A poll that should grab the attention of US Catholic Bishops despite some questionable polling techniques and conclusions; still...

October 4, 2013 - U.S. Catholics Back Pope On Changing Church Focus, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Catholics Support Gay Marriage, Women Priests 2-1

American Catholics agree 68 - 23 percent, with little difference between more observant and less observant Catholics, with Pope Francis' recent observation that the Church has become too focused on issues such as homosexuality, abortion and contraceptives, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.

Support for the Pope's observation is strong among men, women and all age groups, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.

American Catholics support same-sex marriage 60 - 31 percent, compared to the 56 - 36 percent support among all U.S. adults.

More devout Catholics, who attend religious services about once a week, support same- sex marriage 53 - 40 percent, while less observant Catholics support it 65 - 26 percent.

Catholic women support same-sex marriage 72 - 22 percent, while Catholic men support it 49 - 40 percent. Support ranges from 46 - 37 percent among Catholics over 65 years old to 64 - 27 percent among Catholics 18 to 49 years old.

Catholics like their new Pope: 36 percent have a "very favorable" opinion of him and 53 percent have a "favorable" opinion, with 4 percent "unfavorable."

"American Catholics liked what they heard when Pope Francis said the Church should stop talking so much about issues like gay marriage, abortion and contraception," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"Maybe they were just waiting for a Jesuit. Overwhelmingly, across the demographic board, Catholics - men and women, regular or not-so-regular church-goers, young and old - have a favorable opinion of Pope Francis."

American Catholics support 60 - 30 percent the ordination of women priests. Those who attend religious services about once a week support women priests 52 - 38 percent, compared to 66 - 25 percent among those who attend services less frequently.

There is almost no gender gap.

Support for women priests grows with age, from 57 - 32 percent among Catholics 18 to 49 years old to 68 - 28 percent among those over 65 years old.

Catholic opinion on abortion is similar of the opinions of all American adults:

16 percent of Catholics say abortion should be legal in all cases, compared to 19 percent of all Americans; 36 percent of Catholics say abortion should be legal in most cases, compared to 34 percent of all Americans; 21 percent of Catholics say abortion should be illegal in most cases, compared to 23 percent of all Americans; 21 percent of Catholics say abortion should be illegal in all cases, compared to 16 percent of all Americans.

"On the two issues that have prompted some pulpit thundering, same-sex marriage and abortion, Catholics are right in line, or even a little ahead, of their non-Catholic neighbors," Carroll said.

"There's one big issue where Catholics split with current church practice: by 2-1 they'd like to have women priests. Women and men feel about the same on this issue."

From September 23 - 29, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,776 American adults with a margin of error of +/- 2.3 percentage points. The survey includes 392 Catholics with a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Colorado, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research.

For more information, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.