Catholic Statues Spark Religious Debate in Massachusetts

In October of 2025, USA Today reported that two new Catholic statues in Massachusetts had sparked a religious, constitutional, and free-speech debate. The debate comes in the midst of a changing landscape in terms of religious freedoms in the United States. The current presidential administration and Supreme Court have shown themselves to be very supportive of attempts by state and local governments to integrate certain Christian teachings and practices into government buildings and functions. 

Massachusetts Mayor Faces Backlash After Commissioning Two Catholic Statues

Two Catholic statues have caused quite an uproar in Massachusetts, and the ensuing debate has spread throughout the nation. The debate centers around a statue of St. Michael and a statue of St. Florian, and both are set to be installed outside Quincy’s new police headquarters. The person who commissioned these statues is Mayor Thomas Koch. 

Although the statues have not yet been installed by city workers, citizens have already decided to sue the mayor and the city for violating the Constitution. Under the Constitution, the government is supposed to have no official state religion. Therefore, showing preference to one faith (in this case, Catholicism) is alleged to be a constitutional violation. 

In mid-October, a judge granted a preliminary injunction in favor of the citizens pushing back against the statues. As a result of this injunction, the city is unable to install the statues until this legal dispute has been settled. 

In response to this lawsuit, the mayor claims that the statues do not represent Catholicism per se, but rather “courage and sacrifice” that these two religious saints represent. The mayor also claims that these two saints are recognized for their close association with police and fire departments worldwide. 

A religious legal advocacy group has already agreed to defend the city in this case. Religious groups such as these have been quite busy in recent years, as dozens of similar cases have made headlines. These cases all have something in common: They involve the government slowly attempting to integrate Christian values into practices and bureaucracies that would otherwise be neutral. The introduction (or at least attempted introduction) of religious themes and practices into public education has been particularly notable across various states. 

Do St. Michael and St. Florian Have Strong Connections With First Responders?

Yes, both of these saints have strong associations with first responders in the United States. The First Responders Foundation states that the Ancient Order of St. Florian and St. Michael “honors” first responders and anyone else who is “first on the scene” in emergency situations. Various sources state that St. Florian is the “patron saint” of firefighters, and St. Michael also holds this position. 

If this historic association is valid (and it is), the court may agree with the mayor’s argument in this case. However, the argument is still somewhat shaky. Do only Christian firefighters and police officers look to St. Michael and St. Florian as their patron saints? Or is this veneration of these semi-historical, semi-religious figures something that all firefighters participate in, regardless of faith? These are the kinds of questions judges will have to answer when approaching this case, which shows no sign of a swift conclusion. 

Continue Reading the Universal Life Church’s Blog

Each month, various cases test the nature of religious rights in this country. While the basis for many religious rights is the United States Constitution, there are still countless cases that question the exact nature of these rights. The Universal Life Church’s blog is focused on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases in an objective manner that can be easily understood by readers.