Cincinnati, where Vance converted, gives a glimpse of Catholicism’s history in America’s heartland

For more than a century, anti-Catholicism was a powerful force in the region’s culture and politics. But religious pluralism ultimately triumphed in the ‘Queen City.’

By: Matthew Smith, Miami University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 8, 2026

Words: 1,225

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

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By Matthew Smith, Miami University

Ten years after “Hillbilly Elegy” catapulted its author into public view, JD Vance is publishing a new memoir, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.” The vice president explains the book as a sort of self-help guide for the spiritually lost: “… by sharing my journey I might be helpful to others – Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise – who are seeking reconciliation with God.”

Scheduled for publication in June …

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