A poll has found that young Catholics in the US overwhelmingly approve of homosexuality and same-sex marriage, despite the Church’s teachings.

The Pew Research Centre research, conducted earlier this year, found that 85 percent of Catholics aged 18-29 approve of homosexuality, while 75 percent support equal marriage.

A majority of every single age group accepted homosexuality, with the lowest support among over-65s – 57 percent of whom still approve of it.

Meanwhile, every age group except over-65s support same-sex marriage – with just 38 percent of over-65s backing it.

Overall, 70 percent of Catholics approve of homosexuality, and 57 percent support same-sex marriage.

The poll comes as the Catholic church holds an ‘extraordinary synod’ on its future approach to families values, including contraception, divorce and homosexuality, amid fears that it has become out of touch with modern Catholics.

However, the meeting is not expected to bring much reform to policy surrounding homosexuality, despite early promising signs of a shift in rhetoric.

Notoriously anti-gay US Cardinal Raymond Burke, the former Archbishop of St Louis, confirmed earlier today that he had been demoted from his senior role in the church.

Cardinal Burke was one of the most conservative and homophobic figures in the Catholic church, and had reportedly clashed with Pope Francis about reform on a number of occasions.