Catholics for Catholics lead Rosary rally for Charlie Kirk outside Turning Point HQ

A large crowd of Catholics gathered outside the Turning Point USA headquarters to pray the Rosary for the soul of Charlie Kirk.

On 16 September, outside the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, an estimated 2,500 Catholics gathered to pray for the organisation's founder who was assassinated at a college campus event in Utah.

The vigil, organised by Catholics for Catholics, was attended by local faithful, while thousands more participated online. In a message on its X account, the group said the purpose of the gathering was to pray for “the eternal rest of our brother and friend Charlie Kirk.” It described the nationwide participation as a “tremendous show of force for one of America’s greatest patriots.”

Prayers were also offered for Mr Kirk’s family. A post by the organisers asked that “Our Lady usher his soul into heaven, and may Saint Joseph watch over Erika and their two small children who no longer have their daddy on earth with them.”

Mr Kirk’s accused killer was charged in Utah on Tuesday. Twenty-two-year-old Tyler Robinson faces the death penalty if convicted of the murder.

Following his death, Mr Kirk’s body was flown from Salt Lake City to Phoenix aboard Air Force Two. He was accompanied by his widow, Erika, Vice President JD Vance, and Second Lady, Usha Vance.

A public memorial service is scheduled for Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Former President Donald Trump has confirmed he will attend the ceremony, saying he was asked to be present and felt it was his duty. The service is expected to attract senior conservative politicians, family, friends, and leaders of Turning Point USA.

Charlie Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA in 2012 when he was a teenager. The organisation grew rapidly under his leadership and became a major influence on university campuses across the United States, promoting conservative values and opposing what it regarded as left-wing dominance in academia.

Raised in the suburbs of Illinois, Charlie Kirk attended Wheeling High School before briefly enrolling at Baylor University. He left to dedicate himself fully to political activism. By his early twenties, he had built Turning Point into a national platform, with chapters in universities and high schools across the country. He married Erika Frantz in 2021, and together they had two children.

Charlie Kirk’s death has sent shockwaves through conservative and Catholic circles in America, with many pointing to his commitment to faith, family, and country as defining features of his life.

Photo credit: Catholics for Catholics on X