Father Gerald Murray told Newsmax on Friday that he is pleased so many young people are returning to church.
He gave credit to the late conservative leader Charlie Kirk.
Murray, pastor of St. Joseph's Church in New York, was responding to a new Barna study that said for first time in decades, younger adults, Generation Z, and millennials, are now the most regular churchgoers, even outpacing older generations who once formed the backbone of church attendance.
"It's the grace of God, of course, because he moves hearts and souls, but then he has these instruments on earth, such as Charlie Kirk," Murray said on "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
"His heinous murder woke people up to say that someone who is focusing young people's attention on the eternal truths and questioning, you know, How am I supposed to live?" he added.
"How am I supposed to treat my neighbor? What is the basis of our laws and customs in the U.S.?" Murray continued.
"And he very clearly was teaching that this is a country founded on Christian principles, in which we respect other people and we, you know, follow the law of God," Murray concluded. "We try to create a society that's based on divine justice.
Murray said he was pleased so many people were coming back to church.
"As a priest, I can tell you, the only piece of soul that you get is what comes from heaven," Murray said. "Everything else is a false trail."
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Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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