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.
LOL! There are only 117 eligible voters, you AP/Ipsos losers! And you polled 0% of them!
Memo to AP: who asked you?
People want a Pope who can make God more like the way they want Him to be.
The problem is that God doesn't change, no matter who the Pope is.
BullShip... Want a Pope who will ferret out the homosexual corruption in the church, particularly in the US and Western Europe. Stand tall against abortion and communism and despotism!
Last thing I want is a Pope whose going to give these libertine the faith groups the time of day, let alone a forum for their attempts to legitimzie their immorral activities.
I would too. However, my preferences for the Catholic Church should be irrelevant, since I'm not a Catholic.
C'mon. This is ridiculous. Yeah, I'm sure the next Pope is gonna be asking James Carville, "Hey, what do the swing Catholics think??" Gimme a break.
This is like Rush Limbaugh says: a poll made to "create" news.
About two-thirds of those polled said priests should be allowed to marry ...Depending on the rite, they already can. So make that two-thirds of those polled who haven't a clue.
... and almost that many said they want women in the priesthood.Doubly clueless.
As usual, the MSM getting it wrong. I wanted to tear my hair out this weekend every time I heard reference to "the Pope's conservative stance" or "being out of step with the times." These are the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, which is not a democracy. People are free to join another religion that betters suits their "personal idealogy."
I know how the Holy Spirit works, the AP doesn't obviously. They think the Pope is some political office.
Let me correct that.
A majority of people calling themselves Catholic supported both steps.
A person who supports the ordination of women, in the face of infallible teaching which shows it to be impossible, is not a Catholic.
exactly! and Shep Smith was asking about catholic church POLICY!! POLICY mind you, not doctrine! it is going to drive me over the edge before it is over.
The size of Catholic families are growing while everyone else is rushing to 'delay having a family' or reveling in the culture of death. I hope that whomever is chosen that they keep in mind that it is not just the church of today that they are the head of, but their decisions will affect the future of the church.
I guess the AP couldn't find 1.1 billion Catholics.
Last thing I want is a Pope whose going to give these libertine the faith groups the time of day, let alone a forum for their attempts to legitimzie their immorral activities.
Boy I wish you were a Cardinal with a vote!
I hate the media.
I missed this until you pointed it out--that makes this poll even more irrelevant, if that's possible.
Those in the media always believe that liberalizing a religion will bring the people back to the pews. Where is the evidence for this? The most liberalized "faiths" have seen their attendance plummet while those that adhere to the ancient teachings do well.
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I'm not one of them. The only change I want is a return of the Latin mass.
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