On Religion: Trump, Reagan And Prayers Following Assassination Attempts
(ANALYSIS) Not only did Pope Leo XIII collapse to the floor after celebrating Mass, but doctors couldn't find a pulse.
A priest who witnessed this 1886 drama testified: “His expression was one of horror and awe; the color and look on his face changing rapidly.”
When the pope regained consciousness, he described a hellish vision of Satan's plans to conquer the church.
In response, Pope Leo XIII wrote this prayer:
“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
For decades, Catholics recited this prayer after Mass, a practice continued by some Catholics and opposed by others. Thus, former President Donald Trump triggered debates by posting this prayer on social-media platforms on Sunday, Sept. 29, the Catholic feast day of the archangels.
“Unless you're totally cynical and you think Trump was trying to appeal to the Catholic crowd before an election, you'd have to assume this had something to do with him coming millimeters from being killed by that bullet,” said historian Paul Kengor of Grove City College, about 25 miles from Butler, Penn., the site of the July 13 assassination attempt.
“It’s logical to ask how coming that close to death affects a man," stressed Kengor, whose book “God and Ronald Reagan” discussed the impact of Reagan's near death after a 1981 shooting. "Donald Trump has been a major figure in American life for years, and the public knows a lot about him. Will we see changes in his personality and his behavior, maybe even his faith?”
Trump has clearly, and repeatedly, said that he believes God spared his life.
“In a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side. I felt that,” he said, when accepting the GOP nomination.
“I'm not supposed to be here tonight. … I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God." Many said it "was a providential moment," he added. "Probably was.”
Reagan made similar statements — mostly during encounters with friends — colleagues and clergy, noted Kengor, reached by telephone. This belief was consistent with the emphasis his mother, Nelle Reagan, had placed on finding God's purpose for his life — a theme stressed in “Reagan,” the recent biopic starring Dennis Quaid.
The wounded president wrote in his diary: “Whatever happens now I owe my life to God and will try to serve Him in every way I can.”
He made similar remarks to the Rev. Billy Graham, St. Mother Teresa, Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill and the Rev. Louis Evans, his pastor at National Presbyterian Church.
On Good Friday, Cardinal Terence Cooke of New York told Reagan: “The hand of God was upon you.”
The president replied: “I know. I have decided that whatever time I have left is for Him.”
This drive to discern a divine plan — Reagan called it “The DP” — was discussed in face-to-face meetings, and back-channel diplomatic contacts, with St. Pope John Paul II, who survived an assassination attempt later in 1981.
As for Trump, Kengor said, it’s important to "see if he shows some sense of genuine curiosity about faith and the Christian life. … Lots of people would like to see him be less harsh and less narcissistic. Donald Trump has never been known for his humility. Will we see any signs of change?”
It's also logical to ask how and when Trump was introduced to the St. Michael the Archangel prayer, said Kengor. In the past, journalists have stressed the influence of evangelical and Pentecostal leaders close to Trump. Now, insiders will watch to see if Catholic thinkers play major roles, especially since Vice President-elect J.D. Vance is an outspoken convert to Catholicism.
“The fact that Donald Trump, a non-Catholic, would invoke the prayer is quite striking. It's certainly striking to us Catholics, too,” wrote Kengor for Crisis Magazine. “Catholics would dub it a prayer for all Christians, for all religious believers, and, really, for anyone seeking protecting from the devil and the dark forces of this world.”
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Terry Mattingly is Senior Fellow on Communications and Culture at Saint Constantine College in Houston. He lives in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and writes Rational Sheep, a Substack newsletter on faith and mass media.