(ZENIT News / Rome, 22.05.2025).- A survey published on April 30 revealed that American Catholics who regularly attend Sunday Mass are less likely to support significant changes to traditional Church doctrine.
The survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan, non-activist research group, which informs the public about current issues, attitudes, and trends in the United States, compared the opinions of Catholics who attend Mass at least once a week with those who are non-practicing or attend Mass less frequently. The data showed that two-thirds of practicing Catholics prefer to maintain traditional Church doctrine on issues relevant to the media, compared to 35% who favour changes.
There is, therefore, a direct correlation between the frequency of Mass attendance and adherence to the Church’s traditions. Is it because the most practicing Catholics receive greater religious and ethical training or because they analyze issues with a more committed perspective? For example, regarding contraceptive methods and in vitro fertilization, 63% of practicing Catholics hold positions more aligned with Church doctrine, while less practicing Catholics express a desire for change. However, it is not clear whether the pollsters asked about the existence of natural methods or the difference between fertility and the types of artificial fertilization approved by the Catholic Church.
Practicing Catholics express these positions:
– 66% do not accept the recognition of same-sex marriages.
– 56% reject the Ordination of women as priests.
– Regarding the Church’s acceptance of marriage for priests, 48% reject it.
– 53% want the Church to adhere to its traditional teachings, even at the risk of losing members. Pope Francis recalled «the deception of worldliness” to adapt the doctrine to the world,» asking «that the Lord give us the grace to maintain and safeguard our Christian identity against the spirit of worldliness, which always grows, justifies itself, and infects us.»
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