As the United States approaches the 2024 presidential election, Father Dave welcomes back Father Bryan Massingale to discuss voting as a Catholic and overcoming division as we move forward. Father Bryan is a professor of theological and social ethics at Fordham University in New York.
“We’re in an anxious time in our country’s history, but I have this practice I’ve been doing to center myself during this period,” Father Bryan begins. “There are six African Americans who are in the process of canonization for the Catholic Church [known as] the ‘Saintly Six’…Every day for the last two weeks I pray to them, both for the country and for myself, to keep us centered. I figure that these African American men and women lived during very tumultuous and precarious times in our country’s history. They know America, they know what we’re going through, and yet they lived lives that were outstanding in holiness.”
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When forming our consciences this election season, Father Bryan notes, “I think sometimes we have this understanding, even among Catholics, that politics and faith should not meet at all; that is not at all what we believe as Catholics. But as I tell people, when Catholics enter the political arena, we don’t bring partisan values to the conversation – we bring Gospel values to the conversation.”
He discusses some of these values we can keep in mind. “One of the Gospel values is that of ‘shalom.’ It can be translated as peace, but it means much more. It means wholeness, abundance, fulfillment, and abundant life for all and for all without exception,” Father Bryan says.
“Truth is a gospel value. Jesus said that the spirit of Jesus would lead us into all truth. Saint Pope John Paul II said that truth is the foundation, basis, and mother of justice. Without a respect for truth, you can’t have a just society,” he continues. “This isn’t liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, Independent, or none of the above. This is the Gospel.”
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Father Dave reflects, “The political process as we see it in 2024 in our country is devoid of most of those things you just talked about, particularly truth. People can gravitate to whichever media, social media, or echo chamber they find.”
Father Bryan responds, “No matter how this election turns out, I think one of the major challenges we face as Catholics is that we have to do a better job in informing people in what I call civic discipleship…voting is a responsibility and an act of love, but it’s not just about what’s best for me.”
“My vote is a way for me to build the common good,” he adds. “How do we create a better world for all of us, and how do I create a better world for my children and my children’s children? I think that’s the way in which we should be looking at our vote and our civic responsibility.”
