More than 50 years ago, Gallup found two-thirds of American Catholics aware that the Catholic Church opposed birth control. Of these, 61% believed the church would eventually sanction it, while 26% said it would not. A sizable 13% professed no opinion.

The Catholic Church and Birth Control, 1965 Do you think the Catholic Church will ever approve of some type of birth control, such as the use of pills? Yes % No % No opinion % July 1965 61 26 13 Asked of U.S. Catholics who were aware that the church opposes birth control (66%) Gallup Poll

The Catholic Church and Birth Control, 1965 How long do you think this will be [before the Catholic Church approves of some type of birth control]? Within five years % Within 10 years % Within 25 years % Within 50 years % More than 50 years % July 1965 55 26 6 1 1 Asked of U.S. Catholics who thought the church would eventually approve of birth control Gallup Poll

Catholics have been debating the acceptability of birth control on the basis of church teaching for centuries. From the earliest days of Christianity, the Catholic Church has been opposed to women and men using birth control to prevent unwanted pregnancies. More than 50 years ago, however, a majority of American Catholics aware of the church's position said they thought this long-standing policy would change. And among this group, another majority (55%) said the policy shift would happen within five years. A substantial segment of Catholics (26%) said it would occur within 10 years.

While neither of those predictions came to pass, the church is showing signs of movement on the issue. This past February, Pope Francis said it would be permissible for women to use contraception in countries afflicted with the Zika virus, over concerns of potential birth defects linked to the virus. This could spark the church to consider an official change to its global policy, validating the opinions of the 1% who, over 50 years ago, told Gallup it would take "more than 50 years."

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