Mary Rooke Commentary and Analysis Writer
The assassination of Charlie Kirk and the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska are bringing out some of the best in humanity, but they’re also exposing some of the worst.
In our uncertain times, we need a moral, courageous leader to step in to fill the void Kirk left behind after he was murdered. There’s a lot of speculation about who that will be. Maybe it’s Vice President JD Vance, who has been similarly vocal about his faith and how that shapes his policy decisions. Maybe it’s another pundit like Matt Walsh or Michael Knowles. Charlie’s wife, Erika Kirk, boldly promised not to let his mission die, swearing that she will make sure his legacy grows bigger than ever during her first address to the nation after his death.
Still, despite who picks up the yoke Charlie left behind, there is a devastating reality to grapple with: Most of our faith leaders are wholly unprepared to be the person.
Typically, after tragedies, especially very public murders like Kirk’s and Zarustka’s, this is when your priest or pastor comes in to guide you on how to process all the fear, anxiety, and anger that comes with grief. (Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!)
On Saturday, my husband told me that he had never looked forward to our priest’s homilies more than he did for Sunday’s. Our priest doesn’t subscribe to the notion of keeping it short and sweet, often spending 15-20 minutes at his lectern. With everything going on in the world, we look to him to help us see Christ’s message in the darkness. He didn’t disappoint.
Within the first sentence of his homily, our priest invoked Kirk’s and Zarustka’s names. He also spoke about the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and urged us not to cower to the violence but rather let it embolden us to speak truth. He said what needed to be said about the state of our world and gave us a clear direction on where to go from here.
There’s a lot of discussion about who will “replace” Charlie Kirk. The answer is that nobody will. There won’t be a new Charlie, any more than there was a new Rush Limbaugh. These men are irreplaceable. One of a kind. All we can do is continue the fight in our own way. Which we…
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 15, 2025
But sadly, American Christians around the country went to church Sunday expecting to receive this same moral guidance, but instead left shocked that their faith leaders had once again abdicated their most important duties. Even more disappointing is that thousands on social media claimed to have gone back to church or Mass for the first time in months or even decades, only to be let down so terribly by this silence. (ROOKE: ALP Fundraiser For Charlie Kirk’s Family Surpasses $3,000,000 In First Day)
Charlie Kirk was one of the bravest Christians in our generation. He stood up to the bullying, threats, and demonization of the left to profess clearly and without anger the truth of the cross.
Our priest mentioned Iryna and Charlie within the first 10 seconds of his homily this morning and urged us to boldly go out into the world to profess the truth of the cross. pic.twitter.com/ncRaCKKCcR
— Mary Rooke (@MaryRooke_) September 14, 2025
We can’t separate his Christianity from his political activism because, to Kirk, these two issues were deeply connected. Still, it’s not enough to have a political figure step into Kirk’s shoes. American Christians need the guidance of their priests and pastors to understand the spiritual nature of this war and how to fight it. If the church does not fill this void, radical voices will. (Violence Took Charlie, But It Created Millions More Of Him)
You need to ask yourself an important question: Did my pastor talk about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk? And if not, how can you trust him to lead you in these times?
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