What does it mean to vote with a formed conscience?

Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, we’re releasing a mini-season that covers the importance of forming our consciences and voting, what to do when you don’t feel you entirely belong to either party, polarization in the church, racial justice and recognition of human dignity in our society. 

On this episode of “The Gloria Purvis Podcast,” Gloria speaks with Sam Sawyer, S.J., the editor in chief of America Magazine. In early September 2024, Pope Francis was asked what advice he would give to Catholics in the United States for the upcoming presidential election. Pope Francis responded with an assessment of both candidates, saying: “Both are against life: the one that throws out migrants and the one that kills children. Both are against life.” He added that Catholics have a duty to “vote, and one has to choose the lesser evil.” The pope refused to speculate about which was the lesser evil, saying, “Each person must think and decide according to their own conscience.”

Gloria and Sam discuss the Catholic imperative to form and obey one’s conscience, especially around two key voting issues: abortion and racism.

Links: 

Pope Francis told American Catholics to vote their conscience. What did he mean?

Pope Francis: Trump and Harris are ‘both against life’ but Catholics must vote and choose ‘lesser evil’

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