CV NEWS FEED // The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, April 8 will examine the nomination of Brian Burch to serve as President Donald Trump’s Ambassador to the Holy See.
The Senate hearing, scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern Time, will decide Burch’s confirmation in the role. If confirmed, he will become the US government’s highest-ranking representative to Pope Francis and the Vatican.
Burch is a co-founder of CatholicVote and has served as its president since the organization’s inception. He and his wife live near Chicago and have nine children. If confirmed, Burch will relocate to the US Embassy to the Holy See with his wife and four of their children. The move would represent the embassy’s first time hosting children since 2012.
He was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, states a profile published by the New Daily Compass just after Burch’s nomination last year: “Burch attended Catholic schools throughout his upbringing, including Most Holy Trinity, St. Thomas the Apostle, and St. Mary’s High School.”
“He later graduated with a degree in Political Philosophy from the University of Dallas in 1997, a highly regarded Catholic university in Texas,” the profile continues: “During his summers, he worked alongside migrant laborers on his family’s farm, where he harvested watermelons and cantaloupes. These early experiences shaped his appreciation for faith, hard work, and community. Reflecting on these times, Burch has often joked about learning Spanish from his coworkers, albeit ‘not the most elegant or appropriate words.’”
Under Burch’s leadership, CatholicVote has become a prominent voice for Catholics nationwide, advocating for Church values and often supporting US bishops against criticisms from both liberal and traditionalist media and activist groups.
The organization has taken bold stances on critical issues, notably maintaining an accurate and up-to-date tracker of attacks on Catholic churches and pro-life pregnancy centers following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Burch repeatedly cited CatholicVote’s trackers in letters to the Biden administration’s Department of Justice and FBI, pressing the agencies to defend Catholic Americans and prosecute those who threaten them.
CatholicVote has been a force not only in the realm of politics but in the broader culture. In June 2024, the organization successfully pressured the Los Angeles Dodgers to cancel its plans to honor an anti-Catholic hate group called “The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (SPI) during a pregame ceremony.
CatholicVote did not let up when the Dodgers later backed down from the cancellation under pressure from LGBT powerbrokers and their allies in the corporate media. CatholicVote’s protests in the leadup to the Dodgers’ ceremonial recognition of SPI led to the event being significantly scaled back. In addition, the Dodgers later committed to dedicating an annual game in July to the celebration of faith and family.
“Despite criticisms from progressive Catholics labeling him a ‘culture warrior’ or opposing Pope Francis,” the New Daily Compass noted, “Burch has consistently defended the papacy, especially against the growing number of sedevacantists in the country. CatholicVote notably welcomed Pope Francis’ election with a widely praised video, reinforcing Burch’s commitment to unity within the Church.”
“Also,” the outlet added, “recognizing the growing influence of Hispanic Catholics, Burch launched Voto Católico in 2022, the Spanish counterpart to CatholicVote, and introduced ‘El Lazo,’ a newsletter inspired by Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, to engage Spanish-speaking Catholics.”
Burch’s nomination has been met with positive reaction from Catholic organizations. Jonathan J. Sanford, President of the University of Dallas, lauded him as “a man of deep faith, strong character, and genuine prudence,” according to New Daily Compass.
The organization of Catholic entrepreneurs Legatus also celebrated his appointment, as did Cristofer Pereyra, President of the Tepeyac Institute, who called Burch “an extraordinary example of Catholic lay leadership.”
When Vice President JD Vance, then a relatively recent Catholic convert, announced his candidacy for a US Senate seat in Ohio, Burch supported the campaign by hosting Vance for a public discussion. “Their relationship has grown into a close friendship,” according to the New Daily Compass, marking “a significant moment for Catholic representation in leadership, as Burch joins a growing number of Catholics occupying key roles” in the Trump administration.
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