuesday let stand a law authorizing homosexual marriage in Washington, DC rejecting a challenge from traditional marriage groups. The top US court without comment turned down a petition from a group of residents seeking to put gay marriage to a city-wide referendum. The high court decision, a blow to traditional marriage, came as another high profile case on the legal status of same-sex marriage in California, churned through the US legal system. We talk with Bill May of Catholics for the Common Good.

4:20 – Scythian
Rousing and raucous, Scythian plays kicked-up Celtic and world music with hints of Gypsy and Klezmer, all infused with a touch of punk-rock sensibility. Take a pair of classically trained dueling fiddlers, toss in a rhythm guitar and the occasional funky accordion, then power it with the driving rhythm of a jazz percussionist, and you've got the ingredients for a show you won't soon forget. Their high-energy, adrenaline-peddling, interactive brand of music has one goal in mind: to get people on their feet and dancing. Their repertoire ranges from traditional and contemporary Celtic and folk music to the alluring and dramatic strains of Gypsy and Eastern European tunes, and then crosses back over the border to pick up some good old-fashioned bluegrass licks. Their latest release is Cake for Dinner, an interactive, educational musical project for children. We talk to band members Alexander and Danylo Fedoryka.

5:00 – EWTN Acquires National Catholic Register
EWTN Global Catholic Network has signed a letter of intent to acquire the National Catholic Register, the nation’s leading Catholic newspaper. “I am very pleased and excited that the Register will now be a part of the EWTN family,” said Michael P. Warsaw, the Network’s president and chief executive officer. “All of us at EWTN have great respect for the Register and the role it has played throughout its history. It’s a tremendous legacy that deserves to not only be preserved, but also to grow and to flourish.” Michael Warsaw will be here to discuss this news.

5:20 - Wise Words from the Bishop of Rome Concerning the Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal
It is the custom of the Pope to offer Christmas greetings to his official family, the bishops and Cardinals who direct the various departments of the Roman Curia. But his words at this occasion last month were much more than mere pleasantries. They constitute, usually, a kind of review of the previous year from the perspective of the Bishop of Rome. The Christmas statement that Benedict XVI made last month to his official entourage were of particular gravity, precisely because it represents one of his most thorough and insightful assessments of the clerical sex abuse scandal. We talk with Fr. Robert Barron.

5:40 – China, the Economy and Human Rights
President Barack Obama issued a finely tuned call for greater respect for human rights on today in his speech to welcome his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao. Hu's four-day state visit to the United States has become a lightning rod for advocates of China's minority Uighurs, Tibetans, imprisoned democracy advocates and other disgruntled groups. Hundreds have converged on Washington to protest. Meanwhile, the issue of the economy and China’s massive holding of US debt continues to be the main topic of conversation. We talk with Philip Levy of the American Enterprise Institute and David Aikman, author and China expert about China, the economy and human rights.