ANOTHER unreported breakthrough in adult stem cell research

Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles have announced the successful completion of the first human trials in growing new heart tissue from adult cardiac stem cells, which the researchers hope will be successful in repairing damage due to heart attacks.

In a cutting edge procedure the patient's own heart tissue is used to grow specialized heart stem cells that are then injected back into the patient. The first patient to actually receive the infusion of cells is heart attack victim Ken Milles, who underwent the procedure on Friday.

Milles is part of a 24-patient clinical trial that is the first test in using adult stem cells from a patient's own heart to attempt to heal injured heart muscle.

Dr. Eduardo Marbán, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute who developed the technique, said, "Five years ago, we didn't even know the heart had its own distinct type of stem cells. Now we are exploring how to harness such stem cells to help patients heal their own damaged hearts."

WHY DO WE NEVER HEAR THESE STORIES REPORTED IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA??? This was ONLY reported by Catholic media. If embryonic stem cell research had produced these results in cardiac treatment, is there any doubt it would be shouted from the rooftops?

UPDATE:
Came across this viedo just minutes after making this post. It's a bit over the top, but makes the point and is pretty funny.

Today on Kresta - July 1, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on July 1

3:00 – Kresta Comments

3:20 – The Year of the Priesthood
Pope Benedict XVI opened the “Year for Priests” last week in St. Peter’s Basilica. “Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests” is the theme for a year that ends on June 19, 2010 in St. Peter’s Square at a World Meeting of Priests. The year also marks the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, now patron of all priests. In a letter to priests, the Holy See stressed that the Church “is proud of her priests, loves them, honors them, admires them and recognizes with gratitude their pastoral work and witness.” We talk to Fr. Robert Barron about the significance of this year, the call of the priesthood, and the charism of the calling.

4:00 – Kresta Comments

4:20 – Khatami calls for rioters to be executed
A senior hardline Iranian cleric yesterday demanded an end to protests over the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president after Iran's top legislative body slammed shut the last door for a legal challenge. Ahmad Khatami, a leading cleric then called for "rioters" to be executed."All who believe in the Islamic system and are committed to its laws and regulations must accept the Guardian Council's opinion," he said. Meanwhile, U.S. troops are withdrawing from Iraq. What does this mean for the different Islamic factions in the country? Robert Spencer has the answers.

4:40 – Economic Heresies of the Left
What exactly is in Benedict XVI’s new encyclical on the economy and labor issues is not yet known. Catholic leftists and progressives, though, are already trembling with excitement. Three glaring errors have already appeared in these heavily panting anticipations. An accurate presentation of real existing capitalism requires at least three modest affirmations: Michael Novak tells us what they are and speculates on the Papal Encyclical.

5:00 – Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger
No book is more important than the Bible, and no question is more important than what writings belong in the Bible. Controversy has raged since Martin Luther challenged the content of Scriptures. Gary Michuta puts the controversy to rest and provides an simple yet scholarly explanation and defense of the Catholic Bible. Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger: The Untold Story of the Lost Books of the Protestant Bible.

Why on the tongue?...so that nothing is lost!...to the swine (flu, that is).

Patricia Snow of New Haven, CT riveted my attention with a delightful reflection on receiving Holy Communion. She brings up angles I hadn't heard before and I simply wanted them in the mix for comment.

This spring I was out of the country for a week. Attending Mass shortly after my return, I went forward to receive the Eucharist and opened my mouth in the traditional way. But I received, instead of Jesus, a frown, a shake of the head, and silence. Distressed, I opened my hands questioningly, and the priest pressed the Host into my palm. Back in my pew I watched as this small drama was reenacted with other communicants. Afterward, on a back table I found a letter from our archbishop, outlining “temporary precautions for the celebration of Mass” due to the spreading of swine flu.

"When I entered the Catholic Church in 1996, I was taught by an energetic, abrasive, and intensely orthodox Dominican priest. He taught mostly from memory, stalking about in a theatrical way, fingering a large rosary that hung from his waist. His teaching was both unsystematic and vivid, and when he spoke about the Eucharist I remember he urged us to receive Communion on the tongue—because, he said, we should be as docile and receptive as children being fed by their mother.

The idea alarmed me, like the idea of kissing a crucifix on Good Friday or viewing a corpse at a wake. Open my mouth and stick out my tongue? Let the priest see the inside of my mouth? In the meantime, when I attended Mass in those days, I watched with interest as the priest washed his hands before consecrating the Host, praying quietly as he did so: “Lord, wash away my iniquities and cleanse me from my sin.” More than the argument from docility, it was this ritual cleansing on the altar that persuaded me, as if it had been a surface refreshment of the deeper mystery of the priest’s consecrated hands. From his consecrated hands to my mouth! Whatever my apprehensions, I grasped that this was the essential transaction, the core mystery of communication. Lay ministers were a regrettable detour, as were my own hands.

