Vice President JD Vance offered a personal glimpse into his family’s faith, revealing that his young son was baptized on Easter Sunday—an experience he hopes will leave a lasting spiritual imprint.

Speaking at the University of Georgia during an event hosted by Turning Point USA, Vance reflected on fatherhood, faith, and the moments that shape a child’s life. His remarks came as he honored the legacy of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, noting the heartbreak Kirk’s widow faces as her children grow up without their father.

“One of the things that you think about as a father is I want my kids to remember this moment,” Vance said. “My 6-year-old son [Vivek] was just baptized on Easter Sunday. … I want him to remember that moment with me.”

The audience responded with applause, underscoring the emotional weight of the moment. For Vance, the baptism was more than a religious milestone—it was part of a broader desire to give his children meaningful, lasting memories rooted in faith and family.

The vice president, a father of three, has previously spoken about the importance of faith in his household. At the 2025 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, he shared that his eldest son was also baptized shortly after the election, calling it “the thing that I was most excited about in November of 2024.”

Vance explained that he and his wife, Usha—who was raised in a Hindu family—have chosen to raise their children in the Catholic Church while allowing them freedom in their spiritual journey. “We’ll let them choose the moment that they want to ultimately become baptized,” he said previously, highlighting a balance between tradition and personal conviction.

Beyond family life, Vance used the event to address the role of faith in public leadership. He pushed back against the idea that religious leaders should avoid engaging with political issues, saying, “Part of preaching the Gospel is talking about how the Gospel applies to the issues of the day.”

At the same time, he emphasized that different callings come with different responsibilities. “The fundamental way I understand my role is that I’m trying to take the lessons, the moral truths that are … rooted in Christianity, and I’m trying to apply them to a whole host of complicated real-world scenarios,” he said.

Vance also expressed respect for Pope Leo XIV, even while acknowledging disagreements on certain issues. “I have a lot of respect for the pope. I like him. I admire him,” he said, adding that it doesn’t trouble him when the pontiff speaks on current events, “even when I disagree.”

The vice president went on to reflect on his own spiritual journey, which he explores more deeply in his forthcoming book, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith. He described a period earlier in life when he identified as an atheist, despite being raised in a Christian home.

“I was sort of winning this game of life in one sense, and I was losing it in the way that mattered,” he said, recalling his time after leaving the Marine Corps. Success, he explained, did not bring fulfillment. “It’s not getting into Yale Law School… It’s not making a lot of money… It’s being a good person.”

Vance said his return to faith came after wrestling with deeper questions about meaning and truth. Conversations with a priest helped guide him back, ultimately leading to his baptism and renewed commitment to Christianity.

Now, as both a public servant and a father, Vance appears focused on passing those values to the next generation—starting with moments like his son’s Easter baptism, which he hopes will remain etched in memory for years to come.