Holy Trinity Catholic Church

null / Credit: Brian A Jackson / Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 15, 2024 / 16:15 pm (CNA).

A man convicted of firebombing a pro-life organization’s office in Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced to over seven years in federal prison on April 10.

The 29-year-old man, Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive for firebombing the Wisconsin Family Action office. The bombing, which he carried out in May 2022, occurred early in the morning when the office was empty and there were no injuries.

Roychowdhury launched his attack just days after an unidentified person leaked a draft of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The firebombing was accompanied by a threat graffitied on the pro-life group’s exterior walls: “If abortions aren’t safe, then you aren’t either.”

“Roychowdhury’s arson was an act of domestic terrorism,” U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin said in a statement released by the Department of Justice. 

“Domestic terrorism is cowardly and profoundly undemocratic,” O’Shea added. “It is not speech; it is not an exchange of ideas; instead, it is an attempt to harm or frighten one’s fellow citizens, thus driving Americans apart and weakening the fabric of our democratic society. The U.S. Department of Justice, and this U.S. Attorney’s Office, with our local and federal law enforcement partners, will never flinch from holding domestic terrorists accountable.”

Christine File, the president of Wisconsin Family Action, was disappointed with the sentence. The organization had recommended that Roychowdhury receive 15 years in prison. The charges carried a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

“The court missed an opportunity to strengthen the protection of constitutional rights like free speech and free exercise, rights that have themselves been under assault in recent years,” File said in a statement. “The defendant’s act of domestic terrorism to threaten our people, our families and friends, our neighbors, and our greater pro-life community is unconscionable. Ultimately, the defendant — and others who attacked pro-life groups they disagree with — attacked our civil society and the constitutional rights foundational to it.”

In addition to his 90-month sentence, Roychowdhury received three years of supervised release and a $32,000 fine. 

“Given the severity of his crime and the charges he pled guilty to, the sentence lacks proportionality,” File said. “However, as we’ve said since the day of the attack, no act or threat of violence or terrorism will deter us from our mission — being a voice for the voiceless.”

Threats to pro-life organizations on the rise

Attacks on pro-life organizations, churches, and pro-life pregnancy centers have seen an uptick since the Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked, according to a CNA tracker. At least 115 organizations, including 38 churches, have been vandalized over the past two years with varying degrees of severity. 

Most of the acts of vandalism have gone unsolved, which has prompted criticism of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation from Catholic groups, pro-life organizations, and Republican lawmakers.

On April 9, CatholicVote sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland that criticized the lack of prosecutions and requested information on how the Justice Department intends to combat these attacks. 

“Catholic churches and individual Catholics have an absolute right to practice their faith and vote their consciences,” Brian Burch, the president of CatholicVote, said in the letter. 

“These attacks against Catholic churches standing for the right to life are textbook examples of voter intimidation and voter suppression,” Burch said. “You have sued multiple states which you allege are engaging in voter suppression … yet you have not devoted a single minute of federal time to addressing the intimidation and suppression of Catholic voters.” 

Garland has claimed that the Justice Department has dedicated full resources to prosecuting these incidents but that most of the actions occur at night, which makes them difficult to solve.

Alternatively, several pro-life activists have faced convictions for blocking access to abortion clinics under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Some of the activists could face more than a decade in prison.

null / Quisquilia/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 15, 2024 / 15:45 pm (CNA).

A Catholic priest who serves at St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in Amarillo, Texas, was pepper-sprayed while hearing confessions last week, according to a statement from the parish. 

The parish said in a statement on Facebook that “someone dealing with mental health issues” sprayed rector Father Tony Neusch with the irritant while he was hearing confessions.

Police are investigating the incident. It’s unclear whether officers have identified a suspect at this time.

“I am okay and do not require medical attention,” Neusch said in the statement.

The cathedral has temporarily suspended its twice-a-week regular confessions, with priests only hearing confessions by appointment for the time being.

Regular confessions will resume after the cathedral installs security cameras in the chapel, according to the statement. 

“I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but the safety of our confessors and those waiting to receive the sacrament needs to be preserved,” Neusch said in the statement.

The priest declined comment when reached by CNA on Monday.

The Amarillo Police Department, meanwhile, did not immediately provide the police report to CNA and declined to comment on the incident.

Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni Church, an Indian-Mughal style Catholic church in Medan, Indonesia. / Credit: MarlonH/Shutterstock

Rome Newsroom, Apr 15, 2024 / 15:15 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia later this year has now been announced by the Vatican, and the Indonesian government has confirmed that the country will be the first destination in the 87-year-old pontiff’s apostolic journey to the Asia Pacific region, scheduled to take place Sept. 2–13. 

The anticipated 11-day international trip will be the longest voyage of Pope Francis’ pontificate. Following his visit to Indonesia, the Holy Father will travel to Papua New Guinea Sept. 6–9 and East Timor Sept. 9–11, concluding his journey in Singapore Sept. 11–13. 

Following an official invitation of President Joko Widodo on March 25, an official statement from Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states: “The visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia holds significant importance to the Indonesian people, not only for Catholics but also for all religious communities. The visit is also expected to strengthen the message of tolerance, unity, and world peace.”

The Catholic Church is currently the third-largest religious community in the country with approximately 8.5 million members, who account for 3% of the country’s total population.

Although Indonesia does not have an established state religion, 87% of the population is Muslim, making it the most populous Muslim country in the world. Subsequently, Catholicism is one of six official religions recognized in the country alongside Islam, Protestantism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. 

Following the announcement of the pope’s upcoming visit to Indonesia, Cardinal Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, archbishop of Jakarta and president of the Indonesian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, reiterated the significance of building religious tolerance, peace, and unity — particularly among Christians and Muslims — within the country. 

“The national mosque, called Istiqlal, meaning liberty, or freedom, lies just in front of the Catholic cathedral in Jakarta,” Hardjoatmodjo said in a video message. “The national mosque was intentionally built at this site as a symbol of harmony.”

Benedictus Nuwa, an Indonesian Claretian missionary currently studying interreligious dialogue at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, believes Pope Francis’ visit to his homeland will bring a “message of peace, social justice, freedom of religion, and worship” and be key in strengthening the “relationship and dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.” 

Though Nuwa expressed pride in the ethnic and religious diversity present in his country, he also expressed concern about the discrimination and persecution against minorities occurring in parts of the country. “There are still groups that are intolerant to differences,” he said. “The Indonesian people in general and the government in particular must not close their eyes to these facts.” 

Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to Indonesia will mark the third papal journey to Indonesia. Paul VI visited Indonesia in 1970 followed by St. John Paul II in 1989.

Approximately 1,000 people have been working daily on the restoration of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, France. / Credit: Sumit Surai, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Apr 15, 2024 / 14:45 pm (CNA).

On April 15, 2019, Paris witnessed one of the most devastating tragedies in its recent history. Notre Dame Cathedral, a religious, architectural, and cultural symbol that had withstood the passage of time, was engulfed in flames.

The fire, which originated in the space under the roof, quickly spread through the wooden rafters of the attic loaded with centuries of history and flammable material. The flames consumed the iconic spire of the cathedral, which collapsed in a dense column of smoke.

Despite the disaster, except for the main altar, all the works of art in the cathedral and the reliquary containing the crown of thorns were rescued and safely stored in different places.

The archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, announced in a pastoral letter that the reopening of the cathedral is scheduled to begin with a triduum on Dec. 7 that will include the official inauguration in which the French state, which actually owns the cathedral, turns it over to the Catholic Church for the use of worship. A liturgical celebration with a Magnificat or a Te Deum will be held that day and then vespers.

The consecration of the altar is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Dec. 8, during the first Mass in the restored cathedral. Finally, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception will be celebrated, which this year is moved to Dec. 9 because the feast falls on the second Sunday of Advent.

In addition to the events for the reopening of Notre Dame, the archbishop of Paris announced an octave from Dec. 8–15, with each day featuring a solemn celebration with a particular theme.

Architect Philippe Villeneuve was in charge of supervising the restoration of the church, working with a team of professionals to reconstruct the cathedral according to its original design, including the spire, which was designed by architect Eugène Viollet-le-duc in the 19th century.

Reconstruction work began just 24 months after the tragic incident. The first phase consisted of cleaning and securing the site with the participation of more than 200 different companies.

