Live Science Plus
Survey of the Attitudes of American Catholics (Infographic)
Who Are American Catholics?
22 Percent of All Americans are Catholic (source: PRRI’s 2014 American Values Atlas)
59 Percent are White Non Hispanics
34 Percent Identify as Hispanic
7 Percent Identify as Mixed-Race or Other
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.
But age makes a difference:
79 percent of older Americans (those over 65) are White Non-Hispanics, versus 40 percent of 18-29 year olds who are White Non Hispanics
Younger Catholics are also on the cusp of being majority Hispanic, with 49 percent of the 18-29 age group identifying as Hispanic.
Church loyalty:
About 52 percent of people who are raised Catholic leave the church, either for a spell or permanently. Of those, only 11 percent call themselves “reverts,” meaning they return to the church.
What do they believe on sexuality? In large part, they disagree with the Catholic Church’s teachings on sexuality.
66 percent believe using contraception is not a sin
54 percent believe living with a romantic partner prior to marriage is not a sin
35 percent believe it is a sin to remarry after a divorce without getting an annulment
44 percent believe it is a sin to engage in homosexual behavior
76 percent believe the church should allow parishioners to use birth control
66 percent believe cohabiting Catholics should be allowed to receive communion
62 percent believe Catholics should be able to remarry without receiving an annulment in order to receive communion
46 percent believe the church should recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples:
What do they believe on environment and social justice?
62 percent believe that working to help the poor and needy is essential to what it means to be Catholic
41 percent say they consider it sinful to buy luxuries without also donating to the poor
Only 23 percent say it is a sin to use electricity, gasoline and other forms of energy without concern for their impact on the environment.
Only 29 percent see working to address climate change as essential to what it means to be Catholic to them.