Only recently, in Martin Mosebach’s The Heresy of Formlessness, did I discover the original, all-but-suppressed reason for giving the Eucharist on the tongue: “Communion in the hand is inappropriate, not because the hands are less worthy to receive the Host than the tongue . . . or because they might be dirty, but because it would be impossible to rinse every participant’s hands after Communion (that is, to make sure no particles of the Host are lost).” Read the whole piece on the First Things blog.

Iran, Israel, the West

Mark Steyn writes: "The more Europe's Muslim population grows, the more restive and disassimilated it becomes, the more enthusiastically the establishment embraces 'anti-Zionism' as if the sinister Jewess is the last virgin left to toss in the volcano."

I never believed that a new president in Iran would repudiate the Islamic revolution of thirty years ago. That would be like an elected American president claiming that the Tories had the better argument in 1776 and the War for Independence had been an excess of zeal. Modern Iran is the product of a particular religio-political vision. A change of president will not substantially change its vision.

But now that we've witnessed the existing Iranian regime's brutal suppression of dissent, we should remember that free speech, religious liberty and freedom of association are fruits of the Western tradition and that Western Tradition is dependent upon a Judaeo-Christian sensibility.

Israel remains America's greatest ally in the Middle East. The vast majority of the Islamic world regards Israel as the greatest threat to world peace. While we needn't sentimentalize over modern Israel as the nation of God's chosen people, neither should we fail to remember America's and Israel's common roots in the Judaeo-Christian West. One doesn't have to adopt the theological position that the Jewish people have a divine right to the land to believe that Israel represents an important outpost of Western freedom in an otherwise politically alien region.

Today on Kresta - June 30, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 30

3:00 – Examining the Sarcophagus of St. Paul
Scientific tests prove bones housed in the Basilica of St. Paul in Rome are those of the apostle St. Paul himself, according to Pope Benedict XVI. "Tiny fragments of bone" in the sarcophagus were subjected to carbon dating, showing they "belong to someone who lived in the first or second century," the pope said in a homily carried on Italian television. "This seems to confirm the unanimous and undisputed tradition that these are the mortal remains of the Apostle St. Paul," Benedict said in Sunday's announcement. The tomb also holds traces of a precious linen cloth, purple in color and laminated with pure gold, and a blue colored textile with linen filaments. We talk about this find, the significance of the items that were found, what they mean, and the history of these locations in the life of St. Paul. Steve Ray is our guide.

3:20 – The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers
They were the greatest generation in American history. Yet how much do you really know about the Founding Fathers? And how much of what you "know" is actually myth perpetuated by leftist history by those who dismiss the Founders as wealthy, racist, sexist, dead-white-males whose principles deserve to be as dead as they are? In The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers, Dr. Brion McClanahan sets the record straight. He provides a neat summary history of America's founding documents, profiles all the leading Founders (and some unjustly neglected ones), and shows how they have better answers to today's problems than our politicians do.

4:00 – Kresta Comments - Michael Jackson: A Human Commodity

4:20 – The Year of the Priesthood
Pope Benedict XVI opened the “Year for Priests” last week in St. Peter’s Basilica. “Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests” is the theme for a year that ends on June 19, 2010 in St. Peter’s Square at a World Meeting of Priests. The year also marks the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, now patron of all priests. In a letter to priests, the Holy See stressed that the Church “is proud of her priests, loves them, honors them, admires them and recognizes with gratitude their pastoral work and witness.” We talk to Fr. Robert Barron about the significance of this year, the call of the priesthood, and the charism of the calling.

4:40 – Cardinal O'Malley pulls out of joint health care venture over abortion
After weeks of ethics discussions, the Archdiocese of Boston announced last Friday that the Church-sponsored Caritas Christi Healthcare has withdrawn from its partnership with CeltiCare Health Plan. The archdiocese said it was not possible to find agreement between the archdiocese-affiliated medical organization and the Missouri-based health insurer, which provides abortion and contraception. The joint venture was scheduled to start providing care on July 1st, but in a statement issued on Friday by Richard Lynch, chief executive of CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts, said: "effective today, Caritas has withdrawn their ownership position in CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts. Celtic Group Inc.” We talk to Dr. John Haas of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, who advised the Archdiocese on this case.

