Pope Francis’ visit to the United States in September gave a boost to himself, the Catholic faith and religion in general, according to a new Knights of Columbus-Marist poll.
It found that 90 percent of Catholics in the U.S. view the Holy Father favorably, up from 83 percent in August. The results also reveal that 74 percent view him favorably, a jump from 58 percent in August.
The news bodes well for the Catholic faith, which has seen its numbers in the United States tumble in recent years as the tally of unaffiliated people rises. A recent Pew survey found that there are about 51 million Catholic adults living in the United States today, which is about a fifth of the U.S. population. That’s roughly a 3 million drop compared to 2007, although the margin of error could mean the decline is closer to 1 million.
The aftermath of the pope’s six-day visit to Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia also left people with improved feelings about their faith, whether Catholic or not.
More than half, 56 percent, feel better about their faith because of Francis’ visit, and 86 percent of Catholics felt that way.
A majority say they now understand Pope Francis’ vision for the Church. Fifty-five percent of people polled and 88 percent of practicing Catholics claim to have a clear picture, an improvement from an April survey when 43 percent of the population and 73 percent practicing Catholics felt the same way.
The survey also showed that in the wake of Francis’ trip, 58 percent are willing to participate in charitable activity, a number that jumps to 82 percent for Catholics. Francis himself has spoken often on aiding the poor. In a 2012 apostolic exhortation, he wrote that every Christian is “an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society.”
“The data clearly show that Pope Francis’ trip to the United States was a success by any measure,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, who leads the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization with over 1.8 million members around the world.
“Not only is the pope viewed more favorably on the heels of the trip, but Americans also feel he made a real difference in their own lives — motivating them to become more involved in charitable activity, and making them feel better about their own faith,” Anderson added. “Not surprisingly, this positive reaction is even stronger among practicing Catholics.”
The Marist poll, sponsored and funded by the Knights of Columbus, surveyed 1,095 adults, including 269 Catholics and 160 practicing Catholics, in early October via telephone.
