As promised, here is an in depth analysis of the Boston Globe's recent poll on Catholic opinions within the Archdiocese of Boston. I've copied the entire companion article by Michael Paulson, which ran on May 11th, into my blog here for my own convenience, however you can read it on their site here. I have altered certain portions of the article below with bold, italics and/or underline to call attention to a specific point. My own analysis and dissection of the Globe's agenda follows most sections in italics and parenthesis. I hope you find this useful. Catholics want change, poll finds Seek archbishop open to new ideas By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff, 5/11/2003 Boston-area Catholics, increasingly alienated by the sexual abuse crisis that has rocked the church, say the characteristic they would most like to see in a new archbishop is openness to change, according to a new Boston Globe poll. Overwhelming majorities of Catholics living in the Archdiocese of Boston still have favorable opinions of their own parish priests and of Pope John Paul II, and 41 percent say their faith is very important to their everyday lives. (According to the poll, they have no idea what that faith is or what it means, so this begs the questions – do they know what it is they have faith in? The CCC tells us that by Faith, “man completely submits his intellect and his will to God….Sacred Scripture calls this human response to God…’the obedience of faith’”) But nearly one in five Catholics say they have considered joining a non-Catholic church over the past year, and 39 percent say they would support an American Catholic church that is independent of the Vatican. Majorities say they want the church to embrace more "modern" attitudes on social issues and they want the next archbishop to be more collaborative with laypeople and priests. (Obviously those polled have no clear understanding of what it is to be catholic – they are not only lacking in their own catechetical training, but more importantly in the desire to understand their own faith. As Catholics, we believe the Church to be One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. Which is to say, if those 39% want a church independent of the Vatican and are unable or unwilling to know and understand the whys of the Catholic Church, perhaps they should consider one of the innumerable Protestant denominational churches available. Furthermore, we believe and accept in faith that Christ instituted the Church by the gift of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. In turn, he named Peter as the head of the Church, and the remaining apostles became our first bishops. As a faith, we believe that by ordination, the Bishops of today are the direct successors of the first bishops. As such, today, like the people of the early church, we entrust to the bishops “the office of teaching, sanctifying and governing in his name and by his power.” (CCC 873). Regarding modern social attitudes. This is a common reformist/modernist cause – for the church to be more accepting. What is implied here is that the Church refuses to accept certain people. This is patently untrue. The Church, like Christ, is open and welcoming to all who wish to come and celebrate – especially sinners (which means us all). What the Church is not accepting of is today’s latest fad social issue. Homosexuality is contrary to moral law, as is abortion and contraception, etc. Therefore, in our mission to be more Christ like, we are to do all we can to avoid these grave sins. The Church, understanding as Christ did, that humans will falter and fail, does not cast out those who fail. Rather, as the corporal works of mercy suggest, we chose instead to admonish and correct the sin, while loving the sinner. Many claim that homosexuality, or abortion or contraception (to name a few) are not sins, but choices or lifestyles, as if there were no difference between choosing to have an abortion choosing to have a haircut. Moral relativism is a cancer that needs to be eradicated – but eradicated in a loving manner. Ostracism does us no good in the long run.) The poll found that despite a number of efforts by the archdiocese to address the crisis, including the ouster of several dozen allegedly abusive priests, new abuse prevention programs in all parishes, and a five-week Lenten healing and reconciliation program, 62 percent of area Catholics now say the abuse crisis has caused them to lose confidence in their church as an institution. That number is actually higher than it was before the archdiocese began to respond to the crisis, and it has grown steadily over the last 11 years, starting with revelations that a Fall River priest, James R. Porter, was a serial pedophile, and escalating since last year, when the Globe revealed details of the church's mishandling of the case of the Rev. John J. Geoghan, another serial pedophile, and dozens of other Boston-area priests. The poll points to a number of challenges facing the next archbishop of Boston, who will be chosen by the pope to replace Cardinal Bernard F. Law. The archdiocese is currently being managed by Bishop Richard G. Lennon, an interim administrator named by the pope when Law resigned last December. The ranks of local Catholics who say the abuse crisis has caused them to donate less money to the church continue to grow, with 