With his back to a white dry-erase board outlining his campaign strategies, Republican mayoral candidate Matt Kelty bowed his head, folded his hands and prayed for the mayor, City Council and the city's department heads.

“Bless the work of this campaign and know in the end your will be done,” Kelty said at a campaign prayer meeting Monday night, as those gathered around him nodded and quietly whispered “yes” in agreement.

Religion is very much a part of politics, said Andy Downs, director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics. It's evident in the coverage of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a Mormon, and, in years past, the discussion of President Kennedy's Catholicism. Closer to home, both Kelty and Tom Henry, the Democrats' pick for mayor, are Catholics, and while both consider themselves religious men, their campaigns show their religion in different ways.

Michael Wolf, an assistant professor of political science at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, attributed that difference to their political affiliation. In the past, differences in religion equated to different denominations — Catholics traditionally voting Democratic, for instance. Today, though, differences lie in religiosity, or the frequency of church attendance.

“(Religion) helped Kelty win the Republican nomination. He mobilized that section (of the Republican Party,” Wolf said.

Faith permeates Kelty's campaign on a number of levels. He has discussed his faith at news conferences, in interviews with The News-Sentinel, and in the e-mails he sends out to his volunteers. In June, for example, he ended an e-mail with, “Please continue to keep us in your prayers. It is time to wear the armor God has provided!”

On Monday, Kelty elaborated: “I hope my faith is the biggest part of me. Yes, it would influence decisions I make,” he said. Henry has made little reference to religion in his campaign, which he said is indicative of his views about how religion and politics should mix.

“I think the only role religion should play when it comes to politics is the foundation on which you were raised. … Certainly that comes into play as I set my principles for my foundation, for the foundation of my administration. I can't help that. That's who I am.”

Henry said it's not as likely he would be as involved in public service — highlighted by 20 years on City Council — if not for his Catholic upbringing. Still, he's not sure how much voters need to know about his faith.

“I don't know if it's as necessary that they know I'm a Catholic as it is that I'm an ethical person, a moral person. … I just happen to be a Catholic. What they're looking for more is the character of a person.”

Downs said voters who don't understand specific issues instead will ask themselves how candidates use religion to guide themselves through tough times. “It can be an important use as proxy for how an individual will behave as an elected official.”

Vince LaBarbera, director of the Catholic Communications office for the Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese, said Catholicism is the same as any religion.

“The example you give speaks louder than anything. You can say you're righteous, truthful or forthright, but you have to live your life that way.”