Those responsible for the project have estimated that approximately 1,000 people have been working daily on the restoration process.

According to the Rebuilding Notre Dame de Paris project, the task of restoring the cathedral is estimated to have cost about $767 million. Thankfully, the global response has been overwhelming: A total of approximately $928 million has been raised to date, given by donors from 150 countries.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

St. Vincent de Paul Church, the oldest Catholic parish church in continuous use in Baltimore, which was dedicated in 1841, is among the churches slated for closure. / Credit: Smash the Iron Cage|Wikimedia|CC BY-SA 4.0

CNA Staff, Apr 15, 2024 / 14:00 pm (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has announced the details of its major parish merger plan, one that will merge 61 parishes in the episcopate’s titular city into 21 parishes. 

The archdiocese said on its website on Sunday that its Seek the City to Come initiative “has entered its public comment phase,” with the plan set to address “investment and ministries, the realignment of parish communities designed to offer a strong sense of belonging for all, and the merging of parish campuses.”

The plan, detailed on the archdiocese’s website, would reduce the total number of “worship sites” in the area from 59 to 26. 

The final plan will be announced in June, the archdiocese says, although “no changes will be immediate,” with the mergers taking place “with consultation and over time.”

Parishes in the city have faced sustained challenges in recent years, the archdiocese said, including “deferred maintenance, low Mass attendance, and multiple unmet opportunities to better serve the needs of the broader community.”

The diocese has “known for a long time that we could not continue to ignore the decline in Mass attendance and increased resources required to keep our physical plants in good condition,” the plan says, necessitating the local Church to “realign and consolidate our efforts and resources.”

Decisions on how to dispose of the decommissioned parishes will be made at a later date. After those decisions are made, “all churches will be available for sacraments that include baptisms, weddings, and funerals,” the archdiocese said. 

Among the proposed closures is St. Vincent de Paul Church in downtown Baltimore. Dedicated in 1841, it is the oldest continuously operated church in the city and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also facing closure is the historic Corpus Christi Parish, which was consecrated in 1891 in the city’s Bolton Hill neighborhood.

The archdiocese in September of last year declared bankruptcy after warning it might do so in response to a looming wave of sex-abuse-related lawsuits. The bankruptcy process will “involve several steps over the next two to three years,” Archbishop William Lori said at the time. 

This week the archdiocese noted that the restructuring of the city parishes “began long before” the Chapter 11 filing in September. 

“Seek the City is a ground-up solution being developed based on the Church’s decades-long need for creating a sustainable Catholic presence in Baltimore City and commitment to reinvest in vibrant and effective ministries,” the archdiocese said. 

The archdiocese said it would hold two public comment sessions on the proposal later this month. 

Lori in the announcement said the plan will “help the Church in Baltimore minister to our neighbors and respond to the needs of the city for the centuries to come as we have since 1789.”

“Together, we must design a plan that confronts decades of disinvestment and population loss in the city and brings the Eucharistic vision to life through mission and ministry,” the prelate said. 

Cardinal Robert Sarah addresses members of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) on April 9, 2024. / Credit: NECC

ACI Africa, Apr 15, 2024 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

A subset of Church leaders have aligned themselves with modern-day values in the name of a “contemporary culture” that is akin to paganism, Cardinal Robert Sarah said in an address in Cameroon last week.

Sarah, who was addressing members of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) on April 9, said the Church was experiencing what he described as “practical atheism.”

“Many Western prelates are tetanized [paralyzed] by the idea of opposing the world. They dream of being loved by the world; they’ve lost the desire to be a sign of contradiction,” the Guinean-born cardinal lamented during his address to NECC members on the second day of their 49th Plenary Assembly at the headquarters of NECC in Mvolyé in the Archdiocese of Yaoundé.

“I believe that the Church of our time is experiencing the temptation of atheism,” he said. “Not intellectual atheism, but that subtle and dangerous state of mind: fluid and practical atheism. The latter is a dangerous disease, even if its initial symptoms seem benign.”

“We need to be aware of it; this fluid atheism runs through the veins of contemporary culture. It never says its name but infiltrates everything, even ecclesiastical discourse. Its first effect is a kind of lethargy of faith. It anesthetizes our ability to react, to recognize error and danger; it has spread throughout the Church,” he said.

