Al Kresta (August 23, 1951 – June 15, 2024) was an American Catholic broadcaster, journalist, and author.[1] A former Evangelical pastor, he later became the president and CEO of Ave Maria Radio.
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 died of liver cancer on June 15, 2024.[3]
Kresta and his wife, Sally, were married in 1977 and had five children.
Kresta was the author of four books:
Kresta was also a contributor to
and Loving Your Neighbor (Capital Research Center).
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.”
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