What Does it Mean to be a ‘Good Catholic’? American’s Weigh In

The newest Shriver Report Snapshot: Insight into the Complex Catholic released today reveals that Pope Francis will be greeted by American Catholics who are more closely aligned with his teachings than the dogma of the Church he represents. On the eve of his highly anticipated first visit to the United States, the groundbreaking new poll from Shriver Media conducted by Hart Research Associates took the temperature of 1,000 American Catholics. The survey found that the American Catholic is complex, with surprising results on what they believe and how they lead their personal lives:

1. What It Means to Be a Good Catholic 

According to the poll, “good Catholics” can be divorced, LGBTQ, have had an abortion, use birth control, have pre-marital sex and support same-sex marriage, tougher immigration laws and women priests.

A majority (71%) of American Catholics consider themselves “good Catholics” and are much more liberal and accepting of what constitutes being “good” within Catholicism than what the Church has tolerated among its flock.

What can you not do and remain a “good Catholic”? Two in three believe that you cannot place personal wealth and financial gain over the well-being of others.

[Check out the previous Shriver Report Snapshots here]

2. Complex Views, Conservative Personal Lives  

While American Catholics deviate from Church dogma on what should be acceptable beliefs and behaviors for Catholics in general, when it comes to their own lives they are more conservative.

For example:

• While more than 94% of American Catholics believe that you can be a good Catholic and use contraception, just 48% say they would be very comfortable teaching their son or daughter about contraception.
• While 76% of American Catholics believe that you can be a good Catholic and support same-sex marriage, just 28% would be very comfortable if their son or daughter took part in a same-sex marriage.
• While more than 73% of American Catholics believe that you can be a good Catholic and have had an abortion (and 46% say that abortion should be legal), only 16% would be very comfortable supporting the decision of their child to terminate a pregnancy.
• While 88% of  American Catholics believe that you can be a good Catholic and support women as priests in the Catholic Church, only 44% would be very comfortable attending a Catholic Church with a female priest.

3. Most American Catholics Agree With Pope Francis’s Focus on Poverty, the Environment and Acceptance

Three in four American Catholics (liberals, moderates and conservatives) say Pope Francis’ teachings align with their personal values and beliefs and an overwhelming majority are in favor of the direction he has led the Church.

86% support Pope Francis’s emphasis on helping the poor and the environment over social issues such as gay marriage, divorce and abortion. Nine in ten American Catholics approve of Pope Francis calling on the church to have a greater focus on income inequality and looking out for the poor. 88% of American Catholics favor Pope Francis’ calling on people to do more to address climate change and improve the environment, and that’s across ideological lines and party lines.

American Catholics also support Pope Francis’ call for greater acceptance within the Church on social issues. A vast majority applaud his push towards openness for those who have divorced and or/remarried (95%) and LGBTQ (81%).

[10 Ways You Can ‘Change The Game’ for People with Intellectual Disabilities]

Interestingly, American Catholics across the spectrum see Pope Francis championing their own ideology. Liberal Catholics say Pope Francis is liberal, moderate Catholics say he is moderate and conservative Catholics say he is either conservative or moderate.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church itself is not winning any popularity contests among its American flock. Particularly damning for the Church, younger Americans (18-34) are twice as likely as seniors to have considered leaving the pews. 52% of American Catholics feel that the Catholic Church is more interested in preserving institutional power than serving the poor, and 82% believe that the Catholic Church has not done enough to crack down on the sex abuse scandal.

However, despite the prevailing negativity towards the Church, 94% of American Catholics still believe the Church to be a force for good in the world.

4. Pope Francis, Catholic Voters & 2016

Amidst the backdrop of a heated presidential race and an increasingly partisan America, Pope Francis has support across the spectrum.

When asked about their enthusiasm for presidential candidates, 77% said they would be most enthusiastic about a candidate who shared Pope Francis’s belief that society should do more to help the poor – by far the most of the nine qualities listed. 71% of American Catholics say they would have reservations about a president who does not believe in God while only 17% said they would have reservations about a candidate who was not Catholic.

Just as American Catholics are more accepting of what it means to be a “good Catholic,” they are more accepting on what it means to be a “good candidate.” Most American Catholics say that they would be enthusiastic or comfortable with a presidential candidate who used contraceptives (70%), supports same-sex marriage (54%) and has been divorced (53%).

[Read Maria’s ‘I’ve Been Thinking’ essays]

One in three American Catholics believe that a Catholic President would first beholden to the Vatican than to the American people. Interestingly, American Catholics under fifty, who have never had a Catholic president in office, are three times more likely to believe this than those over fifty.

Maria Shriver on The Shriver Report Snapshot Results and Pope Francis

“Pope Francis will receive a rock star reception when he arrives in the U.S.

In his short papacy, he has already distinguished himself as a different kind of leader. He blew us away with his message of inclusion, forgiveness and acceptance. We were touched by his upholding the plight of the poor and his early bold decision to ditch the Vatican palace and the Prada slippers.

What this Snapshot shows us is that he not only a gifted orator and new brand of champion but he is also a shrewd, smart and savvy strategist and should be the envy of any contemporary politician… He has won the vote of a remarkably disparate electorate, and this historic visit will be one of his biggest tests. We thought it was crucial to take the temperature of American Catholics as their leader prepares for one of the most telling moments of his young papacy,” said Maria Shriver, founder of Shriver Media and creator of the Shriver Report Project.