44 percent putting themselves in that category now, up from 31 percent in an April 2002 Globe poll. Other indicators of alienation have also trended upward: 27 percent say the crisis has caused them to attend Mass less regularly; 18 percent say it has caused them to lose faith as a Christian; and 18 percent of those with children say they are now less likely to encourage their children to practice Catholicism. Those numbers have been reflected in the pews and the collection baskets: Church officials say attendance has dropped 14 percent, and the revenue from the church's annual fund-raising appeal dropped 47 percent, from 2001 to 2002. (While no doubt the crisis has hit the Diocesan pocket books, so too has the local sagging economy, and yet the poll attributes single handedly the decline in contributions to the crisis, without addressing the more significant result capture in their statistics, which is that 55% of local Catholics still give at the same rate – even with a bad economy. Without question, had the poll asked if the economy was a contributing factor in donating less, nearly 100% of the respondents would have answered yes. Regarding the percent of those who are less likely to encourage their children to practice Catholicism. This is terribly unfortunate as the church has so much to offer to kids. Yet based on the results of those polled, it seems rather obvious that the parents wouldn’t even recognize it if their kids were practicing Catholics.) Complete results of this poll, along with results from previous surveys, will be available online tomorrow. "I used to give to the Cardinal's Appeal and to go to his Garden Party [fund-raiser], but now I absolutely would not send money and my husband would have a fit if I did," said Nancy Nee Hanifin, 41, of Jamaica Plain, a title examiner who attends weekly Mass and teaches religious education at Infant Jesus-St. Lawrence Church in Brookline. "That's the only way they're going to get the message," she said in a follow-up interview. "They didn't care about the children, and this is the only way they're going to change. I see a schism between us and the chancery." (The attitude that the priests and the Catholic Leadership from Cardinal Law on down didn’t care about the children is very troubling and even more difficult to address. Defending the Church and especially the leadership at this time does nothing but draw the ire of the “Catholics” who see it as apologetic for the diocese. Well, it is apologetic – in its purely Catholic form. It’s a defense of the institutional Church, which Cardinal Law remains a part. Cardinal Law made mistakes – grave mistakes – which are all laid bare for us all to see now. We now know he was wrong in his analysis of the severity of the situation, and his many efforts at treating abusive priests did not stop the problem. Yet misguided as he was, he was trying to produce results and save the lives of both priests and children. While we know he ultimately failed to a certain degree, we cannot simply conclude that he and the entire leadership of the entire church didn’t care about the children. If that were the case, which it is obviously not, the victim toll would be far larger than the 500 we have today. All we know about the Cardinal prior to his fall, indicates that if anything his mistakes came more from being too open hearted than not enough. There was a sincere, albeit naïve, belief in rehab. But the indication that he didn’t care just doesn’t hold merit. My point is this – if you are retaining a grudge against Cardinal Law and the Church, please pray for forgiveness. Pray for your ability to forgive and for the Holy Spirit to heal those men and comfort the families of the abused. But please, do not hold money from the diocese, which happens to be the largest provider of charitable organizations and services in the Boston area, as that would be punishing the whole for the faults of a few.) The Boston Globe poll was conducted by telephone from May 4 through May 6 by KRC/Communications Research, and involved 400 self-identified Catholics living in the Archdiocese of Boston. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. (Some side notes on KRC/Communications Research. First, they don't have a website to do any sort of research on their company. Second, they have a history of confirming Boston Globe article opinions. On 9/29/02, they polled 400 voters in Boston on the outcome of the governor’s race. They had Shannon Obrien as the winner. Then more recently on 4/8/03, they found that, in 400 people surveyed, a majority of Massachusetts’ citizens favor allowing gay marriage (50 vs. 44) a position the Globe supports. Draw your own conclusions. My point is simple. The Globe consistently uses KRS/Communications Research for their polling, and this firm consistently returns results favorable to Globe opinions. I challange them to show otherwise.) Although it has been five months since Law's resignation and 16 months since the scandal began, the poll suggests that alienation from the church is accelerating, and not dissipating as many church officials had hoped. Fifty-three percent say that "modernizing church attitudes on social issues," an item that does not appear on Lennon's agenda and is rarely discussed by bishops or cardinals, would be the step most likely to bring them closer to the church. (A very