Pew survey in U.S. and Latin America gauges views on Church teachings, popularity of Pope Francis 

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 26, 2024 / 10:10 am

The Pew Research Center has released the results of a survey of how Catholics in the United States and six Latin American countries feel the Church should handle a variety of issues related to the priesthood, contraception, and sexuality as well as their views of Pope Francis.

In its survey of over 5,600 Catholics in the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru, Pew found widespread dissent from Church teachings, including majorities of Catholics in every country except Mexico in favor of allowing women to become priests.

Support for the ordination of women to the priesthood ranged from a high of 83% in Brazil to a low of 47% in Mexico. Sixty-four percent of U.S. Catholics surveyed were also in favor, slightly higher than the 62% when Pew surveyed American Catholics on the issue 10 years ago. 

Support for female ordination varied widely by age, however. For example, only 34% of Mexican Catholics above age 40 favor female ordination, compared with 64% in the 18-39 age bracket.

In the U.S., by contrast, older Catholics are more supportive of female ordination than younger Catholics, with 66% of those above age 40 in favor, compared with 57% in the 18-39 age bracket.

According to the survey, most Catholics in all seven countries want the Church to allow Catholics to use birth control, including 86% of Argentinians and 83% of Americans.

Opinion is more divided on whether the Church should allow priests to marry. Roughly two-thirds of Catholics in the U.S., Argentina, and Chile are in favor, but majorities in Mexico and Peru say the Church should not allow priests to marry.

Views on whether the Church should recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples also varied, with majorities in four of the countries opposing such recognition, while just over half of U.S. Catholics are in favor.

What the Catholic Church teaches

The survey results reflect a divergence from several of the Catholic Church’s teachings, such as the ordination of men as the only valid recipients of priestly ordination.

According to canon law, both a woman who receives priestly ordination and the one who ordains her incur “latae sententiae excommunication” (excommunication occurs in tandem with the act itself), which can only be lifted by the Holy See.

On priestly celibacy, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that in the Latin Church, priests are chosen from men of faith “who live a celibate life and who intend to remain celibate ‘for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.’”

The catechism clarifies that while married men can be ordained priests in Eastern Churches, celibacy is also held “in great honor,” and bishops are chosen only from celibates. 

Birth control was addressed by St. Paul VI in his encyclical Humanae Vitae and the catechism, which states that “any action, which either before, during, or after sexual intercourse, seeks to make procreation impossible, is intrinsically evil.”

Regarding Communion, canon law prohibits its administration to those “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin,” including cohabitation and sexual activity outside of marriage.

On same-sex unions, the Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered, emphasizing that marriage is the union between one man and one woman.

Pope Francis’ popularity

The latest Pew survey also finds that most Catholics in the U.S. and Latin America still view Pope Francis favorably, although this percentage has declined over the years.

In his native Argentina, however, over the last decade his favorable rating has fallen from 98% to 74%. Chile has seen the second-largest decline, going from 79% to 64%.

In Colombia, the Holy Father’s favorable rating has fallen from 93% to 88%, in Brazil from 92% to 84%, and in Mexico from 86% to 80%.

In the U.S., his favorability has fallen from 85% to 74% and in Peru from 83% to 78%.

The survey also found that most Catholics believe “Pope Francis represents a change in the direction of the Catholic Church,” though whether that change is considered major or minor varies significantly.

In the United States, 42% of Catholics surveyed consider that Pope Francis represents a major change in the direction of the Catholic Church, while 30% say he represents a minor change, 12% say he represents no change at all, and 14% aren’t sure.

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In Colombia, by contrast, 62% believe the pope represents a major change, while 19% see only a minor change. Chile is where Catholics are least likely to believe Pope Francis is bringing major change to the Church’s direction, with 21% seeing it as major and 26% as minor.

Pope Francis has led the Catholic Church since March 2013 when he succeeded Pope Benedict XVI, becoming the first Latin American pope.