Joshua Bennett
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been described as a practicing Catholic by various media outlets, but he and his wife, Casey, rarely discuss their religious beliefs in public. DeSantis was raised Catholic, attended Catholic school, and married in a Catholic ceremony. He has family ties to the Catholic community in Ohio, where his aunt is a nun and his uncle is a priest. DeSantis has recently begun to speak more about his faith on the campaign trail, especially in interviews with Christian media outlets, as he courts evangelical voters. While he has used religious rhetoric and portrayed himself as a defender of religious liberty, DeSantis has not made his faith a central part of his public image.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Raised Catholic | Yes |
| Catholic wedding ceremony | Yes |
| Attended Catholic school | Yes |
| Openly discusses his Catholic faith | No |
| Refers to himself as a practicing Catholic | Yes |
| Has family ties to the Catholic community | Yes |
| Has a Catholic uncle and aunt | Yes |
| Has used religious rhetoric in his campaigns | Yes |
| Has courted evangelical voters | Yes |
| Has been described as a "champion for Americans concerned that religious liberty is at risk" | Yes |
| Has been described as a "different kind of Catholic leader" | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
Ron DeSantis's Catholic upbringing
Ron DeSantis was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1978 and raised Catholic. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Dunedin, Florida, and later studied history at Yale University. DeSantis comes from a close-knit Catholic family with ties to the Catholic community in the Mahoning Valley in Ohio, where his aunt is a nun and his uncle is a priest.
DeSantis has been described as a "practicing Catholic" by various media outlets, including Crisis magazine and Insider. However, he and his wife, Casey, are known to rarely discuss the particularities of their religious beliefs in public. DeSantis has also been described as "nominally Catholic" by the New York Times, indicating that he may not be deeply involved in the practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church.
As the Governor of Florida and a potential presidential candidate, DeSantis has started to speak more openly about his Catholic faith, especially while courting evangelical voters. He has used religious rhetoric in his campaigns, portraying himself as a warrior in the battle between cultural conservatives and leftists for the soul of America. DeSantis has also amped up the use of Bible verses and presented himself as a champion of religious liberty, stating that it has "probably never been more threatened."
DeSantis has taken conservative stances on issues such as abortion, gender identity, and LGBTQ+ rights, which align with the values of many conservative Catholics. He has also attended Mass and met with Florida's Catholic bishops, demonstrating his continued connection to the Catholic Church as an adult.
Overall, while DeSantis was undoubtedly raised Catholic and maintains a relationship with the Church, the specifics of his current religious practices and beliefs remain somewhat private.
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DeSantis's courting of evangelical voters
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been courting evangelical voters as part of his presidential campaign. DeSantis has been focusing his faith outreach on white evangelicals, a key voting bloc for the GOP that votes overwhelmingly Republican.
DeSantis has been touting his record on abortion restrictions to appeal to evangelical voters. He has highlighted his signing of a ban on most abortions after 15 weeks, which he said he was proud of. DeSantis has also received endorsements from dozens of pastors and religious activists and has campaigned at several social conservative events, including the Faith and Freedom Coalition fall banquet.
The governor's religious rhetoric and hard-charging policies are at the center of his outreach to evangelicals. He has paraphrased Bible verses in his stump speeches, saying, "I will fight the good fight, I will finish the race, and I will keep the faith." DeSantis has also spoken at events hosted by conservative Christian organizations, such as the Project Opioid conference at First Presbyterian Church in Orlando and the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa.
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DeSantis's Catholic faith and his political policies
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is a Catholic, as was his wedding ceremony. He was raised Catholic, attended Mass as a child, and went to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Dunedin, Florida. DeSantis is the nephew of a Catholic priest and a Catholic sister, and his mother's siblings include a nun and a priest.
DeSantis and his wife, Casey, rarely discuss their religious beliefs in public. However, DeSantis has made statements about the importance of faith to him and his family. He has also said that he would be a champion for Americans concerned that religious liberty is at risk.
DeSantis has earned both praise and criticism from Catholic leaders for his political views. For instance, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops has supported some of his policies, such as the school choice bill and measures banning gender-related surgeries for children and instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in schools.
DeSantis's political policies have been described as conservative, and he has been courting evangelical Christian voters. He has also made statements suggesting that the federal government is targeting religious Americans, particularly Catholics.
