Michael Brooks
Catholicism is a Christian religion and the largest of its three major branches, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptised Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilisation. The views of Catholics on social and political issues such as immigration, abortion, stem cell research, gay marriage and the death penalty tend to closely resemble the views of the general public in the US. However, there are differences in opinion between Catholics who attend church regularly and those who do not. For example, Catholics are more likely to be supportive of immigrants and immigration, with two-thirds of Latino Catholics saying that immigrants strengthen American society. On the other hand, Latino Catholics are also more likely to oppose legalized abortion in most or all circumstances. In the context of globalisation, the Catholic Church has been influenced by shifts in population, with immigrant and refugee populations from Asia and Latin America boosting the US Catholic Church, and the growth of the Church in Africa and Asia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Views on social issues | On issues such as abortion, stem cell research, gay marriage, and the death penalty, Catholics' views tend to align with those of the general US public. |
| Views on immigration | Catholics are more likely than the general population to believe that immigrants strengthen American society, especially among Hispanic Catholics (66%) compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts (22%). |
| Views on universal healthcare | There are no substantial differences among Catholics on the issue of universal healthcare. |
| Views on stem cell research | Two-thirds of Catholics who attend church less than once a week support stem cell research, while 46% of those who attend more frequently are evenly divided. |
| Views on gay marriage | Catholics are slightly more supportive of gay marriage than the general public, with higher opposition among those who attend church at least once a week (59%) compared to those who attend less frequently (42%). |
| Global presence | The Catholic Church has a presence in various regions, including Western Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, India, China, Japan, and the Philippines. Asia is now home to one in ten Catholics. |
| Growth | The Catholic Church has expanded more in the last 100 years than in its previous 2,000 years, with 1.36 billion members today, up from 267 million in 1900 and 1.05 billion in 2000. |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics' views on social issues
Catholicism is a Christian religion and is the largest branch of Christianity, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptised Catholics worldwide as of 2025. The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of Catholic social teaching.
Catholics tend to hold similar views to the general public on many social issues, including abortion, stem cell research, gay marriage, and the death penalty. However, there are some notable differences in the views of Catholics who attend church regularly and those who do not. For instance, Catholics who attend church regularly are more likely to oppose abortion and gay marriage, while Catholics who do not attend church regularly are more likely to support stem cell research.
On the issue of universal healthcare, there are few substantial differences among Catholics, with majorities of every major Catholic subgroup supporting the federal government guaranteeing health insurance for all citizens. Catholics are also more likely than the general population to express the view that immigrants strengthen American society, particularly among Hispanic Catholics.
Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment to the poor and marginalized, arising from the belief that God has a special love for the poor. This teaching is also concerned with protecting human dignity and promoting peace and justice. Catholics are called to care for the earth and protect people and the planet, living their faith in relationship with all of God's creation.
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Catholics' views on immigration
Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptised Catholics worldwide as of 2025. The Catholic Church is actively engaged in international aid and development through organisations such as Catholic Relief Services, Caritas Internationalis, Aid to the Church in Need, and refugee advocacy groups such as the Jesuit Refugee Service.
Catholic social teaching on immigration is grounded in the belief that people have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families. This belief is derived from the Church's core values of upholding the sanctity of human life and respecting the God-given dignity of all persons. According to Catholic theology, prosperous nations have an obligation to welcome foreigners seeking security and livelihood, as long as it does not compromise the common good. This principle of welcoming strangers is reflected in the pastoral letter "Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope", released jointly by American and Mexican bishops in 2003.
The Catholic Church has consistently advocated for a just reform of immigration systems, emphasising the need for policies that balance border regulation with mercy and respect for human rights. They believe that immigration enforcement should focus on those who pose genuine risks to society, rather than vilifying or dehumanising noncitizens. The Church also recognises the importance of addressing the root causes of migration, especially in cases of forced migration, and providing humanitarian protections such as refugee resettlement, asylum, and temporary protected status.
Catholic organisations have been active in responding to immigration crises by offering shelter, food, and legal assistance to migrants, regardless of their legal status. They emphasise that every person, including undocumented immigrants, has basic human rights and deserves to have their basic needs met. This includes access to food, shelter, clothing, education, and healthcare.
In terms of Catholic views on immigration in the United States specifically, Catholics are more likely than the general population to believe that immigrants strengthen American society. This sentiment is particularly prominent among Hispanic Catholics, with two-thirds expressing support for immigration, while only 22% believe that immigrants threaten American customs and values. White Catholics are more divided on the issue, with slight variations based on church attendance frequency.
