Ave Maria Radio announced that its longtime founder and president Al Kresta passed away this morning after a battle with liver cancer. He was 73 years old. Kresta was at one point a Protestant pastor. He hosted Talk from the Heart on WMUZ in Detroit, one of the top-rated Christian talk shows during the 1980s and 1990s. He later reverted to the Catholic Church, in 1992.
Kresta is best known, however, for his role with Catholic Radio. In 1997, Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan hired him to launch Ave Maria Communications. His show Kresta in the Afternoon can be heard on over 350 stations around the United States. Every weekday afternoon, listeners could listen to his incisive, Catholic perspective on current events. On his show he also engaged in discussions with leading figures from the church, politics, public policy, and the arts. It is fair to say that Al Kresta did more to popularize and promote Catholic radio than anyone else.
On a personal level, Al was always incredibly kind and gracious. He spoke at many Catholic events and supported many Catholic ministries in the Michigan area and elsewhere. He frequently had me on his show to discuss new developments regarding abortion and sanctity of life issues. He is survived by his wife, his 5 children, and his 21 grandchildren. He will be missed. R.I.P.