Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Well-Known Catholics

Interconnections among the story tellers and between radio show host Al Kresta and his subjects bring to mind the six-degrees-of-separation theory. These 26 interviews turn the spotlight on a group of Catholics heavily involved in current media, organizations, and ministries devoted to evangelization and apologetics. Common media ties include EWTN, Catholic Answers, Our Sunday Visitor, and Ave Maria Radio. A number of the interviewees belong to, direct, or founded organizations, among them Roe No More Ministry, Opus Dei, Renewal Ministries, The Bible Christian Society, Coming Home Network International, and the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. In addition to their media and organizational work, a significant number of those featured present programs and retreats and develop materials on apologetics such as the Surprised by Truth series. Several also mention ties to the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Most of the five women and twenty-one men interviewed speak to Kresta about conversion. Many who were "born" Catholic had drifted or turned abruptly away from the Church, usually in early adulthood, and later returned. Others came to Catholicism from Protestantism or no faith at all. In the question-and-answer format, it is clear that Kresta has a personal relationship with those whose spiritual stories make up "Moments of Grace." The interviews are exercises in listening to the message "brought to us by our own existence and sensitizing us to the religious discoveries of our fellows," Kresta writes.