Candace Owens, Joe Kent and Carrie Prejean Boller Take the Stage at Explosive Catholic Gala in D.C.

Candace Owens, Joe Kent and Carrie Prejean Boller Speak at Catholics for Catholics Gala in Washington D.C.

The third annual Catholic Prayer for America Gala, organized by Catholics for Catholics, was held on March 19, 2026, at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., on the Feast of St. Joseph.

The event celebrated 250 years of Catholic patriotism in America and featured prominent speakers including political commentator Candace Owens, former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, former Miss California Carrie Prejean Boller, General Michael Flynn, Matt Walsh, and actor Eduardo Verastegui. Cardinal Gerhard Muller participated via a special video address.

Owens, who converted to Catholicism in 2024, spoke about her faith journey and the scrutiny she has faced since converting. She told attendees:

The moment that I became Catholic, it was just game on.

Owens also addressed the September 2025 assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, describing feeling "directionless" after his death. Her husband encouraged her to seek confession, which she credits with renewing her faith.

Carrie Prejean Boller received the "Catholic Champion Award" for what the organization called her "courageous defense of the Catholic faith." Prejean Boller was previously removed from President Trump's Religious Liberty Commission after defending Owens during a hearing on antisemitism.

In her acceptance speech, Prejean Boller declared:

I refuse to compromise my faith. I refuse to be comfortable.

She thanked Owens for "standing boldly, even when it costs you everything," adding that "the truth is not always easy to speak, but it is always worth defending."

Joe Kent Receives Standing Ovation at Catholic Prayer for America Gala After Resignation

Joe Kent, who recently resigned from his position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, received a standing ovation at his first public appearance since leaving the role. Kent was interviewed onstage by Owens during a five minute segment that C SPAN interrupted regular programming to broadcast.

Kent stated that "having faith, I think I was able to hear God's voice" in making his decision to resign. He claimed in his resignation letter that "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation." Kent's wife, Shannon Kent, died in 2019 during the Syrian Civil War.

At the gala's conclusion, Owens read a statement from Bishop Joseph Strickland, who was removed from his position in 2023. The statement read:

Political parties cannot save us. Governments cannot define truth. And no earthly movement can replace the Kingship of Jesus Christ.

The event drew surging crowds and featured veneration of more than 50 relics of saints, including a rare relic from the mantle of St. Joseph, brought by The Relic Project.

The Crusader's Opinion

Say what you will about the controversies swirling around this gala, but one thing is clear: Catholics are done being silent. When a woman gets removed from a Religious Liberty Commission for defending her own faith, something has gone deeply wrong. Carrie Prejean Boller stood up and said what every Catholic believes: our faith is not up for negotiation. Candace Owens walked away from the comfortable path and embraced the Cross. Joe Kent sacrificed his career because his conscience told him to. These are not fringe figures. These are Christians who chose truth over comfort, faith over career, and conviction over applause. The world will mock them. History will vindicate them.

Take Action

• Watch: Find the full C SPAN broadcast of the Catholics for Catholics gala and share it with your parish community.
• Support Catholics for Catholics: Visit cforc.com to learn about their mission to defend Catholic identity and support future events.
• Defend Religious Liberty: Contact your U.S. representatives at house.gov and urge them to protect the rights of Christians to speak freely about their faith without political retaliation.
• Donate: Support organizations that defend persecuted Christians worldwide. Give to The Shepherd's Shield or Open Doors USA.
• Pray: Lift up Christian voices in the public square. Pray for Candace Owens as she prepares for Confirmation, for Carrie Prejean Boller as she endures political backlash, and for Joe Kent and his family.