5:00 – Iran, Iraq, Israel: What’s America to Do?
America, Israel and the world are facing a great danger in the Middle East. Iran’s president has threatened to wipe Israel off the map, while every day he gets closer to acquiring the nuclear weapons with which to make good on this threat. Gary Bauer believes that the enemies of Israel are the enemies of America. They are the enemies of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These enemies have drawn the battle line. If a line has to be drawn, then draw that line around both Christians and Jews. Gary will be speaking at the annual Christians United for Israel Washington Summit later this month and joins us to look at Iran, Iraq, the Middle East peace process and America’s involvement in all of the above.

5:20 – Hiking the Camino: 500 Miles with Jesus
You might reasonably wonder why anyone would shoulder a heavy backpack, grab a walking stick and hike across Spain. Whatever happened to planes, trains and automobiles? But Father Dave Pivonka knew that the Camino—the ancient pilgrim path to the tomb of Saint James the Apostle in Santiago—offered an opportunity to focus on God in the stripped-down environment typical of the religious journey known as a pilgrimage. Fr. Dave takes us along with him, eager to show that God wants to take care of you whether or not you can see down the road or, if tired and sore, you're tempted to quit. His Camino hike holds real lessons for our own life's journey.

Today on Kresta - June 29, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 29

3:00 – Health Care Reform and the Concerns of Right to Life
The National Right to Life Committee has long argued that the cost of health care does not require rationing life-saving treatment. With so much momentum building for enactment of some sort of measure to provide coverage for the uninsured, it is not enough for NRLC simply to oppose ways of doing so that entail health care rationing. It is necessary to demonstrate that it is in fact possible to achieve this goal without having to accept rationing as a tradeoff. Since its inception, the pro-life movement has been as concerned with protecting older people and people with disabilities from euthanasia as with protecting unborn children from abortion. It has recognized that denial of lifesaving medical treatment, food and fluids against the will of a patient is a form of involuntary euthanasia. When the government prohibits Americans from obtaining health care necessary to preserve their lives, or limits their ability to obtain it, this health care rationing is a form of such involuntary euthanasia. We talk with Burke Balch of the National Right to Life Committee.

3:20 – Movies: The Good, the Bad, and the Really, Really Bad
Movies, like parables, can teach and uplift as well as entertain. Sad to say, that doesn't seem to be the goal of major film studios. So, should we even go to movies? Is a job as a film reviewer even valid? But movies are here to stay, and Christians are going to them - just like everybody else. So, how do Christians make peace with Hollywood? Or should they? And can a movie critic light the way? Phil Boatwright is here to point out Hollywood agendas, explore ways we can resist the secular world's tug of war against God's directives, and take a lighter look at the positives of motion pictures, including examples of men and women who are using the movie medium to amuse man and glorify God. Also, we'll showcase some films (both old and new) that entertain, enrich, enlighten and edify. With any luck, we'll experience a couple of chuckles along the way.

4:00 – “The Stoning of Soraya M”
As the movie industry prepares to roll out its summer blockbusters, a sobering, controversial film explores the gripping story of an Iranian woman who is victimized by her husband. The movie is based on real events and is adapted from the book of the same name by the French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, played by Jim Caviezel. In the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, a husband grows tired of his young wife, who has borne him two sons and two daughters. Under Islamic law, a man may have up to four wives – but he’s also obligated to care and provide for each of them properly. Interested in a potential child bride and unable to afford the added expense of a second wife, the husband maneuvers his wife into tending house for a recent widower. Then he falsely accuses her of infidelity, after blackmailing other male village elders, including the mullah – the town’s religious leader - into colluding in his lie. Iranian Director Cyrus Nowrasteh is with us.

4:20 – Natural Law as Fact, Theory, and Sign of Contradiction
Natural law is a fact about human beings, and a theory that humbles itself before this fact. Yet it is something else as well-a sign of contradiction, something that exasperates, offends, and enrages. The transient cause of such rage is the suicidal proclivity of our time to deny the obvious, but a more enduring cause is the Fall of Man. Our hearts are riddled with desires that oppose their deepest longings, and we demand to have happiness on terms that make happiness impossible. Philosopher J. Budziszewski threads a path between these various abysses. Among his questions are how the knowledge of good is related to the knowledge of God, how things that seem to run against the grain of human nature can become 'second nature,' and whether natural law can be reconciled with Darwinian evolution. Turning to politics, he takes up such topics as who counts as a human person, whether human dignity is compatible with capital punishment, what courts have made of the United States Constitution, and how an ersatz state religion can be built in the name of toleration. We look at natural law and its implications for both scholars and the general public.

