Poll: American Catholics Support New Pope

 

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American Catholics are responding with broad support if not deep enthusiasm to the selection of Pope Benedict XVI, with rising interest in traditionalism but also a clear message on his first priority: addressing the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests.

Eighty-one percent of Catholics in this ABC News/Washington Post poll approve of the election of German-born Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as pope. Just over a quarter, though, call themselves "very enthusiastic" about it.

His reputation as a traditionalist appears to be one reason. The vast majority, 80 percent of Catholics, think Benedict will work mainly to maintain church traditions, while nearly half would prefer, instead, that he modernize church policies. At the same time, support for traditionalism has grown in the past year and a half, possibly in reaffirmation of basic faith as John Paul II's health flagged.

Selection of Pope Benedict XVI Among Catholics
Approve of Selection	Yes	No
	81%	13
Enthusiastic About Selection	Very	Somewhat	Not Very	Not At All
	27	46	15	9

In terms of Benedict's work ahead, 71 percent of Catholics cite "addressing the issue of sexual abuse by priests" as among his highest priorities; far fewer, 41 percent, say "preserving the church's traditions" should be a highest priority. Last on the priorities list, at 22 percent, is "responding to the concerns of women in the church."

Weekly churchgoers, as well as those who attend less often, put the abuse issue atop the priorities list. There are differences on some other issues: The two biggest are interest in tradition (20 points higher among weekly churchgoers) and in responding to the concerns of young Catholics (15 points higher).

Papal Priorities
	Highest	High	Lower
Sexual abuse by priests	71%	24	4
Encouraging human rights	61	34	4
Concerns of young Catholics	43	52	5
Relations with other religions	31	54	12
Attracting new priests	30	41	23
Concerns of women	22	54	19

Weekly churchgoers also are more apt to be "very enthusiastic" about Benedict's election, 41 percent versus 15 percent.

Tradition:

As noted, this poll finds a boost in some traditional attitudes among American Catholics, possibly an expression of faith during the failing health and death of Pope John Paul II, the pageantry of his funeral and yesterday's installation of Pope Benedict XVI as his successor.

The number of Catholics who say the pope should focus on tradition has risen from 33 percent in October 2003 (the time of John Paul II's 25th anniversary as pope) to 41 percent last month and 50 percent today. The number who prefer a focus on modernizing church policies has declined in that time, from 64 percent to 48 percent. The change has occurred equally among weekly and non-weekly churchgoing Catholics.

Church Policy
Should pope change policies?	Maintain	Change
4/24/05 Among Catholics	50%	48
3/13/05 Among Catholics	41	57
10/13/03 Among Catholics	33	64

Similarly, there's been a 10-point drop in the number of Catholics who describe the church as "out of touch" with the views of Catholics in America today, down from 62 percent in 2003 to 52 percent now.