In essence, the fluid and practical atheism, Sarah said, seeks “a compromise between truth and lies. This is the major temptation of our time.”

The cardinal, who until his retirement in February 2021 was serving as prefect of the Vatican Congregation (now Dicastery) for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, said he found it regrettable that Church leaders have given room to the vice of "fluid and practical atheism."

“We are all guilty of accommodating, of complicity with this major lie that is fluid and practical atheism,” he said. “We pretend to be Christian believers and men of faith; we celebrate religious rites, but in fact we live as pagans and unbelievers.” 

According to Sarah, “fluid and practical atheism is elusive and slimy. If you attack it, it will entangle you in its subtle compromises. It’s like a spider’s web — the more you struggle against it, the tighter it gets on you. Fluid and practical atheism is the ultimate trap of the tempter of Satan.”

He decried “dissension and suspicion,” saying that these vices are “everywhere” in the Church. “Fluid and practical atheism lives and feeds on all our little weaknesses, all our capitulations, and compromises with its lie.”

“We don’t have to create parties in the Church; we don’t have to proclaim ourselves the saviors of this or that institution. All that would contribute to the adversary’s game. But each of us can decide today: The lie of atheism will no longer pass through me; I no longer wish to renounce the light of faith; I no longer wish, out of convenience, laziness, or conformism, to allow light and darkness to cohabit within me,” he said.

The 78-year-old cardinal continued, referring to the decision to embrace the light of faith: “If everyone humbly decided to do so, the system of lies would collapse of its own accord, because its only strength is the place we give it within ourselves.”

“To keep the spirit of faith is to renounce all that compromises it, to refuse to see things in any other way than through faith. It means keeping our hand in God’s hand. I deeply believe that this is the only possible source of peace and gentleness,” the cardinal said.

“Keeping our hand in God’s hand is the guarantee of true benevolence without complicity, true gentleness without cowardice, true strength without violence,” he continued.

Sarah went on to decry “bitterness and partisanship” that he said have “infested” the Church.

“Only the spirit of faith can form the basis of genuine fraternal benevolence. The world is dying, eaten away by lies and rivalry. Only the spirit of faith can bring it peace,” Sarah said.

On April 4, Sarah called upon the lay faithful of Cameroon’s Diocese of Obala to prioritize prayer in their daily tasks.

The following day, on April 5, he presided over the priestly ordination of 12 men, whom he urged to live their vocation to priesthood “attentive to the flock.”

Sarah also urged Catholic bishops in Africa to be keen on defending the Catholic faith, voicing their opposition to defenders of “particular cultures” during the October session of the ongoing Synod on Synodality.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

Baltimore workers and relatives attend a press conference to honor families and victims of the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after it was struck by the container ship Dali, in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 29, 2024. / Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Apr 15, 2024 / 12:30 pm (CNA).

The Knights of Columbus recently pledged a six-figure donation toward a Church-sponsored relief fund for families of workers killed in the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The fraternal organization said on its website that its board of directors “voted during a recent meeting to contribute $100,000 to a relief fund run by the Archdiocese of Baltimore for families who lost loved ones and livelihoods” in the collapse of that bridge. 

The bridge, which first opened in 1977, was largely destroyed last month after a container ship struck it in the early morning hours of March 26. Six construction workers lost their lives in the collapse, while several other individuals were injured. 

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly noted in the announcement that the founder of the Knights, Blessed Michael McGivney, created the organization in 1882 “to support widows and orphans.” 

“So it was only natural that, upon learning of the death of six road workers — husbands and fathers from the Catholic Hispanic community — we were moved to join with the Church in Baltimore in providing aid to their widows and orphans,” Kelly said. 

The Catholic Review, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said that the relief fund — which was established by the archdiocese and is being administered at the parish level — has received about $70,000 in addition to the Knights’ donation. Another related fund has received $25,000 in donations. 

The deceased bridge workers, who hailed from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, had been filling potholes on the bridge at the time of the disaster. 

Last week the Sacred Heart of Jesus-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Parish in the city’s Highlandtown neighborhood hosted a large prayer service in honor of the deceased workers, the Catholic Review reported.

Archbishop William Lori told the newspaper that the local Church has demonstrated a “beautiful” display of both material and spiritual help to the families of the deceased workers. 