5:00 – Supreme Court rules for white firefighters over promotions
The Supreme Court ruled today that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge. New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans and only two Hispanic firefighters were likely to be made lieutenants or captains based on the results, the court said this morning in a 5-4 decision. We talk with affirmative action expert John McWhorter.

5:20 – Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
With today’s feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, we take a unique look at the two giants of the faith. Because Peter plays such a prominent role in the New Testament and the tradition of the church, he has been the focus of much scholarship over the centuries. One wonders whether there can be anything more to say about Peter. Indeed, there is. Fr. Richard Cassidy takes a look at Peter in the story of each gospel individually, rather than studying Peter via a side-by-side analysis of the gospels. We look at Four Times Peter.

McCotter on "cap and tax"

Tell me what you really think Congressman!!!

Today on Kresta - June 26, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 26

3:00 – Kresta Comments

3:20 – Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem
Does capitalism promote greed? Can a person follow Jesus' call to love others and also support capitalism? Was our recent economic crisis caused by flaws inherent to our free market system? Jay Richards presents a new approach to capitalism, revealing how it's fully consistent with Jesus’ teachings and the Christian tradition, while also showing why this system is our best bet for renewed economic vigor.

4:00 – Feast of St. Jose Maria Escriva
On this feast of St. Jose Maria Escriva, we take a look at the modern Saint and the organization he founded – Opus Dei. Vatican reporter John Allen has written the first serious journalistic investigation of the highly secretive, controversial organization. He provides unique insight about the wild rumors surrounding it and discloses its significant influence in the Vatican and on the politics of the Catholic Church. Its notoriety escalated with the publication of the runaway bestseller The Da Vinci Code and with the previous pope's much-debated canonization of Escriva. We take a balanced look.

4:40 – The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to Al-Qaeda
Today's CIA is regularly criticized for emphasizing technology at the expense of human intelligence. In this history of the agency's Office of Technical Services, Robert Wallace, its former head, refutes the charge with exciting content and slam-bang style. From WWII through the Cold War and up to the present, he says, technical equipment—for clandestine audio surveillance, for example—has been an essential element of agent operations. In the post–Cold War information society, technology plays an even more significant role in fighting terrorism. Agents remain important, along with their traditional skills. Increasingly, however, they support clandestine technical operations, especially infiltrating and compromising computer networks. He is here to argue that employing and defending against sophisticated digital technology is the primary challenge facing U.S. intelligence in the 21st century.

5:00 – “The Stoning of Soraya M”
As the movie industry prepares to roll out its summer blockbusters, a sobering, controversial film explores the gripping story of an Iranian woman who is victimized by her husband. The movie is based on real events and is adapted from the book of the same name by the French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, played by Jim Caviezel. In the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, a husband grows tired of his young wife, who has borne him two sons and two daughters. Under Islamic law, a man may have up to four wives – but he’s also obligated to care and provide for each of them properly. Interested in a potential child bride and unable to afford the added expense of a second wife, the husband maneuvers his wife into tending house for a recent widower. Then he falsely accuses her of infidelity, after blackmailing other male village elders, including the mullah – the town’s religious leader - into colluding in his lie. Jim Caviezel is with us and Dave Forsmark reviews the film with Nick.

5:40 – Why Young Children Belong at Mass
Recently Kate Wicker wrote an article for her parish newsletter about why we must offer encouragement -- not sideways glances -- to parents who bring their young children to Mass. Overall, the response was positive, but one reader sent her a letter suggesting she leave her kids at home so she could "more fully receive Christ." It was charitable enough, but the point was clear: Children are sweet, but they don't belong in church. If we are truly a pro-life people, then how can we not welcome children -- the future of the Church -- at Mass? Kate is here to talk about why children of all ages belong in the pews right along with us.

Dred Scott: Food For Thought

Would Dred Scott have been in favor of Roe v. Wade?

Scott v. Sandford...... 7-2 vote Dred Scott is property of his owner.

Roe v. Wade.............. 7-2 vote A developing human is property of its mother.

In both cases the U.S. court ruled that humans are not equal. That some humans have more inalienable rights than others. That some humans can impose their will on others.

From Wikipedia
"Dred Scott (1799 – September 17, 1858), was a slave in the United States who sued unsuccessfully in St. Louis, Missouri for his freedom in the infamous Dred Scott v. Sandford case of 1857. No one knows exactly when he was born. His case was based on the fact that he and his wife Harriet Scott were slaves, but had lived in states and territories where slavery was illegal, including Illinois and Minnesota (which was then part of the Wisconsin Territory). The United States Supreme Court ruled seven to two against Scott, finding that neither he, nor any person of African ancestry, could claim citizenship in the United States, and that therefore Scott could not bring suit in federal court under diversity of citizenship rules. Moreover, Scott's temporary residence outside Missouri did not effect his emancipation under the Missouri Compromise, since reaching that result would deprive Scott's owner of his property."

