Today on Kresta - February 15, 2011

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Feb. 15

4:00 – Catholic IPhone App Aids Catholics in Confession
Developed for those who frequent the sacrament and those who wish to return, Little iApps is pleased to announce the release of “Confession: A Roman Catholic App.” This confession helper follows directly on the heels of Pope Benedict’s message for the 45th World Communications Day address in which he emphasized that new media, “if used wisely, can contribute to the satisfaction of the desire for meaning, truth and unity which remain the most profound aspirations of each human being.” Is has a personalized examination of conscience for each user, password protected profiles, and a step-by-step guide to the sacrament, this app invites Catholics to prayerfully prepare for and participate in the Rite of Penance. Developer Patrick Leinen joins us.

4:20 – John Paul II, Benedict XVI and the New Evangelization
In September, 2010 Pope Benedict XVI established a new Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. He issued a "motu proprio" entitled “Always and everywhere it is the duty of the Church to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Here we find embodied and perpetuated the legacy of Pope John Paul II and the “Church in the Modern World.” Fr. Patrick Collins, a popular teacher and retreat master, joins us in studio to discuss effective evangelization in the world.

5:00 – Gelileo Galilei Born February 15, 1564 - The Galileo Affair: Facts and Misconceptions
It is commonly believed that the Catholic Church persecuted Galileo for abandoning the geocentric (earth-at-the-center) view of the solar system for the heliocentric (sun-at-the-center) view. The Galileo case, for many anti-Catholics, is thought to prove that the Church abhors science, refuses to abandon outdated teachings, and is not infallible. For Catholics, the episode is often an embarrassment. It shouldn’t be. On this anniversary of his birth, Al provides a brief explanation of what really happened in the Galileo affair.

5:20 – Pro-Life Bills Make Their Way Through Congress
House Republican leaders have made life issues one of their top priorities, pushing two bills to the forefront of the congressional agenda. One bill would strengthen the already existing Hyde Amendment banning federal tax dollars from paying for abortions, and the second would defund Planned Parenthood. We talk with Marjorie Dannenfelster, President of the Susan B. Anthony List, who is on the front lines of this legislative fight.

5:40 – Christ-Centered Healthcare in the Public Square and in the Marketplace
As the health care law of 2009 works it’s way through the court system, it is also working its way through Capitol Hill. Now, four moderate Senate Democrats may break with their party and imperil the president's signature legislative accomplishment. They are facing tough re-election battles in 2012 say they are open to changing the law, especially the controversial individual mandate at its heart. Four Democrats plus the Senate's 47 Republicans equals a simple majority. Mike O’Dea of the Christus Medicus Foundation and Jack Nelson, author of Diagnosis Critical: The Urgent Threats Confronting Catholic Healthcare join us to talk about Christ-centered health care in the public square and in the marketplace.