“It’s the accompaniment because these wives and moms and children have lost their husbands and fathers in the most tragic way, and we just have to surround them with love,” Lori said.

Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako (second from left), patriarch of the Chaldean Church, returned to Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, after being absent from his patriarchal seat since July 2023. Along with Bishop Thomas Mirm (right), the patriarch made his way to the Patriarchal Palace, where Bishops Shlimon Warduni (not pictured) and Basilios Yaldo (left) welcomed him, joined by priests from Baghdad's archdiocese. / Credit: Courtesy of Chaldean Patriarchate

Baghdad, Iraq, Apr 15, 2024 / 11:32 am (CNA).

Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, patriarch of the Chaldean Church, has returned to Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, after being absent from his patriarchal seat since last July. He had decided to retreat from the city and stay at the priestly patriarchal monastery in the Kurdistan region after a government decision affecting the church.

Sako’s visit to Baghdad April 10–13 came “upon a personal invitation from the Iraqi prime minister,” Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani, according to the Chaldean Patriarchate’s official website. 

Al Sudani mandated a representative to welcome Sako at the Hall of Honors in Baghdad International Airport.

Along with Bishop Thomas Mirm, the patriarch made his way to the Patriarchal Palace, where Bishops Shlimon Warduni and Basilios Yaldo welcomed him, joined by priests from Baghdad’s diocese.

On Thursday morning, Al Sudani met with Sako and his delegation to discuss Iraq’s overall situation, especially matters pertaining to “stability in the country,” the prime minister’s website stated.

Al Sudani said he welcomed the patriarch’s revival of his presence and influential role in Baghdad. He affirmed his government’s commitment to fostering coexistence, fraternity, and true citizenship across all segments of Iraqi society. Iraq’s premier also underscored the nation’s strength in diversity, highlighting Iraqi Christians’ historic contributions to building and reinforcing the state.

In his own remarks, Sako stressed the importance of the government taking greater action to fulfill its duties toward the Iraqi people. He emphasized the need to improve the lives of citizens and meet all their demands and requirements as well as to follow up on minority issues and ensure their rights.

The Chaldean Patriarchate invited the faithful to participate in a Divine Liturgy presided over by the patriarch on April 12 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baghdad. The Mass was held to give thanks to God, “who has granted us relief after hardship and has gladdened our hearts with the return of our shepherd and head of our church.”

Khaled Jamal Albert, director general of Christian affairs at the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in the Kurdistan region, commented to Rudaw Media Network that Sako’s relocation — either permanently back to Baghdad or moving his seat to Erbil — would be preferable to his continued absence from the patriarchal headquarters.

The events that led to Sako’s departure were sparked in July 2023 when Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid withdrew the decree appointing the cleric as patriarch of the Chaldean Church worldwide, also revoking control of church endowments. During that time, the patriarchate described the decision as “unprecedented in Iraqi history.”

Sako had previously affirmed during a press conference he held at the Patriarchal Palace in Baghdad in July of last year that the church does not interfere in political life. He described the Iraqi government’s silence on some of the unjustified abuses and attacks against Christians as suspicious. He pointed out that the patriarchate would be forced to take appropriate legal action and resort to international forums if silence persisted.

This article was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

City skyline in Sydney, Australia. / Irina Sokolovskaya/Shutterstock

CNA Newsroom, Apr 15, 2024 / 07:30 am (CNA).

Australian police have confirmed another stabbing incident in Sydney after shocking video footage of a man apparently attacking a church leader went viral on social media on Monday. 

In a first statement, New South Wales police urged the community to avoid the area, saying several people were stabbed in the Monday incident, suffering “non-life-threatening injuries.” The alleged attacker appears to have been apprehended. Police said they “arrested a male and he is assisting police with inquiries.”

NSW Ambulance paramedics reportedly treated the injured at the scene. 

The victim in the video was identified to CNA by persons familiar with the community as Bishop Mar Mari Emanuel, a former member of the Ancient Church of the East and current leader of the Sydney-area Christ the Good Shepherd Church. 

While exact circumstances of the stabbing are yet to be confirmed, the attack occurred just after 7 p.m. local time, during which the community attends Bible classes, according to the church’s website. 