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Catholics' views on abortion
Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptised Catholics worldwide as of 2025. The Catholic Church has long been one of the foremost opponents of legal abortion, teaching that human life is sacred "from conception to natural death" and that unborn children have a "right to life". Canon 1397 §2 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law imposes automatic excommunication on Latin Catholics who procure an abortion. Eastern Catholics are not subject to automatic excommunication but may be excommunicated by decree and can only be absolved of the sin by the eparchial bishop.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
> "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion is gravely contrary to the moral law." (No. 2271)
Despite the Catholic Church's strong opposition to abortion, a slim majority (51%) of Catholics believe that abortion should be legal in most or all cases, while 44% oppose abortion in most or all cases. However, there is a correlation between Mass attendance and agreement with the official teaching of the Church on the issue; that is, frequent Mass-goers are far more likely to be anti-abortion, while those who attend less often (or rarely or never) are more likely to be in favour of abortion rights under certain circumstances. Among Catholics who attend Mass at least once a week, about two-thirds (68%) say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, and about half or fewer support exceptions that would make abortion legal in the case of rape (43%) or threats to the life or health of the mother (49%). Most Mass attenders also believe life begins at conception.
On the other hand, most Catholics who do not attend Mass weekly (65%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, including three-quarters who say it should be legal in cases of rape or threats to the woman's life. Catholic women are a bit more likely than Catholic men to say abortion should be legal in all or most cases (60% vs. 53%), and they are also more likely to say the decision about whether to have an abortion should belong solely to the pregnant woman. More than half of Catholic women (56%) say this view describes them extremely well or very well, compared with 41% of Catholic men.
Political affiliation is also tied to differences in opinion on abortion. A majority of Catholic Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say abortion should be illegal in most or all cases (60%) and that the statement “life begins at conception” describes their view extremely well or very well (59%). By contrast, most Catholic Democrats and Democratic leaners say abortion should be legal in most or all cases (73%), and only three in ten believe that life begins at conception.
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Catholics' views on gay marriage
Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptised Catholics worldwide as of 2025. The Catholic Church has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilisation.
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman. It does not celebrate or recognise same-sex marriages. The Church's teachings on sexuality are "a major source of conflict and distress" to LGBT Catholics. The Church opposes same-sex marriage and is active in political campaigns against it. It also opposes same-sex civil unions and does not bless them, although some priests and bishops have offered blessings for same-sex couples or spoken in favour of priests being able to bless them.
There have been practical and ministerial disagreements within the Catholic Church concerning its position on homosexuality. Some Catholics and Catholic groups have sought to adopt a more inclusive approach. Dissenters argue that the prohibition on extramarital sex emphasises the physical dimension of the act at the expense of higher moral, personal and spiritual goals. They also argue that the teaching violates "the truth of God's unconditional love for all people", and drives "young people away from the Church".
On the other hand, the Catholic Church teaches that, as a person does not choose to be either homosexual or heterosexual, subjectively experiencing attraction for a person of the same sex is not inherently sinful. According to Catholic theology, all sexual acts must be open to procreation and express the symbolism of male-female complementarity. Homosexuality is considered a tendency towards sin, and gay persons are called to practice chastity. The Church also teaches that gay people "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity", and that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided".
In March 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that the Church cannot bless same-sex relationships because "God cannot bless sin". However, in December 2023, it published Fiducia supplicans, a declaration allowing Catholic priests to bless people who are not considered to be married by the Church, including same-sex couples. Pope Francis has expressed support for civil unions to protect gay couples, stating that "if a homosexual couple wants to lead a life together, the State has the possibility to give them safety, stability, inheritance".
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Catholics' views on stem cell research
Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptised Catholics worldwide as of 2025. The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is led by the pope, who is the bishop of Rome. The Church has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilisation.
The Catholic Church is not opposed to all forms of stem cell research. It supports ethically acceptable stem cell research that does not involve the destruction of human embryos. The Church has championed adult stem cell research, which does not involve human embryonic stem cells. In 2005, Catholic bishops in South Korea raised and donated approximately $10 million to advance adult stem cell research. Additionally, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney granted $50,000 to support a breakthrough in adult stem cell research in Australia in March 2005.
The Church's objection to certain forms of stem cell research is based on its belief in the dignity and equal moral worth of every human life. It opposes research that destroys some lives to enhance others. The Church considers the human embryo a living, whole, and integrated member of the human species, and thus, opposes research involving human embryonic stem cells, which requires the destruction of the embryo. However, the Church encourages research using adult stem cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which do not present the same ethical concerns.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics' views on social and political issues in the US tend to closely resemble the views of the US public as a whole. However, there are some noticeable differences in the views of Catholics who attend church regularly and those who do not. For example, Catholics are slightly more supportive of gay marriage than the general public, but opposition to gay marriage is much higher among church-going Catholics.
From the 17th century onwards, the Enlightenment questioned the power and influence of the Catholic Church in Western society. Writers such as Voltaire criticised the Church, targeting the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, which ended religious tolerance in France. The French Revolution shifted power to the state, causing the destruction of churches and the martyrdom of nuns. However, the Catholic Church remains the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptised Catholics worldwide as of 2025.
The Catholic Church has had a significant influence on the history and development of Western civilisation, particularly in Europe and the Americas. While the Church is declining in Western Europe and parts of the US, it is growing in other parts of the world, such as Africa and Asia. Immigration has also boosted the US Catholic Church, with immigrants and refugees from Asia and Latin America contributing to its diversity.
