Nuns Rebuke Cardinal Dolan’s “St. Paul” Praise for Charlie Kirk

After Dolan’s Fox News canonization of Kirk, nuns clap back: “These prejudicial words do not reflect the qualities of a saint.”

When Cardinal Timothy Dolan used a Fox News interview to hail the late Charlie Kirk as “a modern-day St. Paul,” it shocked many Catholics and prompted swift backlash.

Letters from Leo previously detailed Dolan’s Fox News appearance — and the fierce pushback it sparked in an earlier essay.

Now, the Sisters of Charity of New York have added their voices to a growing chorus of Catholic critics, issuing a rare public rebuke of the cardinal’s remarks.

Nuns Condemn the Comparison

In a statement released earlier this week, the Sisters of Charity leadership strongly criticized Dolan’s praise of Kirk.

They noted that “many of Mr. Kirk’s words were marked by racist, homophobic, transphobic, and anti-immigrant rhetoric, by violent pro-gun advocacy, and by the promotion of Christian nationalism” — hardly the traits of a saint, the sisters observed.

“These prejudicial words do not reflect the qualities of a saint. To compare Mr. Kirk to St. Paul risks confusing the true witness of the Gospel and giving undue sanction to words and actions that hurt the very people Jesus calls us to love,” the statement continued.

The sisters contrasted Kirk’s divisive rhetoric with the compassion of true Christian discipleship. Reaffirming their mission to welcome immigrants, defend marginalized groups and pursue peace, they stressed that “these are the marks of authentic discipleship. These are the qualities of saints.”

In a pointed appeal, they urged church leaders — Dolan included — to lift up authentic Gospel witnesses marked by “humility, justice, compassion, and peace.”

Catholic Backlash Grows

The sisters’ sharp rebuke reflects a wider wave of Catholic criticism of Dolan’s comments. On social media and in Catholic forums, many faithful voiced dismay that a prelate would elevate Kirk — a polarizing political agitator — to apostolic stature.

In the National Catholic Reporter, columnist John Grosso delivered an especially blunt critique of Dolan’s comparison. He emphasized that calling Kirk a modern St. Paul is false “by any measure,” noting that Kirk’s harsh and combative rhetoric inflicted pain on innumerable people.

I’ve previously catalogued Kirk’s divisive legacy — from racist and sexist statements to even attacking Pope Francis as a “Marxist” — as evidence that the young activist’s life stood at odds with Catholic values.

Crucially, as Grosso noted, unlike Saint Paul, Kirk was not martyred for the faith; his tragic killing, while deplorable, “was not because of Christian persecution,” and does not automatically ennoble his ideology. Grosso warned that mythologizing Kirk as a saint only fosters resentment and stifles honest dialogue within the church.

As I wrote about last week, Pope Leo’s cautious and thoughtful response to Kirk’s assasination have riled up some the push to canonize Kirk in conservative circles has exposed deep rifts among American Catholics.

The Sisters of Charity’s courageous statement signals that many in the church are unwilling to let Dolan’s Fox News remarks stand unchallenged. Their message is clear: comparisons to saints should be reserved for those who truly embody the Gospel — not for public figures whose words sow division and hurt.

In the wake of this controversy, Catholic leaders face mounting pressure to model the “authentic discipleship” that the sisters insist is the real measure of a modern-day saint.

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