Today on "Kresta in the Afternoon" - December 19, 2013

Talking About the Things That Matter Most on December 19

COUNTDOWN OF THE TOP 40 INTERVIEWS OF 2013

#40  --  10 Honorable Mentions

Angela Franks             Contraception and Catholicism                                

Teresa Tomeo             Bucket List                                                     

Michael Coren            The Future of Catholicism                            

Sarah Reinhard           Catholic Apps                                                

Michael Novak           Writing from Left to Right                           

Gary Muchuta             Making Sense of Mary                                              

Mark Shea                  By What Authority?                                      

Conor Gallagher          If Aristotle had an IPod                                            

Elizabeth Scalia           Strange Gods                                                 

Mary Eberstadt          How the West Really Lost God        

4:00  - #39 – Pope Benedict XVI Resigns

It was a shock to the world – even the head of the Vatican Press Office. On Feb. 11 Pope Benedict XVI resigned the office of Pope. It triggered an amazing series of events that, of course, brought us to Pope Francis. That afternoon we compiled some of the great minds and analysts of Church affairs for a roundtable discussion: Matthew Bunson, Jimmy Akin, Ralph Martin and more.

5:00- The Charismatic Renewal, the Pope, and the Church 

When the newly elected Pope Francis appeared at the window before the cheering crowd in St Peter’s Square, and promptly bowed down asking the people to pray for him, most of the public at large was charmed, but puzzled. Pope Benedict too had asked the people to pray for him from the outset, but without the bowed head. To some spectators, however—including the members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and their counterparts in the Protestant and Orthodox worlds—the gesture came as something surprisingly familiar.  In the “charismatic” galaxy, prayer is offered and asked for in this way by people of all levels—specifically, prayer for a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We talk to Dr. Mary Healy, head of the Doctrinal Commission of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services

5:40 – Innocence: A Novel

He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen. She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found. But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance—and nothing less than destiny—has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching. It’s the latest novel from the Catholic bestselling author Dean Koontz who blends mystery, suspense, and acute insight into the human soul in a masterfully told tale that will resonate with readers forever. He joins us.