Posted on 01/12/2019 8:27:41 AM PST by ebb tide
Trust in the clergy has declined sharply over the last year, a new Gallup poll shows. Only 31 percent of American Catholics now rate the honesty or ethical standards of the clergy as “high” or “very high.”
The figures, released Friday, show a drop of 18 points since 2017. Among American Protestants, the same question produced a relatively stable number of 48 percent, a drop of only one point since 2017.
The survey was conducted between December 3-12 and surveyed 1,025 adults.
Americans previously registered a drop in confidence with the Church itself. A similar poll, conducted last summer, reported that confidence in the Church dropped from 52 percent in June 2017 to 44 percent in June 2018.
Since that poll was taken, the Church in the United States has suffered a number of abuse-related scandals, including the resignation of Archbishop Theodore McCarrick from the college of cardinals following multiple allegations of sexual abuse, and the release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report that reported allegations of widespread clerical sexual abuse in that state over a period of several decades.
Church leaders have faced a mounting series of questions in recent months, with many being asked to make clear when they first became of aware of allegations against bishops like McCarrick.
Ahead of a recent week-long retreat held at Mundelein Seminary, Pope Francis wrote a letter to the American bishops, in which he referred to the loss of credibility among the hierarchy as a “crisis” facing the Church.
“Clearly a living fabric has come undone, and we, like weavers, are called to repair it,” said Pope Francis in the letter. He also noted perceived divisions among the American bishops, and said that a unified body would help to re-establish credibility among Catholics.
Catholic confidence in clergy has wavered over the last decade and a half.
In 2008, 63 percent of American Catholics said that they had a “high” or “very high” view of the ethical standards of the clergy. This number dropped nine points, to 54 percent, by 2011.
Following the election of Pope Francis in 2014, the number rose to 57 – the last year in which topped 50 percent.
Other Gallup polls have offered different indicators about the state of the Church in the United States. The number of Americans who identify as Catholic has remained roughly stable at around 25 percent throughout the last seven decades. Conversely, the number of self-identified Protestants has dropped, and the number of people with no religious affiliation, self-identified “nones,” has risen.
Additionally, over half of Catholics surveyed in 2018 say that religion is a “very important” part of their lives. This figure, too, has remained relatively stable since 2001.
One area that has not remained stable is Mass attendance. From 2014-2017, not a single age group of Catholics reported a majority attending Mass each week. In 2018, only about 36 percent of Catholics said they had been to Mass within the last week. That number is a drop from 45 percent in 2008, and 75 percent in 1955.
Missed #55; eh?
*sigh*
Ever learning yet never coming to the knowledge of the truth! How many times will this lie have to be disputed??? Please read:
“Jesus had no Scripture. ”
Wrong my FRiend.
1. Jesus had 2/3 of the Scriptures, the Hebrew Scriptures.
2. Jesus IS the Word of God. How could He ever be without Himself.
An infinite amount of time.
Because if Catholics ever admitted that Luther had a point, their vain pride in their institution would be broken and they’d realize that they’re poor miserable sinners just like the rest of us.
I wonder, if you had to choose between what the Scripture says versus what a Pope or Bishop or Priest says, which would you trust?
Did you miss my reply in #32?
I wonder, if you had to choose between what the Scripture says versus what a Pope or Bishop or Priest says, which would you trust?
***
Considering that believing what Jesus and the Apostles said is heresy, and nowadays believing what the Pope says is heresy, I have no idea what most of the FRoman crowd believes nowadays.
Thanks for the link. But I'm not interested in lies.
Lol, don’t stamp those widdle feet too hard, you might hurt yourself, ebby.
You mean you rely on some Catholic propaganda? Questions:
1. What entire books of scripture did Luther not include in his translation?
2. What books did Luther judge were not Scripture proper that were part of a infallibly defined/indisputable canon?
3. What books did Luther judge were not Scripture proper that other Catholic scholars could not doubt or did doubt were Scripture proper, on scholarly grounds, such as Luther also provided?
4. What books of Scripture did Luther "edit" that were not likewise translated as seemed best to Catholic translators, including placing "alone" in Romans 3:28 ?
5. If Luther edited Scripture that did not agree with his supposed sinful life then why did so such a negligent job, and affirm books as being Scripture that are very strong in condemning sin?
6. If Luther edited Scripture that did not agree with his supposed sinful life (and faith alone meant works are in no way necessary) then why did he preach,
faith is a living and an essential thing, which makes a new creature of man, changes his spirit... Faith cannot help doing good works constantly... if faith be true, it will break forth and bear fruit... where there is no faith there also can be no good works; and conversely, that there is no faith.. where there are no good works. Therefore faith and good works should be so closely joined together that the essence of the entire Christian life consists in both. if obedience and God's commandments do not dominate you, then the work is not right, but damnable, surely the devil's own doings, although it were even so great a work as to raise the dead... if you continue in pride and lewdness, in greed and anger, and yet talk much of faith, St. Paul will come and say, 1 Cor. 4:20, look here my dear Sir, "the kingdom of God is not in word but in power." It requires life and action, and is not brought about by mere talk. Works are necessary for salvation, but they do not cause salvation... faith casts itself on God, and breaks forth and becomes certain through its works... faith must be exercised, worked and polished; be purified by fire... it is impossible for him who believes in Christ, as a just Savior, not to love and to do good. If, however, he does not do good nor love, it is sure that faith is not present... where the works are absent, there is also no Christ... References and more by God's grace.
I have to think that the more honest among them realize that (The Roman Catholic Perspective of Martin Luther (Part Two)).
Do me a favor...READ that link and then point out what you imagine are “lies” in it. Can you do that or are you afraid that you might just learn something and lose a talking point?
I did indeed.
Skip #1 in my post to you.
#2 still applies.
Ah, the irony of your question!
Dear Freeper Ebb's account is the #1 poster of anti-pope threads on FR, along with other assorted criticisms of Rome.
No one else is even close.
Now, now...don’t be throwing that truth around willy nilly! ;o)
Thanks for the compliment. I’m a Catholic, Bergoglio isn’t one.
Nothing about being Catholic that gets you to heaven.
You can have salvation right now and the assurance of salvation...
...but you will have to throw away your scapulars, beads, useless rituals and self-righteousness and self-merit, which are all worthless anyway - and turn to Him alone. His sacrifice alone.
The joy alone would be worth it.
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