A public opinion poll in the United States has shown a significant gap between what the Catholic Church teaches and what American Catholics actually believe.
Asked if they believe the pope is infallible when he teaches on matters of morality or faith, only 40 per cent of the total sample (and 45 per cent of those who said they attend Mass weekly) said yes.
A total of 79 per cent (62 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) favoured the use of artificial methods of birth control.
And 78 per cent (66 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) said they are more likely to follow their own conscience than papal teachings on difficult moral questions.
The poll found 69 per cent (61 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) believe the next pope should allow priests to marry; and a similar proportion (57 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) believe he should allow women to become priests.
Legalised abortion was opposed by 56 per cent (70 per cent of weekly Mass attenders); and a similar proportion (67 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) opposed the death penalty.
A majority of 53 per cent (44 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) said they believe the Catholic Church is out of touch with the needs of Catholics.
The New York Times/CBS News poll was based on telephone interviews, in English and Spanish, with 580 adult Catholics.
Three-quarters of those polled said they thought it was a good idea for Pope Benedict to resign. Most wanted the next pope to be “someone younger, with new ideas”. A majority said they wanted the next pope to make the Church’s teachings more liberal.
Sixty-two per cent said they were in favour of legalising marriage for same-sex couples. Catholics approved of same-sex marriage at a higher rate than Americans as a whole, among whom 53 per cent approved.
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