March 8, 2013 - American Catholics Support Same-Sex Marriage, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Catholics Want New Direction From Next Pope



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American voter support for same-sex marriage is inching up and now stands at 47 - 43 percent, including 54 - 38 percent among Catholic voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.





This compares to a 48 - 46 percent statistical tie among all voters on same-sex marriage December 5 and reverses the 55 - 36 percent opposition in a July, 2008, survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.





Among all adult Catholics, 52 percent say the Church is moving in the right direction, while 31 percent say it is going in the wrong direction.





Church leaders are out of touch with the views of Catholics in America today, all Catholics say 52 - 40 percent. Men say out of touch, 54 - 37 percent, while women agree by a smaller 49 - 43 percent margin.





The next pope should move the Church in new directions, 55 percent of Catholics say, while 38 percent say the pope should maintain the current direction.





"Catholic voters are leading American voters toward support for same-sex marriage," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Among all voters, there is almost no gender gap, but a big age gap. Voters 18 to 34 years old support same sex marriage 62 - 30 percent; voters 35 to 54 years old are divided 48 - 45 percent and voters over 55 are opposed 50 - 39 percent.





"Voters in military households are divided with 43 percent in favor and 45 percent opposed."





"Looking at all adult Catholics, different from the wider survey of all registered voters, we see a conflicted group: a slim majority say the Church is moving in the right direction while slim majorities say Church leaders are out of touch with their views and the next pope should change directions," Brown added.





American Catholics say 62 - 30 percent that the next pope should allow priests to marry and say 64 - 28 percent, including 68 - 24 percent among women, that he should relax the church ban on contraception.





Under the next pope, Catholics say 81 - 13 percent, the Church should do more to combat sexual abuse of young people by priests.





Catholics agree 59 - 35 percent that clergy should not be allowed to run for and serve in public office.





By a 51 - 41 percent margin, Catholics support Present Barack Obama's position that religious-based institutions, such as hospitals and universities, must arrange for their insurance companies to provide birth control coverage for employees.





Among Catholics, 16 percent have a very favorable opinion of Pope Benedict XVI, with 58 percent favorable, 15 percent unfavorable and 3 percent very unfavorable.





Religion is very important in their life, 57 percent of Catholics say, while 33 percent say fairly important and 9 percent say not very important.





From February 27 - March 4, Quinnipiac University surveyed 497 adults Catholics with a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percent. The same-sex marriage question was asked of 1,944 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.





The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research.





For more information or RSS feed, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.





23. In general, do you support or oppose same-sex marriage?

REGISTERED VOTERS.......................................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 47% 23% 65% 50% 46% 48% 48% 32% 63% Oppose 43 69 29 38 44 42 43 56 32 DK/NA 10 8 6 12 9 10 9 12 5 WHITE............................................... COLLEGE DEG BornAgnEv Cath Yes No Prot Cath Men Wom Yes No Support 54% 59% 42% 34% 50% 45% 50% 20% 55% Oppose 38 32 48 55 41 46 40 72 34 DK/NA 8 9 9 10 9 9 9 7 11 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Mltry Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ HsHld Support 58% 42% 43% 54% 58% 62% 48% 39% 43% Oppose 32 48 47 37 37 30 45 50 45 DK/NA 10 9 9 9 6 7 7 11 12

TREND: In general, do you support or oppose same-sex marriage?

REGISTERED VOTERS..... Mar 08 Dec 05 Jul 17 2013 2012 2008 Support 47 48 36 Oppose 43 46 55 DK/NA 10 7 9

24. How important would you say religion is in your life; very important, fairly important, or not very important?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Very important 57% 53% 61% 93% 40% 45% 62% 68% Fairly important 33 33 32 7 44 41 29 25 Not very important 9 11 8 - 14 14 9 5 DK/NA 1 2 - - 2 - - 2

TREND: How important would you say religion is in your life very important, fairly important, or not very important?

ADULT CATHOLICS....................... Mar 08 Apr 14 Jun 12 Jun 12 Apr 11 2013 2005 2003 2002 2002 Very important 57 64 56 60 59 Fairly important 33 27 28 30 34 Not very important 9 9 16 10 7 DK/NA 1 - - - -

25. Would you say you attend religious services every week, almost every week, once or twice a month, a few times a year, or never?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Every week 31% 29% 33% 100% - 20% 36% 42% Almost every week 12 13 11 - 17 11 12 13 Once or twice a mnth 18 17 18 - 26 21 17 12 A few times a year 28 28 28 - 41 35 27 19 Never 11 14 9 - 16 12 8 13 DK/NA - - - - - - - 1

TREND: Would you say you attend religious services every week, almost every week, once or twice a month, a few times a year, or never?

