By Mark Haas, Catholic Exchange – The shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk has left a void not only in the political landscape of America but also in the hearts of countless young people he inspired. He was a man driven not by anger or violence, but by an insatiable desire to uncover and proclaim what is true. His death is tragic, and yet, in a mysterious way, it mirrors the story of the One who is Truth itself… Charlie Kirk’s presence was electric. He was a bottle of lightning when it came to debate, quick on his feet and unwilling to back down. Whether on a college campus, behind a microphone, or on a television panel, he had the rare ability to cut through noise and address first principles.
By John Daniel Davidson, The Federalist – In the days since Charlie Kirk’s assassination by a radical Antifa terrorist, a refrain has arisen in the corporate press and the political establishment that we must come together, lower the temperature, tone down the rhetoric, and condemn political violence on both sides. In order to have peace, they say, we have to have unity… But there can be no peace or unity without first telling the truth, and the truth is that both-sidesism, the polite fiction that the American left and right have a problem with political violence, is a damnable lie — and everyone peddling it is a moral coward.
Author Don Schwager, Servants of the Word – Luke 7:31-35 – 31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, `We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, `He has a demon.’ ….
NEWS
Suspect Charged With Aggravated Murder in Kirk’s Assassination, May Face Death Penalty, by Elise Winland
By Elise Winland, CatholicVote – Utah prosecutors on Sept. 16 formally charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder in the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk… At a Sept. 16 press conference announcing the charges, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said his office will also seek the death penalty, citing the severity of the crime… “I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime,” Gray said. “Because we are seeking the death penalty, the defendant will continue to be held without bail in the Utah County Jail.”
Israel launches ground offensive in Gaza City
By Elise Winlandon, Catholic Vote – Israel has launched a long-threatened ground offensive into Gaza City Sept. 16 as part of what it calls “Operation Gideon’s Chariots II,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced… The IDF said the campaign aims to push Israeli troops deeper into the city and will “expand in line with the current situational assessment.”… Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on X that Israel would fight until Hamas was defeated and hostages were freed. …
Untimely Meditations in Utah, by Robert Royal
By Robert Royal, The Catholic Thing – In 1776, the year that America became independent (and San Francisco was founded), two Franciscan priests, Atanasio Dominguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, traveled from what would become Santa Fe, New Mexico, through Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, aided at several points by native guides, until circumstances forced them to turn back in Orem, Utah, the very place where, last week, Charlie Kirk was murdered… Their mission, as strange as the path may seem to us today, was to find a shorter route from Santa Fe to the Franciscan mission in Monterrey, California – and no doubt to prepare the way for evangelization of native populations ….
Planned Parenthood is Teaching Teens How to Secretly Get Trans Hormones, by Steven Ertelt
By Steven Ertelt, LifeNews – Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion company, is expanding its reach into selling trans hormones by instructing teenagers on evading parental consent and medical safeguards… That’s according to a recent workshop exposed by critics who warn it endangers vulnerable youth. The abortion organization, which operates nearly 600 centers nationwide, has positioned itself as the leading seller of cross-sex hormones for so-called gender transitions, treating 40,000 patients last year alone, with 40% aged 18 to 22.
After Five Days of Silence… Pope Leo XIV “Holding Charlie Kirk and His Family in Prayer”
By Diane Montagna, Substack – Pope Leo XIV is “holding Charlie Kirk and his family in prayer,” the Vatican confirmed today… Responding to inquiries from journalists, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that during a meeting on Saturday with the new U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, “the Pope confirmed that he is praying for Charlie Kirk, his wife, and his children.”… According to Bruni, the Pope also “expressed concern about political violence and spoke of the need to avoid rhetoric and exploitation that foster polarization rather than dialogue.” ….
On the Holy Life and Remarkable Intellect of Saint Robert Bellarmine, by Dawn Beutner
By Dawn Beutner, Catholic World Report – He was one of the most brilliant men of his age, but he was a humble man and an exemplary priest who lived a virtuous and austere life… On September 17, 1621, the Cardinal-priest Robert Bellarmine died in Rome. Why did Pope Pius XI declare him a saint in 1930? And why did the same pope declare him a Doctor of the Church in 1931?… Bellarmine was born into a noble but relatively poor family in Montepulciano, Italy. When he was only twelve years old, his uncle was elected pope and became Pope Marcellus II.
Gender Can’t Be Changed, But Hearts Can Change, Ohio Bishop Says, by Matthew McDonald
By Matthew McDonald, The National Catholic Register – Toledo Bishop Daniel Thomas’ new document ‘The Body Reveals the Person’ rejects gender transitioning, but not the gender transitioner… Attempting to change gender is “medically assisted self-harm” and should be rejected, but people experiencing pain over gender identity should know that God loves them and wants to bring them to himself through their sufferings, an Ohio bishop says in a new document.
