9 facts about U.S. Catholics
Catholics are one of the largest religious groups in the United States, outnumbering any single Protestant denomination.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Catholics are one of the largest religious groups in the United States, outnumbering any single Protestant denomination.
Although it’s possible that the “nones” have leveled off, it’s also possible that their growth has continued, but at a gradual pace that is difficult to see in the data.
In the United States, 21% of adults overall say they fast for certain periods during holy times.
Most say Francis represents change in the church. And many say the church should allow priests to marry and let Catholics use birth control.
40% of U.S. adults say there’s a lot of discrimination against Jews in society, and 44% say there’s a lot of discrimination against Muslims.
57% of Americans express some sympathy with both Israelis and Palestinians, including 26% who say their sympathies lie equally with both groups.
Most Americans say religion’s influence is shrinking, and about half (48%) see conflict between their own religious beliefs and mainstream American culture.
63% of U.S adults have a “very” or “mostly” favorable opinion of Pope Francis, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in March.
While the largest Christian traditions and religious “nones” can be consistently analyzed, smaller groups produce a large margin of error.
Self-identified Christians make up 63% of the U.S. population in 2021, down from 75% a decade ago.
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