American Catholics widely agree with Pope Francis that the church places too much emphasis on social issues like same-sex marriage, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Friday.
The poll showed that 68 percent of Catholics overall agree that the church “has become too focused on issues like homosexuality, abortion and contraceptives,” while just 23 percent said they disagree.
Support for the pope’s comments was comparable across all age groups, with 67 percent of Catholics aged 65 and older agreeing that the church is too focused on social issues. Sixty-seven percent of Catholics between 18 and 49 said they agreed, as did 72 percent of Catholics between 50 and 64.
Thirty-six percent of American Catholics said they have a “very favorable” opinion of Pope Francis, still in the first year of his papacy, while 53 percent said they have a “favorable” opinion.
The pope warned last month that the church could “fall like a house of cards” if it doesn’t shift from its “obsessed” focus on gay marriage, contraception and abortion.
