Should Catholics keep their faith? Sex abuse scandals prompt more to personally question ties to church, poll finds
Amid the latest spate of allegations of sexual abuse of young people by priests, an increasing percentage of Catholics are re-examining their commitment to the religion, according to a poll released Wednesday. The Gallup poll found that 37 percent of respondents said "recent news about sexual abuse of young people by priests" has them personally questioning whether to remain Catholic — a 15 point increase since 2002.
The polling, conduct in January and February, came as Pope Francis met at the Vatican with Catholic leaders from around the world to respond to a new wave of sex abuse allegations in numerous countries. It was the first time Gallup has polled on the issue since 2002 when the church was confronted with reports from Boston of widespread abuse by Catholic priests and efforts by the church leaders to cover it up.
In the most recent cases, Cardinal George Pell, who was the Vatican's chief financial adviser, was sentenced to six years in prison in Australia Wednesday for molesting boys more than 20 years ago. Pell is the most senior cleric in the Roman Catholic Church to receive jail time for sexual abuse of a child.
The poll also found that a majority of Catholics say they have either a great deal (40 percent) or quite a lot of confidence (18 percent) in Pope Francis. Similar percentages expressed confidence in the priests at their church (41 percent a great deal, 18 percent quite a lot).
Catholics showed less confidence in priests in the United States more generally, and in U.S. bishops and other Catholic leaders. About one in four U.S. Catholics say they have very little or no confidence in those two groups. One in eight have little or no confidence in Pope Francis or their own priests, the poll found.
Ex-Commie, Bella Dodd, detailed parts of Communist infiltration of the Church in her book, School of Darkness we should've taken St. Pope Pius X's words to heart genus.cogia.net
Checked Mel is based no doubt but I see a full jew and one full nigger in the background of your Mel pic user Yes I am anti Semitic. I am also equally (if not more so) anti abrahamic
Benjamin Rivera
When I see Jews trying to tell me that I'm a Christcuck even though they filled the churches with homosexuals it really makes my blood boil and gives me an even larger conviction to bash their heads in every day.
Absolutely. W/O a doubt. Sub-Saharan tier cringe cancer. I just try to laugh to keep from shooting mofos.
Ayden Myers
Jews subvert and destroy our centuries-old institutions and you fedora-tipping faggots gloat about it…. assuming you aren't Jews yourselves. Either way, kill yourselves.
Jose Robinson
I’m trying brother. Every day I am trying This guy fucking gets it
Asher Russell
if theres one thing jews are right about its jesus
Tyler Cox
What do actual surveys show? Are disgusted Catholics joining other churches, or just avoiding church altogether?
