In Scottish, “kirk” means “church,” a perhaps apt observation in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder — and the surge in church attendance that seems to have followed his assassination.

While speaking to Deseret News earlier this year, Kirk said the secular world needed to be pointed “toward getting back to the church, getting back to faith, getting married, having children,” adding, “That is the type of conservatism that I represent, and I’m trying to paint a picture of virtue, of lifting people up, not just staying angry.”

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It seems — tragically — in his death, the Turning Point USA founder could get his wish.

Matt Zerrusen, cofounder of the Catholic college organization Newman Ministry, told the Catholic News Agency on Monday he has spoken to ministry leaders across the U.S. in the days since Kirk’s murder. He said that “every one of” the leaders he’s spoken with told him “they’ve seen bigger crowds” in Masses, including many people “they’ve never seen before.”

“I have not talked to anyone who has not seen an increase in Mass attendance,” he said. “Some schools are reporting increases of 15%.”

Many, Zerrusen added, are asking for spiritual guidance, too. “So many people are asking, ‘What do I do?’ ‘What is evil?’ ‘How does God allow this?'” he said. “They are asking so many basic questions.”

And social media was full of people sharing they were attending church services for the first time.

“We went to church today,” revealed a TikTok user named Brittany. “It was the first time in 20 years for me and Devin. It was the first time for our children. After the events of the last week, Devin and I had a lot of talking that was happening between us about the type of life that we want for ourselves and how we want our boys to be.”

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She continued, “[W]e are raising three boys that will one day be men, and we want those boys to be as strong in their convictions as Charlie Kirk was. … It is because of Charlie Kirk that we went to church today.”

“I hope that those of you who went to church for the first time today, I hope that those of you who are buying Bibles for the first time, I hope that those of you who, like us, are returning to church, I hope this journey doesn’t stop for you,” she added. “And we are making it a mission for us and our family to continue living a life that was worthy of Charlie Kirk’s presence.”

Another TikTok user posted from an unknown location he had to park several blocks away from a church service because there were so many people attending Sunday.

“Thank you, Jesus,” he said. “Thank you, Charlie.”

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“I don’t talk about religion much but I’m going to go to church this weekend,” wrote an X user. “First time in a long time when it’s not Easter or Christmas.”

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Another X user who goes by the name Diesel Gamer posted, “Sitting here, in front of a church I’ve never even stepped foot in, in front of a church a week ago I’d never even have considered going to, some feelings are welling up.”

The user behind the account said the “evil” present in the world “cannot be denied.”

“Charlie preached for all to come to God, I never listened before, I agreed on nearly everything else he spoke on but just didn’t think that part applied to me,” Diesel Gamer added. “Of course it did, and I won’t ever forget him, every time I pull up to a church, possibly this one, I will remember Charlie.”

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Another viral video depicted a man attending church for the first time in the wake of Kirk’s murder, stating he was inspired by the slain 31-year-old to take his role as a husband and father more seriously.

“I didn’t know Charlie Kirk, never met that guy before in my life,” the man said in the video. “And something else that I’ve never done before in my life is believe in God. I’m gonna wear this suit to church. I’m gonna go to church. I’m gonna try to be a better husband, father, and leader for my family. They deserve that.”

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Continue to pray for Kirk’s wife, Erika, their two children, and all of Kirk’s loved ones. Additionally, pray God would use the Christian and conservative influencer’s assassination to draw more people toward the Gospel.

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