loading . . . Cardinal Dolan: Charlie Kirk Was Like A "Modern Day St. Paul," Knew What Jesus Meant When He Said "The Truth Will Set You Free" Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, offered this praise for Charlie Kirk, expanding on his op-ed in the New York Post, Friday morning on "FOX & Friends."
He compared Kirk to one of the great evangelists in Christian history, St. Paul: "He knew what Jesus meant when He said, The truth will set you free."
"I understand he was pretty blunt and direct and did not try to avoid controversy or confrontation. The difference was the way, the mode, the style that he did it--always with respect," Dolan said. "I've been spending the last weke reading about him."
"Pope John Paul II said the best way to love someone is to tell them the truth. The most effective way to tell the truth is with love," Dolan said. "Apparently, Charlie did that."
"Charlie would not be surprised. If his hero is Jesus Christ, all he has to do is look at the Cross. Look what they did to Him. It goes on."
CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN: I was caught off guard, and that doesn't happen much. I said, I wonder who he was--and this overwhelming sense of sorrow and renewal. I thought, I've got to learn about this guy. The more I learned about him, I thought: this guy is a modern-day St. Paul. Missionary. Evangelist. Hero.
He knew what Jesus meant when He said, "The truth will set you free." Now, I understand he was pretty blunt and direct and did not try to avoid controversy or confrontation. The difference was the way, the mode, the style that he did it--always with respect. And not only was that a gracious, virtuous thing to do, it was effective. When your opponents see, "This guy respects me. We disagree here, but he kind of enjoys me, and he's thanking me for being here and telling me he appreciates the trust I have in him in sharing my views"--I thought, this guy can teach us something.
I've been spending the last week reading about him. Last night I was at NYU Catholic Center with about 200 students, and this is what they talked about. You guys, you've got a box seat to what is going on in the world: this return to religion.
When you look out there, especially at our young people, you see a vacuum, a void. Especially here in New York--you know how it is, a lot of people come here, young people: "Ah, we've got the world by the tail. We're leaving Kansas. We have a job now. People at home are proud." After a couple months they say, "Ah, there's something missing here. There is an emptiness. There is a void."
Now, St. Augustine said--it is not something missing, it is someone missing. I think that is what Charlie said. He wasn't afraid to talk about the Lord. He wasn't afraid to say the name of Jesus. Billy Graham used to say, "I will never publicly speak without saying the name of Jesus, because that name has power and it echoes through the universe." Apparently that is what Charlie did.
LAWRENCE JONES: Cardinal, what do you tell the numbers of young people, especially young men, going to church and mass? They're depressed and discouraged now because, although they believe in Jesus, Charlie was a leader within this movement, and the way he died matters. What do you tell them to reignite them?
CARDINAL DOLAN: Well, look--what does Jesus give us? Charlie said, "The most important thing in my life is my faith." All right. From faith comes hope. What does faith mean? We believe in God. We believe this God makes promises and keeps them.
I would say to young people: that's why they are coming back. They are saying, we even see God can bring good out of evil. What they're seeing is almost this revival of a sense of value and truth and conviction--almost an elevation of the role of faith back into the public square where our founders intended from the beginning. They are saying this overwhelming sense of appreciation for Charlie and the solidarity we are sensing is a sign of resurrection. Correct?
AINSLEY EARHARDT: Definitely. We are allowed to have different opinions, but Charlie spoke his mind--what he would read in the Bible. I feel like he did it out of love. You're right: he would say, "I might not agree with what you are doing or your lifestyle, but..."
CARDINAL DOLAN: You got it, Ainsley. I hate to see him vilified because he was talking about his beliefs and he was so bold to do it. He loved other people. He had that voice once he accepted Christ, and he wanted to share that with other people.
Two things. Pope John Paul II said, "The best way to love someone is to tell them the truth. The most effective way to tell the truth is with love." Apparently, Charlie did that.
Number two: Charlie would not be surprised. If his hero is Jesus Christ, all he has to do is look at the Cross. Look what they did to Him. It goes on.
I thought of that after the election of Pope Leo. We're standing there--you did not see us, you were looking at him. I'm looking out at Rome. Do I see symbols of the Roman Empire? No. Do I see symbols of Hitler and Mussolini? No. I see the Cross. The Cross triumphs.
Sunday in the Catholic Church, the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross. Charlie simplified it. Some people are saying to me, "You say too many nice things about him." I don't know him that well. But I'm sure if he was a convinced disciple of Jesus Christ, he knew his sins. I would think so. Jesus knew them. Something tells me Erika knew them. Do you keep in touch with her? How is she doing?
BRIAN KILMEADE:
She's speaking at the memorial and taking over for him. I want to read this: "I need to spend as much time on my knees asking for God's help. If we can recapture spirit in our country, rhetoric and division would largely disappear before God. Join me in this effort." What do you think? Should Americans join in that effort? You've said, we should continue to talk about issues, but not get personal.
CARDINAL DOLAN:
Thank you. Look--issues, not individuals. Principles, not politics. A principle is not people. Did you ever have to sit through a logic course in college? They would teach conversation and debate. Charlie never went to college--he could have taught the course. He said the weakest of all arguments, when you begin to attack the person, you know you lost it. Your rational argument has faded, and you attack the person. Charlie apparently knew that. We need to recapture that.
BRIAN KILMEADE:
This is important. The assassin had a view and thought Charlie Kirk was evil. You read it. I know who is right--he wasn't. What do you say to those people who think the assassin is right? We've seen celebrations and the breaking up of memorials and vigils. What do you say to people who can't believe that?
CARDINAL DOLAN:
This is a consequence of what Charlie often spoke about, from my quick study of him: the complete decline in the idea of objective good and evil. You know who was a great prophet of that? Pope Benedict. He said we're living in a dictatorship of relativism--no objective good or evil. When that happens, evil will triumph. There is objectively good and objectively evil. Charlie knew that.
What the assassin did was evil. We can't shy away from saying that. My article yesterday--I'm glad somebody read it. We can't just say, "Be nice, get along." No. We need to talk about the raw power of evil. We need to speak with passion about issues and principles. It is the style, the graciousness with which we do it. Who is the best teacher of all? Jesus.
Remember one scene in the Gospel: the woman caught in adultery. They were all ready to stone her. Jesus says, "Come here. Is there nobody left to condemn you? Neither do I condemn you. By the way, don't sin anymore. I love you. What you did, I don't care for, and I'm calling you to conversion--but I love you."
If we can get back to that... I use the example of Reagan. We can look at other things in history--Churchill and Roosevelt with Stalin. They detested him, but they said, "We've got to work with this guy." Speak the truth, but don't vilify.
I'm a hopeful person. Every time we see tragedy, I wonder: is it a call from God to conversion and renewal? I think young people are sensing that. It doesn't take away the sting and sadness.
You've been kind enough to have me on the show before after tragedies. I often comment: when you see tragedy, if you're watching TV--Fox News--and you see the news alert that Charlie Kirk has been assassinated, nine times out of ten the first words out of someone's mouth are, "Oh my God." Instinctively we think of the divine. We think, "Dear God, this is not the way You intended it. You are crying as much." Don't you think? https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/09/19/cardinal_dolan_charlie_kirk_was_like_a_modern_day_st_paul_knew_what_jesus_meant_when_he_said_the_truth_will_set_you_free.html
