Exit polls conducted by the Washington Post, NBC News and the Associated Press reveal that Trump claimed roughly 56% of the Catholic vote compared to Harris' 41%, a 15-point lead in key swing states.

According to the Washington Post, this outcome marks a notable departure from the 2020 election where Trump led Joe Biden among Catholic voters by only five points.

Trump's ability to gain traction among Catholics reflects an appeal to voters with traditional values, particularly on abortion and immigration.

The Associated Press VoteCast poll shows that 90% of voters who believe abortion should be illegal in most or all cases supported Trump. In comparison, Harris retained 69% of voters in favour of more liberal abortion policies.

Additionally, Trump held a 25-point lead among Catholics on immigration and a 19-point lead on the economy, topics that resonated with a demographic historically split between the two main parties.

Generational shift

According to Massimo Faggioli, professor of Historical Theology at Villanova University, Trump's strong support among Catholics represents a generational shift.

"The cultural and ethnic diversification of American Catholics does not mean they automatically align with the 'diversity party'" he explained.

"There are fewer Catholics in the USA that look like Biden and (former Speaker of the House Nancy) Pelosi" Faggioli argued.

Faggioli also noted that Trump reached out to Catholics in the country "in a way that the Harris-Walz campaign did not". For instance, Donald Trump chose a Catholic convert as Vice-President, JD Vance.

Ideological rifts

Looking ahead, some analysts speculate on the broader implications of a second Trump presidency for US Catholics.

Faggioli predicts further ideological rifts within the Catholic community, with debates likely to centre on immigration, climate change and other social issues.

The response of US bishops to Trump's policies will be closely observed, especially given their past criticisms of Biden's stance on abortion.

According to the Washington Post poll, non-Catholic Christians also voted in strong numbers for Trump (62%). On the other hand, Jews (79%), other believers (60%) and non-religious (72%) supported Harris.

Sources

Catholic News Agency

La Croix International

CathNews New Zealand

There was just a tentative suggestion that the two unpublished papal-commissioned reports on women and the diaconate be made available for the 2024 Synod, she says.

Balance of power

Referring to October's synod on synodality and its subsequent synthesis report, McAleese remarked that the balance of power within the Synod "always lay with the bishops".

As an example, she says the African bishops were responsible for LGBTQI inclusion "totally" disappearing from the synod.

She also blames Pope Francis for reducing "to bare minimalism of the ‘urgent' need for greater inclusion of women in decision-making".

In her words, Francis "conveniently" took female ordination off the agenda in advance of the Synod. He also excluded blessings for same-sex marriages at the same time.

Though everything was supposed to be on the agenda, it "obviously" wasn't, she says.

Some progress

Professor Massimo Faggioli of Villanova University can see Francis's achievements.

In a Trinity College Dublin lecture, Faggioli praised Francis's achievement in enlarging the Synod's membership and voting rights.

He began something "new" and "a different kind of Synod" Faggioli said.

Women's presence at the synod was not token, he added.

"It was more than that. Their voices were really present and heard and visible."

He thinks we are at a very important juncture for the Catholic Church.

However he said he is "very hopeful"; what he saw at the synod was "very encouraging. A few years ago I would never have imagined this happening" he said.

Women

The pope needs help in regard to women, Faggioli said.

"As much as he is very open minded on LGBT," his language on women "is from another century".

Francis needs to be "surrounded by women theologians" he suggested.

Best synod contribution

In McAleese's opinion, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn's synod contribution was the best.

He pointed out that "the Pope alone has complete freedom to make changes to canon law, language and teaching".

The "People of God" had suggested these changes, he said.

They "painstakingly expressed their views on [proposed changes] during the two-year Synodal 'listening' journey."

Source

• The Tablet