Today on "Kresta in the Afternoon" - April 23, 2012

Talking about the "things that matter most" on April 23

4:00 – Commemorating Chuck Colson
Fr. Robert Sirico first came to know about Chuck Colson in the same way millions of others did: in the role he played as one of the “Watergate Seven” and described as President Nixon’s ”hard man,” willing to get done what needed to be done. Shortly after the events surrounding the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s, he heard of his conversion to the Christian faith and read his now classic journey in “Born Again.” Never did he think he would come to meet this man, much less to eventually count him as a colleague and good personal friend. Fr. Sirico is here to memorialize Colson after he passed away this weekend at the age of 80.

4:20 – Kresta Comments – Earth Day
Pope Benedict has not been shy in regards to issues of the environment. He has spoken frequently about everyone's right to food, right to water and responsible sharing. He has spoken about the real meaning of progress and development and what that means for our planet of limited resources. He has discussed climate change, the connection between science and nature and how the path of cultivating peace is directly linked to protecting creation. Yesterday was Earth Day and Al has some comments about a Catholic view of creation care.

4:40 – LifeSiteNews.com Sued for Defamation By Ottawa Priest
The pro-life news service LifeSiteNews is being sued by a Quebec priest for defamation. LifeSite is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in the United States, Rome and Paris, but its audience is mostly in the U.S. and Canada. It has consistently called for Father Raymond Gravel — briefly a separatist member of the Canadian parliament — to either renounce his views on abortion and homosexuality or give up the priesthood. Gravel has taught Bible studies and carries out pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Joliette, Quebec. Now, Father Gravel is suing LifeSite, its five Canadian staffers, and Campaign Life Quebec and its former executive director, Luc Gagnon, for $500,000 (Canadian) for damage to his reputation and loss of his job. LifeSiteNews editor John Henry Westin is with us to tell the story.

5:00 - Remembering Chuck Colson
The death of Chuck Colson is so remarkable because of the life of Chuck Colson. His life is summed up in the scripture that the Manhattan Declaration posted: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)! Chuck Colson was truly a new man. His life forever will be remembered, not in a legacy of political intrigue, but with a legacy of new life in Jesus Christ that overflowed to the world with a robust intellect and dynamic message lived out in a heart of deep, demonstrable compassion. Few knew Colson as well as Michael Timmis who succeeded Colson as Chairman of Prison Fellowship. Michael joins us to offer some words on the passing of Chuck Colson.

5:40 – Vatican receives positive response from SSPX; reconciliation possible
The Vatican has confirmed receipt of a positive response from the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to the “doctrinal preamble” that could form the basis for reconciliation between the traditionalist group and the Holy See. The Ecclesia Dei commission, which is responsible for relations with traditionalist Catholics, announced on April 18 that it had received a response from Bishop Bernard Fellay, the SSPX leader. That response will be reviewed by the Ecclesia Dei commission, and by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and then forwarded to Pope Benedict XVI for a final decision that could result in the lifting of suspensions of SSPX bishops. Both the Vatican and the SSPX cautioned that Bishop Fellay’s response does not resolve all remaining disagreements between the two sides. Matthew Bunson joins us to discuss these developments.