There’s something interesting happening in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s tragic death that he would probably be proud of. Unlike the riots and looting that happened following the deaths of George Floyd and Michael Brown, the right-of-center mourners are holding peaceful candlelight vigils at town squares and campuses across the country. They’re also going to church. Attendances are up at churches across America, including those on campuses, which would certainly make Kirk happy, as that’s where he spent so much time. Amira Abuzeid reports for the CNA:
In what some are calling “the Charlie Kirk effect,” people across the nation, including many college students who are not ordinarily churchgoers, have decided to go to church since the assassination last week of the conservative Christian political activist Charlie Kirk.
Matt Zerrusen, co-founder of Newman Ministry, a Catholic nonprofit that operates on about 250 campuses nationwide, told CNA he has spoken with Catholic college ministry leaders throughout the country over the last few days, and “every one of them told me they’ve seen bigger crowds” at Masses and lots of people “they’ve never seen before.”
“I have not talked to anyone who has not seen an increase in Mass attendance,” Zerrusen said. “Some schools are reporting increases of 15%.”
He told CNA that many more college students are also asking for spiritual direction. “So many people are asking ‘What do I do?’ What is evil? How does God allow this?” Zerrusen said. “They are asking so many basic questions.”
Action Line: Online and in public, there is also a raging debate over the reaction to Kirk’s death and the reaction to the reactions. It’s hard to imagine what Kirk would have thought of that divisive fight, but he’d surely be happy about people coming together peacefully in retrospection over his life, and what both sides talking about issues with respect can do for America. Have you witnessed the Charlie Kirk effect? Let me know at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com.
Originally posted on Your Survival Guy.