Irish poll finds broad dissent among Catholics

April 12, 2012

An extensive survey of Irish Catholics has found widespread dissent from Church teachings, particularly on questions of sexuality.

Among 1,000 Catholics surveyed in the Amarach Consulting poll, 87% said that priests should be allowed to marry, 77% said that the Church should ordain women, 60% said that homosexual acts are not immoral, and 75% said that the Church’s teachings on sexuality are irrelevant to their lives.

The Amarach poll included any respondents who identified themselves as Catholics, whether or not they practiced the faith. Of those surveyed, only about one-third attended Mass regularly each week (or more frequently).

The poll was commissioned by the Association of Catholic Priests, a group that has frequently called for changes in Church teaching and discipline. The survey included some queries that reflected the sponsoring group’s interest in increasing the distance between the Irish Church and the Vatican. In one set of questions, Irish Catholics were asked whether they thought the Church in their country was independent or “subservient” to Rome. The poll also found considerable dissatisfaction with the new English translation of the Mass, with 43% of the respondents saying that they were unhappy with the change. However, only a bare minority of those surveyed (52%) reported that they had heard the new translation—a response that showed many of the respondents rarely attend Mass.

 

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Further information:

• Survey suggests almost 75% of Catholics think Church teaching on sexuality is irrelevant (RTE)
• Contemporary Catholic Perspectives (full text of survey, via RTE)
• Is Ireland still catholic? (Vatican Insider)