So would Dred Scott have been pro-life? It's an intellectual exercise and of course, we will never know the answer, but remember this - The Supreme Court eventually got it right in the Dred Scott case and the concept that blacks are not persons worthy of the protection of law is now considered the greatest blight on America's history. Let's pray that the day arrives when the Supreme Court gets abortion right, and the slaughter of the unborn is seen in the same light as slavery.

Album of Pics from Acton University

Thanks to all the staff and faculty at Acton Institute / Acton University for making this a GREAT week of broadcasting.

Youtube Double Standard

Youtube has removed another video posted by Live Action Films that exposes a Planned Parenthood counselor giving false information about abortion to an inquiring young girl.

"LOS ANGELES, June 25--Without offering any specific explanation, the video-sharing site YouTube has removed a new video by the student group Live Action that shows dishonest counseling practices at Planned Parenthood. The video first plays undercover footage of a Planned Parenthood counselor from Tucson, AZ telling a patient that images of aborted fetuses "are not real" and then shows photographs of a completed abortion and documentation of their authenticity."

You can read more and watch the video by clicking here.

Youtube has a history of removing videos that show the effects of abortion, citing "content too graphic" as their reason. Just ask Dr. Monica Miller, the founder of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society. She has had videos pulled down as well and youtube has sent her a warning that if she posts any more videos that show the victims of abortion hen her youtube account will be closed. They told Monica that YouTube has a policy of not showing dead bodies or body parts. Ironic, since the attempt is to prove just that - that these are human persons deserving of the protection of law.
What Kresta in the Afternoon would like to know is, why does Youtube allow videos of JFK
getting shot in the head with an eruption of blood?
(WARNING: Graphic Youtube video link)

Why does Youtube allow videos of people being shot and killed in Iran, like Neda Soltani?(WARNING: Graphic Youtube video link)

Why does Youtube allow videos of people falling to their death from the World Trade Center on 9/11?(WARNING: Graphic Youtube video link)


If Youtube is so concerned about graphic content, then why are the above videos ok for the public to view. There aren't even any warning messages preparing you for graphic content like there are on other videos. There is substantial evidence here to accuse Youtube of having a double standard with regard to videos that reveal the tragic execution of human beings at the hands of abortion doctors.


UPDATE:
During the 2008 election season, Youtube pulled down other videos uploaded by Live Action Films, including the following.

The Stoning of Soraya M

Please go see this film!!! Watch the trailer and you will get a taste of how powerful this film is. It it already responsible for Iran bringing forward a proposal to outlaw stoning. It has a limited release on June 26, and the more people that see it, the wider it will spread.

Check here to see where it is playing.

Listen to Nick's interview with Executive Producer Steve McEveety
If you are unable to see the audio player in this window, click here to listen to the audio.

Listen to Nick's interview with star Jim Caviezel
If you are unable to see the audio player in this window, click here to listen to the audio.

Today on Kresta - June 25, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 25
Guest Host: Nick Thomm

3:00 – 8 Habits of Highly-Effective Bishops
Never before have Catholic Americans watched more closely what happens in their chanceries. They want to know what sort of man their shepherd is, this "successor to the apostles" who comes down to us from St. Peter. How does he discharge his responsibility? Is he an example of personal holiness? Is he courageous? Increasingly, Catholic commentators locate the mission of the contemporary Church at the epicenter of a global culture of death. What qualities best equip today's bishop to fight the culture war? That's the question Mary Jo Anderson posed in a survey of Catholic authors and activists, priests and scholars. We look at 8 Habits of Highly-Effective Bishops.

3:40 – And God Said, "Tee It Up!"
Where do we encounter God? For the Christian certainly there is the Bible. For the committed golfer at least when the drives are carrying and the putts are falling there are the links. Gary Graf has brought the two together with a scorecard full of amusing and thought-provoking parallels between the Bible and golf.

