WASHINGTON (RNS) — U.S. Catholic voters are split on the issues of abortion and same-sex marriage between those who attend church at least twice a month and those who attend church less often, according to a new survey by the Knights of Columbus.
The survey found that Catholics — 73 percent — and non-Catholics — 71 percent agreed America needs a “moral makeover.”
Nonpracticing Catholics — defined as those who attend church less than twice a month — were more likely to support abortion rights and same-sex marriage than the American population at large.
“Catholics should not be viewed as undifferentiated,” said Carl Anderson, head of the Knights of Columbus. He said labeling Catholics as a monolithic voting block ignores the disparity between practicing Catholics, who lean more conservative, and nonpracticing Catholics, who tend to be more liberal.
Seventy-five percent of practicing Catholics oppose same-sex marriage, compared to 54 percent of nonpracticing Catholics. Sixty-five percent of nonpracticing Catholics identified themselves as “pro-choice” on abortion, compared to 36 percent of practicing Catholics.
The survey revealed 76 percent of pro-choice nonpracticing Catholics said abortion should be significantly restricted. Anderson said the pro-choice label “needlessly polarizes the discussion of abortion.”
“The term ‘pro-choice' is obsolete,” he said.
The survey focused on the issues of abortion and same-sex marriage because they are “fundamental values that resonate more strongly among Catholics,” Anderson said. Still, the economy ranked as the top issue, with 60 percent of practicing Catholics saying the financial situation is the most critical issue facing the country.
“It's an issue of the moment,” Anderson said, but even the financial crisis is a reflection of the nation's “crisis of character,” he added.
The survey of 1,733 American adults was conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. The margin of error for the overall survey was plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, and varied for individual subgroups, including up to plus or minus 6 percentage points for nonpracticing Catholics.