St. Joan of Arc: From Catholic Heroine to Pro-Life Symbol — A Modernist Appropriation
The article “Why St. Joan of Arc Inspires Me” by Kristan Hawkins, published on the National Catholic Register portal (May 30, 2026), presents a commentary that instrumentalizes the figure of St. Joan of Arc, reducing her supernatural mission to a mere inspiration for contemporary political activism, particularly the pro-life movement. While the article superficially praises Joan’s courage and faith, it fundamentally misrepresents her mission by stripping it of its Catholic theological substance and recasting it in the mold of modern secular activism. This appropriation exemplifies the broader trend within post-conciliar Catholicism of hollowing out the saints’ witness, replacing supernatural faith with naturalistic humanism.