NO, Bishop, DEI Does NOT Mean God, by John M. Grondelski
By John M. Grondelski, First Things – According to Washington auxiliary bishop Roy Campbell, Catholics should stand up for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—DEI—because DEI also means “God” (as in, Dei)… That insulting association of the Divine Name with a divisive political social policy appeared in an essay the USCCB accidentally published on its website in recent days. It has since been taken down. According to The Pillar, the USCCB has not yet officially sanctioned the essay. It “is a draft of a personal reflection from Bishop Campbell that is yet to be discussed and given to a definitive publication plan” ….
Review of Domestic Terrorism After Kirk’s Murder Shows Biden Politicized Issue, Intel, Fudged Data, by Jerry Dunleavy
By Jerry Dunleavy, Just the News – A useful picture of the domestic terrorism threat in America in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk has not yet come into focus, as the actual threat-scape has been muddled by the politicization of intelligence and by an overbroad use of the phrase “domestic terrorism.”… A review of the Biden administration’s application of the phrase shows that the phrase was used as a justification for targeting January 6 rioters, parents concerned about what their children were being taught in schools, and a wildly uneven treatment of those groups when compared to the widespread violence and destruction caused by Antifa and other progressive groups.
Saint of the Day for September 17: Saint Robert Bellarmine (October 4, 1542 – September 17, 1621)
By Franciscan Media, September 17 – When Saint Robert Bellarmine was ordained in 1570, the study of Church history and the fathers of the Church was in a sad state of neglect. A promising scholar from his youth in Tuscany, he devoted his energy to these two subjects, as well as to Scripture, in order to systematize Church doctrine against the attacks of the Protestant Reformers. He was the first Jesuit to become a professor at Louvain.
The Impact of Charlie Kirk’s Death, by Janet E. Smith
By Janet E. Smith, Crisis Magazine – Charlie Kirk inspired millions of young people around the world. His assassination has only galvanized the movement that he lived and ultimately died for… I have spent hours reading tributes to Charlie Kirk and watching his videos. I have avoided as much as possible the unbelievable, hate-filled responses that rejoice in his death… If you can’t see that Charlie Kirk’s life was animated by love, I pity you. You do not have eyes to see or ears to hear. You are allowing the hate-filled to shape your views.
Mass Attendance Up At Various Colleges in Wake of Charlie Kirk Assassination, by Amira Abuzeid
By Amira Abuzeid, CNA Staff – 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.”
Poll Shows 25% of Young People Say America Better Off With Charlie Kirk Assassinated, by Melissa O’Rourke
By Melissa O’Rourke, LifeNews – Over a quarter of young voters believe America is “better off” following the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, according to a new survey… The Napolitan News Service poll found that a staggering 26% of those aged 18 to 34 answered “yes” to the question: “While it is always difficult to wish ill of another human being, is America better off now that Charlie Kirk has been killed?” Among Democrats, 24% also responded affirmatively.
God’s Relentless Pursuit, by Carmelite Sisters
By Carmelite Sisters, (By Sister Emma Luz, OCD),Integrated Catholic Life – Mother Luisita wrote in her spiritual notes: “What a great joy to have in my company, to possess, to have as my own, Jesus Himself! Who could ever snatch my Jesus from me?”… If we look at this passage from Jesus’ viewpoint, we get a glimpse into the heart of God and His desire. For our desire of God is a pale flicker to the infinite flame of God’s love pursuing us. The Song of Songs has two images, among many others, that describe God’s desire very powerfully. …
“We Win, They Lose”: We Need an NSDD 75 for the Cold Civil War, by Michael Frigon
By Michael Frigon, Crisis Magazine – Yet, the Soviets were not interested in peace, as they were convinced that they could defeat the West and its ideology. … The turning point came when Ronald Reagan took office in 1981. For two years, Reagan and his national security advisors worked to put his doctrine of “we win, they lose” into an actual strategy. The result was NSDD 75 on “U.S. Relations with the U.S.S.R.”—a short 10-page policy directive outlining how the United States would not just contain Soviet expansion but reverse it completely until a U.S. victory was achieved.
Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations: How Shall I Compare This Generation?
Author Don Schwager, Servants of the Word – Luke 7:31-35 – 31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, `We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, `He has a demon.’ ….
Founder’s Quote
Patriot Post – “Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction.” —John Witherspoon (1776)
Saint of the Day for September 17: Saint Robert Bellarmine (October 4, 1542 – September 17, 1621)
By Franciscan Media, September 17 – When Saint Robert Bellarmine was ordained in 1570, the study of Church history and the fathers of the Church was in a sad state of neglect. A promising scholar from his youth in Tuscany, he devoted his energy to these two subjects, as well as to Scripture, in order to systematize Church doctrine against the attacks of the Protestant Reformers. He was the first Jesuit to become a professor at Louvain.
