A new Pew Research Center survey reveals that the majority of Catholics in Latin America and the United States support the use of birth control, women’s ordination and Communion for cohabiting couples.
Pew Research surveyed 5,676 Catholics from seven countries: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico and the United States.
Catholics in these countries overwhelmingly favour the Church permitting birth control. Support for contraception ranged from 86% in Argentina to 63% in Brazil, the largest Catholic-majority nation.
Across all seven countries, most respondents expressed their desire for the Church to be more flexible on this issue.
There was also significant support for the ordination of women – except in Mexico where only 47% were in favour.
In Argentina, support for female priests has surged from 51% in 2013-14 to 71% today.
Opposition to married priests
Catholics in Mexico showed resistance to changes in other areas, with a majority opposing the idea of allowing priests to marry. In contrast, other countries surveyed were more divided on the issue of priestly celibacy.
The survey highlights divisions among Catholics on several key issues, particularly regarding the Church’s stance on same-sex marriage and allowing priests to marry.
In Colombia, the majority of Catholics do not support the recognition of same-sex marriages, and opinions on married priests vary widely across the region.
Religiosity plays a significant role in shaping these opinions. Catholics who pray daily or attend Mass regularly are less likely to support changes such as women’s ordination or the recognition of same-sex marriages.
For example, only 38% of Mexican Catholics who attend Mass weekly support recognising gay and lesbian marriages, compared to 52% of Catholics who attend less frequently.
Age is another key factor influencing these views. Younger Catholics across Latin America are more likely to support progressive changes.
Pope Francis remains popular
Despite differing views on specific issues, Pope Francis remains popular among Catholics in Latin America and the US. However, his favourability ratings have dropped compared to the early years of his papacy.
In the US, 75% of Catholics view him favourably, down from 85% in 2014. His home country of Argentina saw the most significant drop, with 74% viewing him favourably today compared to 98% a decade ago.
Catholics who pray daily tend to view Pope Francis more favourably than those who pray less often. For instance, in Mexico, 40% of Catholics who pray daily have a very favourable view of the Pope, compared to 29% of other Catholics.
Overall, two-thirds of Catholics surveyed across the US and Latin America hold a favourable view of Pope Francis. Many see him as a figure of change, with a majority noting that his papacy represents a significant shift in the direction of the Church.
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