interesting note on “social issues.” This question comes after five seeming social issues questions: abortion, birth control, women priests, gay priests, priest to marry – all earmarks of anti-catholic left’s dogmatic attacks on the church. After these five questions, the poll asks in a very vague tone, which of the following would be most likely to bring you closer to the church personally? Of which the first available answer is “modernizing the church’s position on social issues.” The implication is of course, that the preceding five questions are the “social issues” the church needs to modernize. The question is like asking a child, “You want to have ice cream don’t you?” I certainly don’t mean to diminish the 400 people who took part in the poll. Rather, speaking from experience, and without reference or information on exactly what time this poll was conducted, most of these take place in the evening hours when distractions abound.) "I have two kids, and my daughter is asking me questions I can't answer, like why can't a woman be a priest," said Jeff Bard, 45, a marketing consultant from Rowley who says he attends Mass at St. Mary Church three of every four Sundays. Bard cited "openness to change" as his top priority for the church, and explained that by change he means ordaining women and married men, and dropping the prohibition on the use of artificial birth control. (This answer is just lazy and unacceptable, and I find myself embarrassed for this man. Seems by his comments he hasn’t figured out that his principal role as a father is the well being of his children. Frankly speaking, if your kids are asking you questions that you can’t answer, then find the answer for them or show them how to find it themselves! In other words, be a good parent – instead of a predictable quote in a Globe story that wants to criticize the Church and pass it off for news. Openness to change? What does that mean? Seems today, more people want their sacrifice and their faith like they want their Dunkin Donuts coffee – drive thru and made to order.) "The Catholic Church for so long has relied upon dogma, and hasn't kept up with the times, and as society has become more open and encompassing of all, the church has stayed in its own staid pattern," Bard said. "I used to accept that, but when the crisis hit, it shook everybody up, and maybe now, instead of us always answering to them, maybe they should answer to us." But a minority of those polled say the church has already changed too much, and the crisis is proof. (It’s amazing how Americans want the church to change to meet the needs and demands of our culture. Think about this for a minute. Aside from the theological reasons for the church relying on dogma (i.e. it was given to us by Christ) The Catholic Church is in every country in the world and has over 1 billion members. Should it change for every country that doesn’t like the way it’s set up. How if Catholic Christians in the middle east decided that the church needed to keep up with “their times,” and as such, began pressuring the Vatican to accept the practice of immediate executions all who were caught in adulterous/homosexual relationships (a cultural penalty imposed in all Islamic countries.) The left and modernist movements of the American Catholic Church would go crazy about how this wasn’t being “open to change.” The point here is there are actions and behaviors that are wrong according to moral law – i.e. homosexuality, abortion, etc., but still deserving of our forgiveness and mercy. The church is the standard bearer for the world. ) "I don't see any need for change, and as a matter of fact, I think there's been too much change," said Muriel F. Finn of Quincy, who said she is in her mid-80s and is a weekly communicant at St. John the Baptist Church. "I don't agree with these so-called liberal Catholics at all. The point is that the priests who have done the molestation are homosexuals, and they pulled the wool over the eyes of the priests in charge, and Cardinal Law didn't realize how serious things were." (Interesting how the 45 year old who believes the church is staid and is all for modernization, is contrasted against the 80 year old who thinks it’s changed too much. The parallel conclusion is that the church is too old and needs to change, much like the 80-year-old women. It’s so obvious it patronizing.) A plurality of local Catholics say the requirement of priestly celibacy is the primary cause of clergy sexual abuse. An overwhelming 86 percent majority of local Catholics -- the highest ever in a Globe poll -- say they would now support allowing priests to marry, and 80 percent, another record in Globe polling, say they would support the ordination of women as priests. The support for the ordination of women and married men cuts across all demographic categories -- even among weekly communicants and senior citizens. (Time and time again, celibacy is shown to have nothing to do with sexual abuse, and yet the propagation goes on. If celibacy were the issue, the Anglican Church would not have the same problem we are having, nor would any other Christian denomination. And yet the rate of sexual abuse of minors is much higher in protestant denominations – where preachers are allowed to marry – than in the Catholic Church. Yet this is never reported. Again, journalistic malfeasance. As