What makes Stephen Colbert one of today’s best Catholic evangelists

Of course, he’s not really disappearing, other than from CBS, thanks to some “business reasons” (and if you buy that, I have a few New York City-area bridges for sale). But this week marks the end of Stephen Colbert’s long-running late-night prominence, with the final episode of “The Late Show” on Thursday. It also marks the end of at least one venue for one of the most effective public Catholics in the world. 

Full disclosure: A few years ago, I was playfully and unexpectedly “appointed” as the “official chaplain to the Colbert Nation” on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” a less-than-onerous ministry that happily carried over to “The Late Show.” (I guess I’m out of a job, too.)

In fact, after Stephen moved his team into the Ed Sullivan Theater, a few blocks from the offices of America Media, he invited me to bless the new set. One day in September 2015, I brought some holy water and a branch from our Jesuit community rooftop garden and sprinkled his office desk and chair, a few random hallways and several surprised staffers. I was then escorted onto the vast set, where I was greeted by Stephen, who was talking to someone who looked vaguely familiar. Both Stephen Colbert and George Clooney got suitably wet. 

That Stephen Colbert asked for a priest to bless his new TV home was no surprise. He wears his Catholicism both proudly and lightly, both publicly and privately. To my mind, he was (and will continue to be) one of the most effective evangelizers for the Catholic faith around. Let me suggest a few reasons for this.

First, he is normal, or at least as normal as a famous late-night talk show host can be. That is, people see a man speaking about his wife and children, his occasional struggles with his church and, most of all, the joy he takes in being a Catholic. I can attest that he is just as kind and friendly as he seems on the show. And I think people sense that. When it comes to evangelizing, it helps if people like you. 

Second, people understand that he is not paid to promote the church. On the numerous times that he has discussed his faith (like after his trip to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis, along with many other comedians), viewers know that he is sharing his faith out of joy, not obligation. Nor is this considered part of his “job,” as it would be for a cleric, a member of a religious order or a lay leader in the church. Naturally, he sees it as part of his vocation, but that he does it freely makes him infinitely more credible to some viewers.

Third, he does it all with a sense of humor. Going all the way back to his “This Week in God” segments as a correspondent on “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central, Stephen knows that joy, humor and laughter are part of the spiritual life. Joy is the surest sign of the Holy Spirit, as many spiritual writers have said. A faithful Catholic is a great evangelizer. Still better is a funny and faithful one. “The angels can fly,” as G. K. Chesterton once said, “because they can take themselves lightly.” For Stephen, that includes dancing around to “The King of Glory,” a favorite 1970s folk hymn. 

Fourth, he is smart. One of the first interviews I did for America Media was with the attorney, law professor and pro-life advocate Helen Alvaré, and an image she offered stuck with me. She said that many people think that once you’re Catholic, you must “leave your brain at the door.” Stephen Colbert disproves this. He is no one’s fool: well-educated, well-read, well-versed on any number of subjects and quick-witted. More than a few viewers must think: “Well, he’s no dummy, and he believes in God. Maybe there’s something to this.”

Fifth, he has experienced suffering. As is well known, Mr. Colbert’s father and a brother were killed in a plane crash while Stephen was a young man. He spoke about this movingly in his 2022 conversation with Anderson Cooper. His faith is a complex and strong one, surviving even profound tragedy.

Sixth, he knows the value of a good story. I am not comparing him to Jesus (though we are all supposed to model ourselves on our Lord), but, like Jesus, Stephen understands that you can often make a point more effectively with a story than with a series of debate points. The Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann once said that arguments and debates can close our minds, while a story can open them. This is one reason why Jesus often taught in parables. Listen to Stephen talk about his life-changing encounter with a frozen Bible in our conversation on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to get a taste of that gift for storytelling.

Finally, as a Catholic, he knows his stuff. Over the years, I have had conversations with him about our shared faith on his show, at America Media and privately. And I am always amazed at his ability to remember arcane facts about the saints, recall some obscure passage (verbatim) from a Catholic author and, especially, quote Scripture. Often, he’ll say, “Well, you know what C. S. Lewis/G. K. Chesterton/St. Thomas Aquinas said on this,” and I have to brace myself, hoping that I in fact do know it.

A cheesy but true slogan often hung over people’s office desks in the 1970s and 1980s: “Be patient! God’s not finished with me yet!” (It usually was posted next to an image of a cat hanging from a tree with the message: “Hang in there. It’s almost Friday!”) God is not finished with Stephen Colbert yet, and I look forward to seeing what God has in store for this most effective public Catholic. Post CBS, I’m sure the King of Glory has some great plans.