Al Kresta

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Al Kresta's official headshot for Ave Maria Radio

Al Kresta (August 23, 1951 – June 15, 2024) was an American Catholic broadcaster, journalist, and author.[1] Formerly an Evangelical pastor, he later became the president and CEO of Ave Maria Radio.

Biography

A 1976 honors graduate of Michigan State University, Kresta has done graduate work in theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and Ashland Theological Seminary.

In 1986, Kresta began pastoring Shalom Ministry in Taylor, Michigan. He became well known in the Detroit area for his program, “Talk from the Heart,” one of the top-rated Christian talk shows during the 1980s and 90s on WMUZ. When he began the program, Al was a Protestant pastor. The questions forced upon him as pastor, however, led him to return to the Catholic Church of his upbringing. His profound personal conversion to Christ and reversion to the Catholic Church is told in the best-selling anthology Surprised By Truth.[2]

In 1997 Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan recruited him to launch the media apostolate, Ave Maria Communications. He was host of Kresta in the Afternoon, produced by Ave Maria Radio and syndicated on EWTN Global Catholic Radio, heard on more than 350 stations around the United States, on Sirius Satellite Radio, and on numerous webstreams. Over the years, Kresta engaged in vigorous discussions and debates with many nationally known figures from politics, the arts, the Church, academia, and business.

Kresta has been a guest on BBC Radio and major TV network news affiliates. His radio work has received mention by Associated Press, The Washington Times, National Catholic Reporter, Our Sunday Visitor, Envoy, Christianity Today, and numerous metropolitan newspapers.

Kresta's life and spiritual journey took on a new dimension in February 2003, when he lost his left leg to necrotizing fasciitis, an infection often referred to as the "flesh-eating bacteria." His extended recovery and eventual return to broadcasting gave him new insights into the realities of suffering and hope.

Kresta in the Afternoon

Kresta hosted a daily radio program on Ave Maria Radio called Kresta in the Afternoon. The program was broadcast from Ave Maria Radio's flagship station in Ann Arbor, Michigan (WDEO-AM) and syndicated across the country on the EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network.

The show originally broadcast three hours a day but was later cut to two hours. Both hours were carried by EWTN Radio until 2024 when the 4pm (eastern) hour was dropped to make way for a new program with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers.[3] The 4pm hour remained on Ave Maria Radio's stations in Michigan and other affiliates who received the program independently from EWTN Radio such as EPIC Radio 103.5FM in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Kresta would write and deliver commentaries on issues facing Americans and Catholics. He would also frequently interview news-makers and authors and occasionally hosted a call-in segment called "Direct to My Desk."

During the length of the show, Kresta interviewed a wide variety of guests including the late Cardinal George Pell[4], jailed Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai[5], former US Senator Rick Santorum, former US Representative Dan Lipinski, papal biographer George Wiegel, and many more.

Al Kresta working in his studio office in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2020.

Personal life and death

Kresta and his wife, Sally, were married in 1977 and had five children.

Kresta died of liver cancer on June 15, 2024, at the age of 72.[6]

Books

Kresta was the author of four books:

  • Why Do Catholics Genuflect?: And Answers to Other Puzzling Questions About the Catholic Church, St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2001. ISBN 1569552436; ISBN 9781569552438
  • Why Are Catholics So Concerned About Sin?: More Answers to Puzzling Questions About the Catholic Church, Servant Books, 2005. ISBN 0867166967, ISBN 9780867166965
  • Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Well-Known Catholics (with Nick Thomm), Servant Books, 2008 ISBN 0867168625; ISBN 978-0867168624
  • Dangers to the Faith: Recognizing Catholicism’s 21st Century Opponents, Our Sunday Visitor, 2013 ISBN 1592767257; ISBN 978-1592767250

Kresta was also a contributor to

and Loving Your Neighbor (Capital Research Center).

Why Do Catholics Genuflect?

Why Do Catholic Genuflect? has made the top-10 list of Catholic books compiled by the Catholic Book Publisher's Association. It answers more than 50 common questions about Catholic religious beliefs and spiritual practices. At its release, Kresta explained that the book isn't intended to be “a definitive work of apologetics.” Rather, it is written in question-and-answer style like “a conversation that would help interested Catholics and non-Catholics better understand why Catholics believe and behave as we do.”

References

  1. ^ "Religious liberty in focus at rallies across US". Vatican Radio. 23 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  2. ^ "Al Kresta: A Non-denominational Minister Who Became A Catholic - The Journey Home (10-1-2007)". 1 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20.
  3. ^ Network, EWTN Global Catholic. "Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers' New Radio Show On EWTN Helps Listeners Connect Their Everyday Lives With Biblical Teaching". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  4. ^ Schoenle, Bryant (2021-05-27). "Kresta in the Afternoon - May 27, 2021 - Hour 2". Ave Maria Radio. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  5. ^ Rouse, Scott (2020-12-31). "Kresta in the Afternoon - December 31, 2020 - Hour 1". Ave Maria Radio. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  6. ^ "Al Kresta's CaringBridge Update". 15 June 2024.

External links

Retrieved from "https://mdwiki.org/wiki/Al_Kresta"