Pew poll: Americans think more highly of pope after his U.S. visit

Published: 2008-05-07

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States in April boosted his image among Americans, including Catholics, according to a recent survey. Sixty-one percent of the 1,000 people surveyed by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life April 23-30, just days after his U.S. trip, said they view the pope favorably. In March, 52 percent of those surveyed had the same response. Among Catholics, the pope's favorable rating rose to 83 percent in April, up from 74 percent in March. The survey included 232 Catholics. The survey also found that nearly half of the responding Catholics (49 percent) say they have a very favorable opinion of the pope, up from 36 percent in March. Among all Americans, 22 percent of those surveyed said they had a very favorable view of the pope. The pope also received improved marks for promoting good relations with other religions between March and April, especially among Protestants in the survey.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .