Visiting speaker at Saint Michael’s College encourages Catholics to vote their conscience in elections

Rev. Thomas Massaro gives a talk on Catholicism and voting at Saint Michael’s College on Sept. 24, 2024. (Photo by Niyo Vainqueur ’28)

As part of a voter awareness series at Saint Michael’s College, Rev. Thomas Massaro, S.J. recently spoke on campus to discuss the intersection of faith and citizenship and how Catholics can navigate voting in elections.

The event was held in the McCarthy Arts Center on Sept. 25, drawing many alumni, students, faculty, and Edmundites to listen. The event, as well as others planned for later in September and October, are meant to prepare Saint Michael’s community members in advance of the U.S. presidential election in November.

Fr. David Theroux ’70, S.S.E., Vice President of Edmundite Mission at Saint Michael’s, organized the event and introduced Massaro, who is a Professor of Moral Theology at Fordham University.

Six years after his arrival at Fordham, Massaro was awarded the McGinley Chair of Religion and Society in 2024, Theroux said. Besides teaching courses on many aspects of Catholic social teaching and the role of religion in public life, Massaro seeks to maintain a commitment to hands-on social activism, Theroux said.

Massaro said he believes that it is a civic duty for people to vote. He said that he receives many calls during election seasons from people asking him for advice on how to vote ethically.

Vice President of Edmundite Mission Fr. David Theroux ’70, S.S.E. organized a Catholicism and voting event held at Saint Michael’s College on Sept. 24, 2024. (Photo by Niyo Vainqueur ’28)

Massaro opened up his lecture by establishing the importance of three C’s: Catholic, Conscience, and Citizenship. He said that these are the key components a Catholic citizen will grapple with during their voting journey.

Massaro used his experience as a moral theologian to inform the audience of Saint Michael’s College on how they can vote ethically as Catholics. He explored the concept of conscience throughout the entire event, stating that conscience is “your intellect and your emotions working together to influence your behavior.”

Massaro believes that Catholics must care about all the issues when engaging politically. A holistic approach to issues will make the motivation behind a person’s vote more ethical, he said.

Rev. Thomas Massaro gives a talk on Catholicism and voting at Saint Michael’s College on Sept. 24, 2024. (Photo by Niyo Vainqueur ’28)

Conscience is the baseline when thinking through political issues, Massaro said.

“We have to act on our best judgements, and our judgements come from our conscience,” he said.

When thinking about the candidates for the 2024 election, Massaro acknowledged how it can be difficult for voters to look past certain policies a candidate may have.

“Every president has blood on their hands,” Massaro said.

Echoing advice from Pope Francis, Massaro later added, “Vote for the lesser of the two evils.”

Students and faculty in the audience listen to Rev. Thomas Massaro’s talk on Catholicism and voting at Saint Michael’s College on Sept. 24, 2024. (Photo by Niyo Vainqueur ’28)

More events in the Saint Michael’s voter awareness series can be found at smcvt.edu/events.