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.
ON talk radio, Al Rantel read more results from the poll. A majority of Catholics favored contraception (78%), legalized abortion in most cirumstances (54%), divorce and remarriage within the Church (49%), female priests (53% I think).
Catholics are more "pro gay" than the public at large as I recall from this poll. I don't recall the exact question, but the difference was considerable.
catholicism in the US and the west is dying - with the growth of secularism and low birth rates amongst the traditional catholic ethnicities - there is no reason for the Church to cater to its declining wings.
I think the US catholic church would be much better off if it had far less members - let the folks in these polls go to the episcopals, who seem willing to accomodate their beliefs on women priests, celibacy, homosexual rights, etc.
I am not sure the Episcopal Church has the facilities to accommodate 35-40 million Catholics.
Breaking News: The AP wants the new Pope to pursue change.
hey, let them franchise it out - look at Starbucks.
Maybe. But there are many more Catholics in the world than those occupying New York and Boston and they tend to be much more conservative. In addition any move toward liberalizing Catholic dogma toward homosexuality and/or abortion would not sit well with the Catholics who actually practice Catholicism. It would be a disaster for the Church and the Church knows it.
Hi BBM!! Long time, no see!
I agree completely. I was born post Vatican II but I love the Latin Mass. Unfortunately, it's so far away and said at 6:00 am I can't attend regularly.
The divide is between the developed world and the less developed world. I suspect Catholics in Europe clock in with even higher numbers on matters not accepted currently within the Catholic canon. No surprise there.
Suuuure...this Pope was wonderful...so the left wants to change things.
One jolting percentage was that only 15% or so in the poll said it mattered a lot who was the next Pope, and another percentage around the same said it mattered some. 49% said it didn't matter at all.
True, but western Europe has gone secular as you well know. A worthwhile poll would be one taken from those who attend mass regularly, a poll of Catholics who self identify as such becuase they were born and baptized that way really is worthless. I see the same people in mass every week, the same people dipping in their pockets to help folks in those third world countries and the same deep pockets at the golf tournaments every year.
Again, it depends on who you ask. :-} If you ask me, I'd say it matters a helluva lot. Pope John Paul II called socialism a "grave evil". Men like that are rare commodities, very rare. God did us all a favor with Karol Wojtyla.
Yes, that would be an interesting poll. But the poll is not of baptized Catholics, but self identified Catholics. There is a considerable difference between the two. I have several relatives on the Cahtolic branch of the clan who were baptized Catholic who do not consider themselves Catholic. Indeed a couple of very anti Catholic. Most of those are well, secularists. There is not much religion left in the Torie extended clan. In fact, I can't think of one who takes religion as seriously as I do. Odd that isn't it? :)
I would guess that your family considers you odd in more ways than one. :-}
Indeed if he (God) is there he did. If not, Karol Wojtyla did on his own steam. I if polled would be in the 15% who said it matters a lot. Some folks are well, just not very well informed about some things. There is no escaping that. I'm shocked. :)
I'm taking the Fifth on that one.
Chuckling out loud.
Those Americans should become Scientoligists or take up Kabalah.
I beg your pardon?
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