A nationally known congregation of New York City nuns has publicly criticized their boss, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, for likening assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk to St. Paul the Apostle, a key figure in the early days of Christianity.
In a statement posted on its website, the Sisters of Charity of New York condemned Kirk’s recent killing but also insisted he was no “modern-day St. Paul” as Dolan, head of the Archdiocese of New York, said during a Sept. 19 appearance on “Fox & Friends.”
“What Cardinal Dolan may not have known is that many of Mr. Kirk’s words were marked by racist, homophobic, transphobic, and anti-immigrant rhetoric, by violent pro-gun advocacy, and by the promotion of Christian nationalism,” the sisters wrote in their statement. “These prejudicial words do not reflect the qualities of a saint. To compare Mr. Kirk to St. Paul risks confusing the true witness of the Gospel and giving undue sanction to words and actions that hurt the very people Jesus calls us to love.”
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, built a massive following with his “The Charlie Kirk Show” and by taking his conservative message to college campuses where it resonated with students who felt culturally isolated and appreciated Kirk’s willingness to take contrary positions on topics like transgender rights and affirmative action.
Kirk’s murder shocked the country and ratcheted up fears about the spread of political violence that has, in recent months, targeted both Democrats and Republicans. The 31-year-old conservative activist was eulogized by President Donald Trump and other figures at a memorial Sunday in Arizona that had some of the hallmarks of an evangelical worship service.
There were frequent references to Kirk’s Christian faith as well as prayers and songs. In a speech, his widow, Erika Kirk, said she forgave her husband’s accused killer.
The Sisters of Charity are a prominent U.S. congregation of nuns founded more than 200 years ago by Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born Catholic saint. And just last week, the nuns’ statement said, Dolan helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of her canonization.
“Elizabeth’s legacy is not one of exclusion or hatred, but of radical welcome, tireless service, and unwavering love of neighbor,” their statement said. “Many of Mr. Kirk’s words stand in stark contrast to the charity and compassion that defined those of Elizabeth Seton.”
The Bronx-based nuns have been running orphanages and schools and hospitals in New York City since 1846 and also cared for wounded Civil War soldiers. During the 1960s, the sisters helped fight for Civil Rights and protested against the Vietnam War. But with fewer women choosing to become nuns, they announced in 2023 that it would no longer accept new members and that they were on a “path to completion.”
Dolan appeared on “Fox & Friends” nine days after Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10 while debating students on a Utah college campus. Two days before his TV turn, the cardinal published an opinion piece in the New York Post headlined, “In the wake of Charlie Kirk killing, we must stop this hatred and acrimony.”
“He’s one, I think, who knew what Jesus meant when he said, ‘The truth will set you free’,” Dolan said of Kirk on the morning show.
Dolan confessed he did not know much about Kirk before the fatal shooting but that after doing some research he concluded that “This guy’s a modern-day St. Paul.”
St. Paul, who lived in the first century A.D., was a persecutor of Christians who famously converted to Christianity while on the road to Damascus and spent his life spreading the then-new religion through the Roman Empire. His letters form part of the New Testament and he paid for his evangelism with his life when he was beheaded.
Dolan acknowledged that Kirk was “pretty blunt and he was pretty direct.” But his way of conveying his thoughts, the cardinal said, was “virtuous” and “effective.”
“I thought this guy could teach us something,” Dolan said.
Dolan has made no public statements in response to the criticism from the nuns and Joseph Zwilling, chief spokesperson for the archdiocese, answered “no, thank you” when asked if he had any comment.
Sandra Yocum, the University Professor of Faith and Culture at the University of Dayton, said she couldn’t think of another example of “this kind of direct criticism of something a cardinal has said by a congregation of sisters.”
“Usually, if there is a conflict, it involves an issue within the religious community,” Yocum said. “But this kind of direct challenge to a local ordinary is unusual, especially in the current climate.”
In the aftermath of Dolan’s TV appearance, other Catholic critics have accused Dolan of glossing over Kirk’s controversial comments about Black people, gay people and others, including the late Pope Francis.
“Any reflection on the legacy of Kirk cannot gloss over the pain and suffering that Kirk inflicted on innumerable people through his harsh, divisive and combative rhetoric,” John Grosso wrote in The National Catholic Reporter.
Kirk’s pastor Rob McCoy, who is the co-founder of Turning Point USA Faith, spoke and Christian music stars like Kari Jobe Carnes and Cody Carnes shared the stage with Lee Greenwood, who sang “God Bless the USA.”
But while conservatives have been portraying Kirk as a martyr for faith and free speech, Black pastors in some of the largest African-American denominations have criticized what Kirk preached both on his podcasts and during his campus appearances as “white nationalism wrapped in talk of Jesus.”
In particular, the Black preachers have objected to Kirk claiming without evidence that “prowling Blacks go around for fun to go target white people” or asserting that affirmative action policies were the only reason prominent Black women like Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson were able to advance in their careers.