4:00 – “The Stoning of Soraya M”
As the movie industry prepares to roll out its summer blockbusters, a sobering, controversial film explores the gripping story of an Iranian woman who is victimized by her husband. The movie is based on real events and is adapted from the book of the same name by the French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, played by Jim Caviezel. In the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, a husband grows tired of his young wife, who has borne him two sons and two daughters. Under Islamic law, a man may have up to four wives – but he’s also obligated to care and provide for each of them properly. Interested in a potential child bride and unable to afford the added expense of a second wife, the husband maneuvers his wife into tending house for a recent widower. Then he falsely accuses her of infidelity, after blackmailing other male village elders, including the mullah – the town’s religious leader - into colluding in his lie. Jim Caviezel is with us and Dave Forsmark reviews the film with Nick.

4:40 – Why Young Children Belong at Mass
Recently Kate Wicker wrote an article for her parish newsletter about why we must offer encouragement -- not sideways glances -- to parents who bring their young children to Mass. Overall, the response was positive, but one reader sent her a letter suggesting she leave her kids at home so she could "more fully receive Christ." It was charitable enough, but the point was clear: Children are sweet, but they don't belong in church. If we are truly a pro-life people, then how can we not welcome children -- the future of the Church -- at Mass? Kate is here to talk about why children of all ages belong in the pews right along with us.

5:00 – Umbilical Cord Cell Banking
The debate surrounding embryonic stem cell research is portrayed as an exercise in discerning politics from science. But there are undoubtedly some personal issues involved. The stem cell debate gets personal when citizens' tax dollars are used to fund the research, regardless of if the citizens are in agreement. As the U.S. government follows President Barack Obama's March 9 executive order to direct U.S. tax dollars to the funding of embryonic stem cell research, we talk with bioethicist Father Alfred Cioffi about stem cell research and the particular promise offered by these powerful cells found in umbilical cord blood.

5:40 – Newman Society: Catholic Colleges are Lost
Many Catholic universities are lost and are in need of specific policies to help them go in the right direction, says the Cardinal Newman Society. Last week, the society responded to the expressed desire of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities to eliminate the U.S. bishops' policy against honoring public figures who are at odds with fundamental Catholic beliefs. The association's board of directors concluded during its most recent meeting that "it would be desirable for the [U.S. bishops] to withdraw" their guidelines. Patrick Reilly said it was evident "that the many secularized Catholic colleges and universities are more concerned with doing away with the rules than ending the scandals." We talk to Patrick about the future of Catholic higher ed and the fallout of the ND scandal.

Today on Kresta - June 24, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 24
Guest Hosts: Bruce and Kris McGregor

3:00 – The Year of the Priesthood: A Theological and Testimonial Look
Pope Benedict XVI opened the “Year for Priests” this week in St. Peter’s Basilica. Benedict stressed that priests need to be “present, identifiable and recognizable – for their judgment of faith, personal virtues and attire – in the fields of culture and of charity which have always been at the heart of the Church’s mission.” The Vatican’s intention for the “Year for Priests” is to rebuild strong priestly spiritual identities, noting that “priests are important not only for what they do, but also for who they are.” Fr. Richard Gabuzda is Executive Director of The Institute for Priestly Formation and will join us to discuss the year of the priest, the spirituality of the priest in today’s world, formation, and more.

3:40 – The Effect of Divorce on Children
After months of speculation, it's now official: Jon and Kate Gosselin – of “Jon and Kate Plus 8” fame - have filed for divorce. That development was followed by a heavily-promoted episode of the couple's reality series in which the couple said they would separate. We use this opportunity to discuss the effect of divorce on children – especially when there are 8 of them. Dr. Ray Guarendi is our guest.

4:00 – “The Stoning of Soraya M”
As the movie industry prepares to roll out its summer blockbusters, a sobering, controversial film from Steve McEveety explores the gripping story of an Iranian woman who is victimized by her husband. The movie is based on real events and is adapted from the book of the same name by the French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, played by Jim Caveziel. In the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, a husband grows tired of his young wife, who has borne him two sons and two daughters. Under Islamic law, a man may have up to four wives – but he’s also obligated to care and provide for each of them properly. Interested in a potential child bride and unable to afford the added expense of a second wife, the husband maneuvers his wife into tending house for a recent widower. Then he falsely accuses her of infidelity, after blackmailing other male village elders, including the mullah – the town’s religious leader - into colluding in his lie. Steve McEveety joins us.

4:20 – 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family
In her new book, 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family, author Rebecca Hagelin lays out 30 simple and concrete actions that parents can implement-one day at a time-to reconnect with their children and restore peace in their home. As a mother of three, a syndicated columnist, and specialist on family, culture, and media issues, Rebecca understands the frustration parents feel. She designed this book with working parents and busy families in mind. Moms and dads can read a chapter at soccer practice or while waiting in carpool and come away with practical solutions to common parenting problems that can easily be put to use. She joins us.

