Posted on 04/04/2005 8:00:34 AM PDT by SmithL
WASHINGTON - Most Americans want the next pope to work for changes in Roman Catholic Church policies to allow priests to marry and women to join the priesthood. And they want more done to combat sexual abuse by priests, an AP-Ipsos poll found.
A solid majority of Americans, and Catholics in the country, are calling for the changes even while saying they widely admire Pope John Paul II, who supported traditional policies against priest marriage and against allowing women into the priesthood.
"He crossed so many boundaries, opened doors to many governments," said Joseph Riess, a Catholic businessman from Vienna, Va. "But I think it's time for changes."
Just over half of Americans, 51 percent, and almost three-fourths of Catholics say John Paul, who died Saturday, will be remembered as one of the greatest popes, according to the poll conducted for The Associated Press by Ipsos-Public Affairs.
The U.S. Catholic church is struggling with a variety of problems, including a dramatically shrinking U.S. priesthood, disagreement over the proper role for lay leaders, and a conservative-liberal divide over sexuality, women's ordination and clergy celibacy.
About two-thirds of those polled said priests should be allowed to marry and almost that many said they want women in the priesthood. A majority of Catholics supported both steps.
More than four in five Americans - and about the same number of Catholics - said they want to see the next pope do more to address the problem of priests sexually abusing children.
The church has been trying to deal with an abuse crisis that bubbled to the surface in January 2002 in the Archdiocese of Boston, then spread throughout the country. Since then, the church has adopted a toughened discipline policy, enacted child protection and victim outreach plans in dioceses, and removed hundreds of accused priests from church work.
Americans were divided when asked from where the next pope should come. Just over a third said he should be from Europe, while a similar number said he should be from a part of the world where Catholicism is growing fastest, like Africa or Latin America. The rest weren't sure.
"I don't think it matters where they're from," said Heather Schramko, a clinical researcher and a Catholic from Perrysburg, Ohio. "But they need to modernize the church."
The AP-Ipsos poll of 1,001 adults was taken Friday to Sunday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Some of the interviews were conducted before news broke Saturday about the pope's death, but most people knew he was gravely ill.
Polls are stupid.
As Cardinal Ratzinger says, Truth is not determined by a majority vote!
"What is truth?" --AP
------
I believe that! AP, and the rest of them, co-workers with Pilate....
I need to head out .. but
The are moving the Pope
If anyone wants to see .. here is a link
http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp
POLL BY JESUS CHRIST
Do you support the crucifixion of Jesus Christ?
Yes 27%
No 56 %
Poll is followed.... Sorry no redemption....
Yeah...she isn't looking too good either.....she definatley not the foxiest on FOX.
I think the left and the MSM are horrified at the prospect that in death the Pope may bring more people back to the church.
Compare the catholic church which was scandalized by homosexuals vs the episcopals which ENDORSED homosexuality.
Parisoners fled.
If the MSM and Left can set up an impossible standard by including irrelevant voters, then WHOEVER gets selected by be spun as having an "impossible" task because they are out of step with the "XXXX."
This is a push poll, the question is WHY are the mediots pushing for this result? What is the goal for the next story and the story after the new pope is selected.
And that won't change by whenever you have time to debate the issue..
I love acid tests. Any others?
I can't stomach C-SPAN in the morning, Imus has become a complete selfish bore, and ED Hill makes watching F&F sheer torture.
Thanks!
I'm not talking about running the church as a democracy, I'm simply pointing out that opinions should be known. (I wouldn't put any faith in a AP poll of them though)
LOL.
You are taking this as though it's an actual vote on what the RC is gonna do next. The results of the poll are not binding.
A little perspective folks, it's an opinion poll. They get run all the time. Hardly a day goes by where there is no "Freep this poll" thread around here. So apparently, freepers, just like the rest of America, want their opinions known.
"He crossed so many boundaries, opened doors to many governments," said Joseph Riess, a Catholic businessman from Vienna, Va. "But I think it's time for changes."
Nothing says these people have to stay in the Catholic Church, they are free to go to a denomination that has Gay ministers, women ministers and support same sex marriage. No one is stopping them.
After thinking about this AP poll for a few moments, I suddenly realize the significance of the Conclave. If the Cardinals were persuaded by silly AP polls, the Catholic Church would be on a steep downhill slide.
Matthew 19:10-12, 29The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
...And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
1 Corinthians 7:8-11,32-36
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
... I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs–how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world–how he can please his wife– and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world–how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
Catholic is just the word "universal"
The Orthodox Church has the Niacian Creed which says "one holy catholic and apostolic church".
They are a catholic church.
There is no need to be "huffy". I am of course assuming you are discussing the orthodox churchs like the Greek Orthodox church. If I misread you then sorry, if I have read correctly then you should not bandy about such accusations which are not so.
I didn't read the opening....I can surmise that the
network is going to get their homoabortiongaycrap moving.. after they got the wimps in this country going for
their halfass agenda...This Pope John Paul ll- upheld
the teaching os the Church and thenext one will also..
just tell these nitwits..to get lost. Jake
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