Under Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals has become less European
As of August 2022, the College of Cardinals will have 132 voting members, 40% of whom are European, down from 52% in 2013.
Americans’ Trust in Scientists, Other Groups Declines
Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.
Fast facts as Biden meets with Pope Francis
Here are some recent survey findings about Joe Biden, the pope, the debate over whether the president should receive Communion, and more.
Two-thirds of U.S. Catholics unaware of pope’s new restrictions on traditional Latin Mass
Weekly Mass-goers and Catholic Republicans express higher levels of disapproval of the pope’s new restrictions.
Americans, including Catholics, continue to have favorable views of Pope Francis
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.
Three-quarters of U.S. Catholics view Pope Francis favorably, though partisan differences persist
Americans’ opinions of Pope Francis have rebounded slightly after hitting an all-time low almost two years ago in the wake of abuse scandals.
When Americans think about a specific religion, here are some of the first people who come to mind
More than half of U.S. adults name the pope (47%) or a specific pope (7%) when asked who comes to mind when they think of Catholicism.
U.S. churchgoers are satisfied with the sermons they hear, though content varies by religious tradition
There are differences by religious tradition in how satisfied churchgoers are with what they hear from the pulpit.
Many churchgoers in U.S. don’t know the political leanings of their clergy
Among U.S. adults who attend services a few times a year or more, 45% say they’re not sure whether their clergy are Democrats or Republicans.
Many Catholics in Latin America – including a majority in Brazil – support allowing priests to marry
In Brazil – home to the world’s largest Catholic population – a majority of Catholics are in favor of allowing priests to marry.