5:00 – All Things Guy / All Things Girl
All Things Girl and All Things Guy are two books in the new, groundbreaking book series for "tweenaged" boys and girls by best selling Catholic author and speaker Teresa Tomeo along with the women behind the Runway to Reality Apostolate: Molly Miller and Monica Cops. They are unlike anything found in the marketplace as they bring Faith to the real world in which young people live. They provide a positive introduction for tweens seeking to live out Christian virtues in the twenty-first century. Teresa Tomeo is with us.

5:40 – The Year of the Priesthood / St. John Vianney
“Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests” is the theme for this “Year of the Priest”. The year also marks the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, known as the “Curé of Ars.” The prefect for the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes, is encouraging local dioceses and parishes to plan events that will “celebrate and show appreciation for priests.” As a key contribution to the celebration, a new theatrical drama VIANNEY will launch a worldwide tour with a premiere in Houston, Texas. The play focuses on the question, “What is a priest?” and tells the story of St. John Vianney, whose exemplary life was so remarkable that the Pope has named him the patron of this jubilee year, and will, at the close of the year, declare him the patron of all the priests of the world. The VIANNEY drama, starring actor and film director Leonardo Defilippis, will appropriately open on August 4, Vianney’s feast day, and the 150th anniversary of his death. We talk with Leonardo.

A Man for This Season: Thomas More

"16th Century England faced a serious crisis of politics, culture and faith. So does the 21st Century West."

So begins a great piece at Catholic Online entitled A Man for This Season: Thomas More. Certainly worth a read as we celebrate his feast day this week.

Yet another victory for adult stem cell research

The gift of life.

Sheila Kepic, 47, wakes up and breathes in another day now because Lisa Guilloty donated stem cells to the Lorain County leukemia patient in 2007. They're "cell mates" now, joked Kepic. Bound together by DNA.

On Sunday, Kepic's friends and family celebrated this "match made in heaven" with a party at the in Sheffield Lake, OH. Guilloty received a hero's welcome after flying in from Seattle with her husband and daughter. She's part of Kepic's family now, a blood relative in every sense of the phrase.

Read more...

Today on Kresta - June 23, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 23
Guest Host: Paul Kengor

3:00 – High court rules narrowly in voting rights case
The Voting Rights Act, the government's chief weapon against racial discrimination at polling places since the 1960s, survived a Supreme Court challenge yesterday in a ruling that nevertheless warned of serious constitutional questions posed by part of the law. Major civil rights groups and other defenders of the landmark law breathed a sigh of relief when the court ruled narrowly in favor of a small Texas governing authority while sidestepping the larger constitutional issue. We explain the case, the ruling, and the impact with Abigail Thernstrom, vice-chair of the Civil Rights Commission.

3:20 – American Progressivism / Social Justice and the Religious Left
In the wake of the 2008 election and the aggressively liberal thrust of the Obama Administration, many pundits, conservative as well as liberal, are declaring that the era of modern Conservatism, launched under Ronald Reagan a quarter of a century ago, is over. The country is no longer “America the conservative,” one progressive trumpeted, but “America the liberal.” Another gloated that Obama’s election marked “the collapse of conservatism.” Displaying more than a little panic some conservatives are urging the Conservative Movement to forget Reagan, abandon “old-fashioned” ideas and adopt a “new” Conservatism relevant to our times. Is Conservatism headed for the ash heap of history or can it rise from the ashes as it did after the crushing defeat of Barry Goldwater in 1964, Reagan’s failure to capture the presidential nomination in 1976 and Bill Clinton’s surprising victory in 1992? Joe Postell, at the Heritage Foundation is with us.

4:00 – Iran: What’s The End Game?
Iran's top electoral body said today it found "no major fraud" and will not annul the results of the presidential election, closing the door to a do-over sought by angry opposition supporters alleging systematic vote-rigging. Iranian government officials have repeatedly suggested that a revote is extremely unlikely. However, today’s announcement by Iran's top electoral body, the Guardian Council, was the clearest yet in ruling out a new election. The announcement on Iran's state-run English language Press TV is another sign the regime is determined to crush the post-election protests — the strongest challenge to its leadership in 30 years — rather than compromise. We talk with Middle East expert Jim Phillips.

