Dear Patriot,
We have arrived. Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. It’s hard for me to even know how to write this or what to say as the moments from last year play back in my head.
Charlie was known to millions in life, and even more after his death. I had the privilege to know him as a personal friend. Our relationship involved work as Catholics for Catholics was the official Catholic partner with TPUSA during the 2024 presidential election which saw the greatest Catholic landslide in US history.
But our friendship went above work to the things that mattered most – our faith. Charlie was asked this question a few months before he died: “If you could be associated with one thing, how would you want to be remembered?”
“I want to be remembered for courage for my faith,” Kirk answered. “That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith.”
To be clear, it was a faith that was growing stronger with time. Eight days before he died, he declared to Bishop Joseph Brennan that “I’m this close to becoming Catholic.”
As my friendship with Charlie centered around faith, it was blessing to see Charlie grow closer to THE FAITH. Seeing him at daily Mass, sharing texts back and forth on Catholic points, and watching him grow in his love for the Blessed Mother was a great blessing.
In fact, it was knowing how he grew to love Mary that inspired us to do an impromptu online rosary 53 minutes after he was shot where over 20,000 people joined to beg God for his life.
That night, Catholics for Catholics held a spontaneous Rosary Rally with hundreds showing up with little warning, just blocks from where Charlie lived and went to church. Those moments will be forever etched in our memory. It was the day we lost a leader, a future president, and a dear friend.
In the wake of his death, many have felt called to step up and do their part and perhaps even “take Charlie’s place.” Although none of us can ever take his place, we can take our place in the mission God has called us to.
Tomorrow when the clock hits 12:23pm Mountain Standard Time, the exact moment when the explosion hit Charlie’s neck and his last breaths were taken, let’s recommit to loving the things Charlie loved. Charlie loved America and most importantly he loved Jesus.
Jesus is found in the Holy Eucharist where Charlie would go to visit before work. May the Holy Eucharist be the rock and foundation of our lives. We don’t know how much time each of us has left on this earth, but when our time comes, may we look back with the same satisfaction that Charlie had knowing he had done his best, as he said in his own words, “to work to make heaven crowded.”
God Bless and Fight On,
John Yep
President, Catholics for Catholics