ADULT CATHOLICS....................... Mar 08 Apr 14 Jun 12 Jun 12 Apr 11 2013 2005 2003 2002 2002 Every week 31 30 30 30 34 Almost every week 12 13 17 15 13 Once or twice a mnth 18 18 18 14 20 A few times a year 28 30 26 30 24 Never 11 7 8 10 8 DK/NA - - 1 1 -

26. In general do you think the Catholic Church of today is moving in the right direction or the wrong direction?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Right direction 52% 55% 49% 71% 43% 56% 52% 48% Wrong direction 31 29 33 18 37 27 34 33 DK/NA 17 16 18 11 20 17 15 19

TREND: In general do you think the Catholic Church of today is moving in the right direction or the wrong direction?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 Right direction 52 66 Wrong direction 31 14 DK/NA 17 20

27. In general, do you think that Catholic Church leaders are in touch with the views of Catholics in America today, or are they out of touch?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ In touch 40% 37% 43% 58% 32% 47% 39% 33% Out of touch 52 54 49 34 59 46 53 54 DK/NA 9 9 8 8 9 6 8 13

TREND: In general, do you think that Catholic Church leaders are in touch with the views of Catholics in America today, or are they out of touch?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 In touch 40 54 Out of touch 52 37 DK/NA 9 8

28. Do you think that Catholic Church leaders in Rome exert too much control over the Catholic Church in the United States, too little control, or the right amount of control?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Too much 23% 22% 25% 14% 28% 20% 23% 30% Too little 15 17 14 12 17 15 18 12 Right amount 52 49 54 70 43 55 51 50 DK/NA 10 12 7 4 12 10 9 8

TREND: Do you think that Catholic Church leaders in Rome exert too much control over the Catholic Church in the United States, too little control, or the right amount of control?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 Too much 23 18 Too little 15 17 Right amount 52 57 DK/NA 10 8

29. Is your opinion of Pope Benedict the Sixteenth very favorable, favorable, unfavorable, or very unfavorable?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Very favorable 16% 12% 20% 27% 11% 15% 16% 20% Favorable 58 59 58 56 59 61 61 54 Unfavorable 15 16 13 13 16 17 12 15 Very unfavorable 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 3 DK/NA 8 10 7 2 11 6 8 8

TREND: Is your opinion of Pope Benedict the Sixteenth very favorable, favorable, unfavorable, or very unfavorable?

ADULT CATHOLICS........... BENEDICT XVI JOHN PAUL II Mar 08 Apr 11 2013 2002 Very favorable 16 39 Favorable 58 47 Unfavorable 15 5 Very unfavorable 3 1 DK/NA 8 8

30. Do you think the next pope should move the Church in new directions or should he maintain the traditional positions of the Church?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ New directions 55% 51% 59% 43% 61% 56% 55% 55% Maintain traditions 38 41 34 51 32 41 36 36 DK/NA 7 8 7 6 7 3 8 9

31. (Split Sample A) Would you like the next pope of the Catholic Church to come from the United States or not?

ADULT CATHOLICS.................. ATTEND SRVCS Tot Men Wom Weekly Less Yes 42% 41% 43% 43% 41% No 27 26 27 22 29 DK/NA 31 33 30 35 29

TREND: Would you like the next pope of the Catholic Church to come from the United States or not?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 Yes 42 29 No 27 36 DK/NA 31 34

32. (Split Sample B) Would you like the next pope of the Catholic Church to come from a developing region, like South America or Asia, or not?

ADULT CATHOLICS.................. ATTEND SRVCS Tot Men Wom Weekly Less Yes 29% 32% 26% 31% 29% No 44 38 49 39 45 DK/NA 27 30 24 30 26

33. Should the next pope support or oppose allowing priests to marry?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Support 62% 63% 61% 45% 70% 59% 62% 66% Oppose 30 28 33 46 23 35 30 26 DK/NA 8 9 7 9 7 6 8 8

TREND: Should the next pope support or oppose allowing priests to marry?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 Support 62 53 Oppose 30 34 DK/NA 8 13

34. Should the next pope support or oppose allowing women to become priests?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Support 62% 62% 62% 38% 73% 66% 62% 57% Oppose 27 28 26 48 18 20 29 34 DK/NA 11 10 13 15 10 14 8 10

TREND: Should the next pope support or oppose allowing women to become priests?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 Support 62 52 Oppose 27 35 DK/NA 11 13

35. Should the next pope allow Catholic clergy members to run for and serve in public office or not?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Yes 35% 36% 33% 32% 36% 40% 28% 33% No 59 58 60 64 57 55 64 61 DK/NA 6 6 7 5 7 5 7 6

TREND: Should the next pope allow Catholic clergy members to run for and serve in public office or not?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 Yes 35 32 No 59 64 DK/NA 6 5

36. Should the next pope relax the church ban on contraception or not?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Yes 64% 60% 68% 51% 69% 68% 69% 53% No 28 32 24 39 23 25 26 33 DK/NA 8 8 8 9 8 6 5 14

TREND: Should the next pope relax the church ban on contraception or not?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 Yes 64 55 No 28 33 DK/NA 8 13

37. Under the next pope, should the Catholic church do more to combat sexual abuse of young people by priests or is the church's current position about right?

ADULT CATHOLICS..................................... ATTEND SRVCS AGE.............. Tot Men Wom Weekly Less 18-40 41-59 60+ Should do more 81% 81% 80% 74% 84% 80% 83% 79% About right 13 14 12 22 10 17 11 13 DK/NA 6 4 7 5 6 3 6 7

TREND: Under the next pope, should the Catholic church do more to combat sexual abuse of young people by priests or is the church's current position about right?

ADULT CATHOLICS Mar 08 Apr 14 2013 2005 Should do more 81 86 About right 13 11 DK/NA 6 4

38. As you may know, in 2012 President Obama announced a new policy on health insurance and birth control. Under the rule, if a religious-based institution, such as a Catholic hospital or university, objects to providing birth control coverage to its workers, its insurance company must pay for the coverage instead. Do you support or oppose this requirement?