DeSantis's Catholic faith has been described as different from that of President Joe Biden, with some arguing that his faith should be scrutinized more seriously due to the potential impact on his political policies.
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DeSantis's Catholic wedding ceremony
Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, was raised Catholic and attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Dunedin, Florida. He is the nephew of a Catholic priest and a Catholic sister, both residing in Ohio. DeSantis is a practicing Catholic and has been described as a "defender of the Christian faith". He married his wife, Casey, in a Catholic ceremony on September 26, 2009.
A Catholic wedding ceremony is steeped in tradition and rituals. The ceremony usually takes place in a church and begins with a processional, where the priest and ministers walk to the altar, followed by the groom, best man, groomsmen, maid of honor, bridesmaids, ring bearer, flower girl, and finally, the bride, escorted by her father. The priest greets the wedding guests and invites them to join in singing an opening hymn, usually "Gloria".
The ceremony includes songs, readings, communion, signs of peace, and a homily, followed by the Sacrament of Marriage, which includes vows, consent, and the exchanging of rings. The Rite of Marriage is what recognizes the union in the eyes of the Church and confers the Graces of the Sacrament of Marriage upon the couple. During communion, Catholic members of the congregation line up to receive the Holy Eucharist, representing the Last Supper where Jesus offered bread and wine to his disciples. After communion, the priest tells the groom to kiss the bride and gives the final blessing, saying "Go in peace", to which the congregation responds, "Thanks be to God".
The wedding party and the newlyweds then walk down the aisle in the reverse order in which they entered. The parents offer their final blessing, and the couple receives blessings from their grandparents and elderly family members. The guests shower the couple with rice or flowers as they process up the aisle.
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DeSantis's Catholic faith and his public image
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is a Catholic, and his faith has become an increasingly prominent part of his public image as he reaches out to conservative religious voters. DeSantis was raised Catholic, attended Mass as a child, and was a student at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Dunedin, Florida. He is the nephew of a Catholic priest and a Catholic sister, both residing in Ohio, and he maintains family ties to the close-knit Catholic community in the Mahoning Valley in Ohio.
DeSantis and his wife, Casey, rarely discuss the particularities of their religious beliefs in public. However, in a recent interview on the Christian Broadcasting Network, DeSantis opened up about his Roman Catholic faith. He has also been more vocal about his faith on the campaign trail, portraying himself as a warrior in the battle between cultural conservatives and leftists for the soul of America. DeSantis has amped up the use of Bible verses to appeal to evangelical voters, hoping to lure some who are losing their faith in former President Donald Trump to help him win the Republican primary.
DeSantis has positioned himself as a defender of religious Americans, claiming that the federal government is targeting them. He has also taken a stand against what he sees as the "woke agenda" in schools and workplaces, stating that there is no place for indoctrination or discrimination in Florida. For many conservative Catholics, DeSantis embodies a family man who champions freedom and traditional values.
However, DeSantis's Catholic faith has also drawn scrutiny. He has clashed with Catholic bishops over issues such as immigration and the death penalty. Some commentators have questioned the authenticity of his religious rhetoric, noting that it has never been a significant part of his public profile until recently. DeSantis has also been criticized for defying the Catholic hierarchy on policy matters, such as his objection to unaccompanied minors, which the Catholic Church cares for in one of its Florida shelters.
Overall, while DeSantis's Catholic faith has become an increasingly prominent part of his public image, he remains guarded about the specifics of his beliefs and how he practices his faith.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Ron DeSantis is a Catholic. He was raised Catholic, attended Mass as a child, and was a student at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Dunedin, Florida. He is also the nephew of a Catholic priest and a Catholic sister, both residing in Ohio.
While DeSantis has been described as a "practicing Catholic" by some publications, he and his wife rarely discuss the particularities of their religious beliefs in public. DeSantis himself has referred to his Catholic roots several times but has not provided many details about his current religious practices.
As a conservative, DeSantis has been courting evangelical Christian voters and portraying himself as a defender of religious liberty and traditional values. He has supported measures that restrict the teaching of "sexual orientation or gender identity" in schools and has taken a stance against abortion, which aligns with the beliefs of many conservative Catholics.
Yes, DeSantis has clashed with the Catholic Church on certain issues. For example, he has objected to the Church's support for unaccompanied minors in one of its Florida shelters, and he has also disagreed with Catholic bishops on immigration and the death penalty.