The attack is the second stabbing incident in Sydney within two days. Six people died in a knife attack on Saturday at a mall in the Bondi area.

Rody Sher contributed to this report.

This is a developing story.

null / Credit: Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Apr 15, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Pew Research Center released a new fact sheet Friday that contains nine demographic and statistical facts about the Catholic population in the United States, based on the center’s numerous surveys. 

Here are Pew’s nine facts about Catholics in the United States.

1. Twenty percent of American adults identify as Catholics — a stable number for the past 10 years. 

Out of 262 million adults in the U.S., about 52 million would say they’re Catholic, Pew reports. In 2007, 24% of U.S. adults said they were Catholic. 

2. A third of all U.S. Catholics are Hispanic. 

The Catholic population is 57% white, 33% Hispanic, 4% Asian, and 2% Black, while 3% are of another race, Pew reported.

3. Catholics tend to be older than Americans overall, but Hispanic Catholics trend younger. 

While more than half of U.S. Catholic adults overall are aged 50 or older, Hispanic Catholics break that mold. Fewer than half of Hispanic Catholics (43%) are 50 and older, and just 14% of Hispanic Catholics are ages 65 and older, versus 38% of white Catholics.

4. Roughly 3 in 10 U.S. Catholics (29%) live in the South, while 26% live in the Northeast, 24% in the West and 21% in the Midwest.

Data cited by Pew, and other data previously covered by CNA, show that Catholicism is growing fastest in the South and West, even as it declines in the Midwest and the historically Catholic Northeast. 

The racial and ethnic profile of the Catholic population varies considerably by region, Pew notes. For example, in the Midwest, 80% of Catholics are white and 17% are Hispanic. In the Northeast, 72% of Catholics are white and 19% are Hispanic.

In the South, 49% are white and 40% are Hispanic. And in the West, there are more Hispanic Catholics than white Catholics (55% vs. 30%), Pew says. 

5. About a third of U.S. Catholics (32%) have a bachelor’s degree.

Another 28% have some college experience but not a bachelor’s degree, and 40% have a high school education or less — a distribution similar to that of the general adult population.

6. Just 3 in 10 U.S. Catholics (28%) say they attend Mass weekly or more often.

Pew compared this figure with the share of Protestants who attend weekly services, which they say is 40%. 

Larger shares of Catholics say they pray daily (52%) and say religion is very important in their life (46%), Pew says. Overall, 20% of U.S. Catholics say they attend Mass weekly and pray daily and consider religion very important in their life.

By contrast, 10% of self-identified Catholics say they attend Mass a few times a year or less often, pray seldom or never, and consider religion “not too” or “not at all” important in their life.

7. About half of Catholic registered voters (52%) identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, while 44% affiliate with the Democratic Party.

Other data has shown that the “Catholic electorate” is fairly evenly divided between the Republican and Democratic parties, while also suggesting that a substantial number of Catholics don’t identify with a party at all. 

8. About 6 in 10 U.S. Catholics say abortion should be legal, in contrast to the Church’s teaching. 

This includes 39% who say it should be legal in most cases and 22% who say it should be legal in all cases, Pew says. 

A key factor, Pew says, is that Catholics’ opinions about abortion tend to align more with their political leanings than with the teachings of their Church. Among Catholic Democrats, 78% say abortion should be legal in most or all cases. Among Catholic Republicans, 43% say this.

9. Three-quarters of Catholics in the U.S. view Pope Francis favorably, though that figure has dipped by 8% since 2021. 

Francis’ approval rating among U.S. Catholics reached 90% in Pew’s 2015 survey. By September 2018 — at a time when the entire Church was reeling from fresh scandals related to sexual abuse — the pope’s approval rating stood at just 72%, the lowest of his papacy. It had ticked back up to 83% three years later, before its latest dip to 75% in February of this year.

Pope Francis’ late predecessor Benedict XVI initially had a low approval rating of 67% among U.S. Catholics upon taking office in 2005. By 2008, however, his approval rating had reached 83%, and he closed out his papacy at 74%, in 2013.

Neither Benedict nor Francis has yet achieved the lofty heights set by the saintly Pope John Paul II, who in 1990 and 1996 garnered approval from 93% of U.S. Catholics, according to Pew’s data.