UNITED STATES
Vatican Insider
According to a survey, 60% of Americans would like to see a cardinal from a third world country elected to the papacy
Paolo MAstrolilli
New York
Most American Catholics have a positive opinion of Benedict XVI but they also think it is time for the Church to change, by electing a cardinal from a developing country as Pope in the upcoming Conclave. This is according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center straight after Joseph Ratzinger’s resignation.
In the U.S., 74% of Americans express a favourable view of the Pope’s work although this figure has dropped since April 2008 (83%) and is lower than the highest approval rating earned by John Paul II (93%). The most controversial issue is still the sex-abuse scandal in the Church: Only 33% of Americans judge the Pope’s efforts to combat this as good or excellent, while 63% said it was unsatisfactory. Peoples’ opinion of the Church’s relations with other religions, however, is more positive, with 55% saying “that Benedict has done a good or excellent job in promoting relations with other religions.”
U.S. Catholics are split over which path the Church should take in the near future in terms of doctrine in general. Indeed, 51% thinks it should maintain the traditional positions of the Church, while 46% would like to see it moving in new directions.
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