Paul and Bethany Vaughn convert to Catholicism

Paul and Bethany Vaughn, pro-life activists from Centerville, Tennessee, have converted from evangelical Protestantism to the Catholic Church. The conversion took place during an Easter Vigil at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Columbia, involving the couple and four of their 11 children.

The conversion follows a complex legal history for Paul Vaughn. He was one of 23 activists pardoned by President Donald Trump in January 2025 for violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. His conviction stemmed from a 2021 demonstration that blocked an abortion clinic entrance in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. While he avoided jail time, he served six months of home confinement and three years of supervised release.

On July 28, a settlement was announced in which the Department of Justice provided more than $1 million from a compensation fund to Vaughn. He described the legal process as a significant burden, stating, “the process is the punishment.”