In his new memoir, Vice-President JD Vance recounts his conversion to Roman Catholicism and reflects on how his faith shapes his political views, at a time when hardline Catholicism is gaining influence in the United States.
Vance, once an 'angry atheist,' describes his journey from the casual Christianity of his grandmother, through his father's Pentecostalism, to atheism in college, and finally to orthodox Catholicism. He was baptized and received first communion in 2019 in a small ceremony conducted by Dominican friars.
The book, titled Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, argues that a Catholic-influenced third way could help fix America's political, economic, and cultural decline. Vance is now the most senior Catholic in the US government and a likely presidential candidate for 2028.
Vance's conversion places him among a growing number of conservative Catholics aligned with the Maga movement, often clashing with the Vatican on issues like immigration and war. The book also addresses his controversial 'childless cat ladies' comment, calling it a boneheaded remark.
Experts note that converts like Vance are atypical, as most US Catholics are 'cradle' or 'cultural' Catholics who rarely attend church. However, a resurgence of orthodox Catholicism among younger Americans is evident, with some parishes seeing a boom in young adult converts seeking structure and meaning.