4:20 – The Faith of the Founders
Religion has been a major part of the presidency since George Washington's first inaugural address to Barak Obama’s Trinity United background. Despite the mounting interest in the role of religion in American public life, we actually know remarkably little about the faith of our presidents. Was Thomas Jefferson an atheist, as his political opponents charged? What role did Lincoln's religious views play in his handling of slavery and the Civil War? How did born-again Southern Baptist Jimmy Carter lose the support of many evangelicals? Was George W. Bush, as his critics often claim, a captive of the religious right? Gary Smith answers these questions and many more. He takes a sweeping look at the role religion has played in presidential politics and policies. Drawing on extensive archival research, Smith paints compelling portraits of the religious lives and presidencies of eleven chief executives for whom religion was particularly important. We will examine what each of its subjects believed and how those beliefs shaped their presidencies and, in turn, the course of our history.

5:00 – Paul Kengor Commentary

5:20 – Politics for the Greatest Good: The Case for Prudence in the Public Square
With a level-headed voice, leading policy strategist Clarke Forsythe speaks clearly into the fray of political striving. He is here to campaign for a recovery of a rich understanding of the virtue of prudence, and for its application by policymakers and citizens to contemporary public policy. As Forsythe explains, prudence, in its classical sense, is the ability to apply wisdom to right action. In this book he explores the importance of applying the principles of prudence--taking account of limitations in a world of constraints and striving to achieve the greatest measure of justice under current circumstances--to the realm of politics, especially that of bioethics. In particular, Forsythe applies these concepts to the ongoing debate among pro-life advocates regarding gradual versus radical change as the most effective way to achieve political and legislative goals.

He's Barack Obama

JibJab Strikes Again!!! Hilarious.

Today on Kresta - June 22, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 22
Guest Host: Steve Ray

3:00 – Christians and the Holy Land
Amer Shehadeh is a Palestinian and an expert on the Holy Land. He has been the guide for Steve Ray pilgrimages to the Holy Land for years. Steve talks to Amer about being a Christian in the Holy Land, the political situation today, the experience of guiding and leading groups to holy sites, how we know the sites are authentic, and how people can experience the places Jesus walked for themselves.

3:37 – Catholic Scripture Study
We talk about the Catholic Scripture Study with Tami Palladino, a convert to the Catholic Church, youth minister, and a scripture teacher who uses the Catholic Scripture Study International program. CSS now has over 10,000 members in 40 countries — and growing.

4:00 – June 22, 431: Council of Ephesus Convenes
It was on this day in 431 that the First Council of Ephesus was convened at the Church of Mary in Ephesus, Asia Minor. The council was called due to the contentious teachings of Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople. St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, appealed to Pope Celestine I, charging Nestorius with heresy. The Pope agreed and gave Cyril his authority to serve a notice to Nestorius to recant his views or else be excommunicated. We talk about the Council and its content – including teachings on the dual nature of Christ, Mary as Theotokos, Pelagianism, and the Nicene Creed. Dr. Robert Fastiggi of Sacred Heart Major Seminary is our guest.

5:00 – The Year of the Priest
On March 16, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI declared a year for the priest in an effort to encourage "spiritual perfection" in priests. This announcement came during meetings with the Vatican Congregation for Clergy, and included the proclamation of St. John Vianney as patron saint of all priests. “The awareness of the radical social changes over the past decades must stir the best ecclesial energies to look after the formation of priestly candidates,” the pope said. Chief among all priorities noted by the pope was the “indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every authentically priestly heart.” We talk with Msgr. Stephen Rossetti about the year of the priest.

5:37 – Ordained a priest…at age 75
On December 14, 2007, Bishop Robert Carlson of the diocese of Saginaw, MI ordained Deacon William Spencer as a priest. That event was made even more extraordinary by the fact that Fr. Bill Spencer is 75-years-old - the oldest man to be ordained for the Diocese and the first to have been married before following the call to Holy Orders. He was married to Margaret Mary "Peg" Spencer for nearly 45 years until her death to cancer in July 2004. Fr. Spencer is here to discuss marriage, fatherhood, priesthood, and the vocational call, all through the lens of this “Year of the Priest.”

British Witches Angry With Church

A British witches' coven leader has accused the Roman Catholic Church of prejudice after her group was banned from a parish social hall

Sandra Davis, 61, high priestess of the Crystal Cauldron group, booked Our Lady's club in Stockport, Greater Manchester for a Halloween Ball.

But when she tried to pay she was told the Diocese of Shrewsbury had decided the pagan group could not use it.

A diocese spokesman said the group was not compatible with Church teaching. DUH!!!

Davis said, "In this day and age I just didn't think that we would get that prejudice from the Catholic Church."

I know that the word "prejudice" or "intolerant" is being thrown around pretty freely these days, but who really expects the Catholic Church to open their doors for witches to hold meetings and Halloween Parties? It almost defies imagination that this is even a story.