US Catholicism: The Pew Big Tent



 

BIG TENT CATHOLICISM – PEW STYLE

 

US  Adults

The Following Are Mutually Exclusive Categories

Total

20%

Catholic: They say they are Catholic when asked about their present religion.

20%

 

 

The following do NOT identify as Catholic when asked about their present religion

 

 

27%

9%

“Cultural Catholics”: They  say “yes” if they consider themselves Catholic in any way

( ethnically, culturally, or family ties ) but do not identify as Catholic religiously 

29%

9%

“Connected to Catholics” they say “yes” if they have a Catholic parent, spouse or partner or ever attend Catholic Mass.

But do not identify as Catholics religiously or as Cultural Catholics or as Former Catholics

38%

9%

“Former Catholics” They say they were raised in the Catholic faith

 but are not now Catholic or Culturally Catholic.

47%

 

 

 

 

The last three might be considered as concentric circles or Catholicism beginning with Cultural Catholics, followed by Connected to Catholics, and then by Former Catholics who once identified but now affirm they no longer identify

 



 

Observances of Those Who Say Catholic is Their Present Religion

 

Prayer

50% pray daily

22% seldom or never pray

Mass attendance

28% attend at least weekly

40% seldom or never attend

Confession to a priest

23% at least annually

47% never

 

Only 13% of American Catholics do all three of the above observances. However at the other end of the spectrum only 13% of American Catholics do NOT do all three observances.  

The largest share of Catholics (74%) fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum of observance. They may pray. They may attend Mass. They may go to confession. But they don’t regularly do all three (pray daily, attend Mass weekly and go to confession annually).

 These figures suggest that encouraging Catholics to pray at least fifteen minutes a day, and/or pray the Hours (especially by using virtual resources) are more likely to be successful than encouraging Catholics to attend Mass or go to Confession

What Do All Those Who Say Their Religion is Catholic
Consider to be the Essentials of Catholic Identity

The majority sees only a personal relationship to Christ and devotion to the Virgin Mary as essentially of their Catholic identity. Working to help the poor and needy, receiving the Eucharist and getting married in the Church are seen as essential by at least forty percent.  Being a part of a parish come in at only 30 percent! Now another 39% consider being a member of a parish as an important but not essential part of being Catholic. 


ALL WHO SAY CATHOLIC IS THEIR RELIGION 

ESSENTIALS OF CATHOLIC IDENTITY

%

Personal Relationship to Christ

69

Devotion to Virgin Mary

50

Working to help poor and needy

47

Receiving the Eucharist

46

Getting married in the Church

40

Leadership of Pope

33

Apostolic Tradition

32

Opposing abortion

32

Care of environment

31

Being part of a parish

30

Caring for migrants

30

Ethnic festivals

26

Oppose death penalty

22

Pilgrimages

9

THE LITTLE TENT

If we consider only the 28% of American Catholics who attend Mass weekly, then the more familiar picture of America Catholicism emerges with much agreement about the essentials.  Within this little tent 67% agree that being a part of the parish is essential, along with other things like working to help the poor and needly, Apostolic Tradition, opposing abortionm and the leadership of the Pope.     

CATHOLICS WHO ATTEND MASS WEEKLY

ESSENTIALS OF CATHOLIC IDENTITY

%

Personal Relationship to Christ

91

Receiving the Eucharist

83

Getting married in the Church

70

Devotion to Virgin Mary

69

Being part of a parish

67

Working to help poor and needy

65

Apostolic Tradition

61

Opposing abortion

59

Leadership of Pope

52

Care of environment

41

Ethnic festivals

41

Caring for migrants

39

Oppose death penalty

36

Pilgrimages

15


CATHOLICS WHO DO NOT ATTEND MASS WEEKLY

ESSENTIALS OF CATHOLIC IDENTITY

%

Personal Relationship to Christ

60

Devotion to Virgin Mary

42

Working to help poor and needy

40

Receiving the Eucharist

32

Getting married in the Church

28

Care of environment

27

Caring for migrants

27

Leadership of Pope

25

Opposing abortion

22

Apostolic Tradition

20

Ethnic festivals

20

Oppose death penalty

17

Being part of a parish

16

Pilgrimages

6