Despite disagreements, Catholic women said to be committed to church

Published: 2005-12-08

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Despite what she called a "limited opportunity structure" for women in the Catholic Church and widespread disagreement by both sexes with some church teachings, Catholic women remain deeply committed to the church, a sociology professor said Dec. 7. Michele Dillon, a professor at the University of New Hampshire, spoke at The Catholic University of America on "Catholic Women in a Changing Church." Citing studies over the past several decades, Dillon said Americans continue to value religion and a majority of U.S. Catholics consistently say that their Catholicism is very important to their identity, in spite of huge changes in U.S. society. "This contradicts the theory that religion will wither away," she said. "And it is at odds with data showing that Catholics are disaffected and at odds with church teachings." But Dillon said polls show many Catholics disagree with church teachings on birth control, divorce, abortion, the ordination of women to the priesthood and priestly celibacy. But those who remain Catholic consider those stands "ultimately irrelevant" to their identity as Catholics, she said.

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