The country should also be shaken by the prospect that these acts of violence could accelerate a slide into authoritarianism.
US Politics
Posted inNews
Pope Leo said he is praying for Charlie Kirk and his family
Pope Leo XIV told the new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See that he is praying for Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist assassinated in Utah last week, as well as his wife and children, the Vatican spokesman said.
Posted inShort Take
Charlie Kirk, free speech and the danger of politics without God
The murder of Charlie Kirk was not just a violation of free speech. It was a radical denial of his goodness as a creature of God.
Posted inVatican Dispatch
Pope Leo calls out billionaires and income inequality in first interview
In his first major interview, Pope Leo XIV denounces “useless killing” in Ukraine and promotes synodality as the solution to rising global polarization.
Posted inVatican Dispatch
Pope Leo receives credentials of U.S. ambassador to the Holy See
The new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, presented his credentials to Pope Leo XIV this morning, Sept. 13, 2025.
Posted inFaith in Focus
The aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination: If we have to look at violence, let’s do it the right way.
Perhaps we, enslaved as we are to the logic of violence, are looking at the image of violence and trying to solve it or even to turn it into a solution. Perhaps we are still trying to overcome it by force.
Posted inYour Take
Trump’s second term and the crisis of presidential power: Our readers weigh in
Our editors warned of a need to “restore the balance of power in American government.” Our readers had much to say in response.
Posted inNews
Bishops and Catholic leaders call for prayer after conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed
Kirk was 31 and a married father with two young children. He was shot in the neck, reportedly by a sniper from a campus building. The suspect is still at large, and a manhunt is underway, according to law enforcement officials.
Posted inThe Weekly Dispatch
Why is Israel targeting journalists in Gaza?
In the midst of the horror show that is Gaza, the targeting and assassination of journalists in Gaza remains worth calling out.
Posted inEditorials
The Editors: American troops do not belong on American streets
Trump’s militarization of American streets may be mostly political theater—but that doesn’t mean its not dangerous.