for women being ordained priests. They can’t. If you don’t get it, read the CCC. If you still don’t get it, you’re not going to. I’ll pray for you.) Asked to describe the ideal relationship between an archbishop and his flock, a majority chose a middle ground, saying that the archbishop should not simply lead or simply follow, but should respond to the views of priests and laypeople to set a cooperativecourse. (The bishop should not lead or follow, but respond. That’s the best wishy-washy euphemism for Protestantism I’ve ever heard. The bottom line that the poll wants us to believe is that by taking the middle ground we can become moderate and reasonable Catholics vs. the right wing, Stone Age zealots that we must therefore be, when we profess to believe the bishop is an apostolic successor to the first apostles, whom Christ commissioned to spread his word. ) An explanation for the crisis often put forward by some conservative Catholics -- that there are too many gay men in the priesthood and those gay men have molested adolescent boys -- finds little support from local Catholics. Only 9 percent say homosexuality in the priesthood is the primary cause of the abuse crisis, 59 percent say they would oppose prohibiting gay men from the priesthood, and 61 percent say they disagree with the church's position on homosexuality. (Another interesting point here is this: Up until this point in the article, Catholics are not qualified as anything but “Catholics.” Now here, set against the background of gays in the priesthood, suddenly anyone who believes gays in the priesthood has caused real problems, is labeled as a conservative. Conservative equals homophobic Neanderthal (a.k.a. any Catholic who disagrees with the Boston Globe and knows why they disagree). Finally, it is worth noting that being a homosexual doesn’t implicitly make one a pedophile. However men who are sexually attracted to men, logically, are more likely to find boys sexually attractive then men who are heterosexual. It does not take rocket science to make that realization or analysis. See my follow up point on wording below in the specific poll questions I analyzed.) Although a significant plurality of local Catholics cited "openness to change" as the most important quality they would like to see in their next archbishop, those polled seem skeptical about the likelihood that the pope will choose someone who meets their goals. Just 18 percent said they were very confident that the pope will name an archbishop with the qualities they think are important. (Perhaps because the Pope knows that a Bishop is a leader and a teacher of the flock – Christ’s representative and standard-bearer for the community in which he serves. He is not an elected official that the Pope puts in place to appease and soothe the misgivings of the local Catholics. ) But most local Catholics surveyed also said they do not see the new archbishop as a key factor in their faith. And of the 400 Catholics interviewed, 35 percent said they go to Mass at least once a week, which, if true, means the Globe sample is more devout than the actual Catholic population. The last archdiocesan census, taken in October, found fewer than 300,000 of 2.1 million Catholics in church on Sunday, making actual weekly attendance less than 15 percent. Michael Paulson, the Globe's author of this article, can be reached at mpaulson@globe.com. I encourage anyone to write to him with opinions on his article. This story ran on page A1 of the Boston Globe on 5/11/2003. © Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company. Selected Poll Questions: Do you agree or disagree with the church's position on birth control? 75% disagree Do you agree or disagree with the church's position on abortion? 62% disagree Do you agree or disagree with the church's position on homosexuality? 61% disagree Editorial note: I am curious what percentage of those polled could actually articulate the Church's position on these issues. Do you support or oppose prohibiting gay men from becoming priests? 58.8% oppose Editorial note: This is a deceiving question. The catchword here is “prohibiting” – and it is stuck in after support or oppose. Anyone who has taken any standardized test with logical and reasoning questions will recognize the question as one intended to trip up the student. Also interesting is the attack in this poll on marriage. It is assumed that by ending celibacy in the priesthood, the sexual abuse problem will go away, an idea that has not logical or factual, basis whatsoever. Yet the Globe very overtly her in this question tells us that Catholics don’t mind the idea of Gay men becoming priests. So the logic here is – it’s safe to trust your little boy in the care of an openly gay priest. Married priests are safe too, but celibate priests are the root of all evil. The Globe then tells us that the sexual abuse problem is celibacy related, when it is clearly not, and then tries to tell us that homosexuals in the priesthood (statistics on homosexuals in general clearly point to a higher level of promiscuity than in heterosexuals) will safeguard Fuzzy logic. The argument makes for a good sound bite, but like the majority of Globe opinions, its amazingly low on facts and clearly morally empty. As a future step, would you support or oppose an American Catholic church that is independent of the Vatican? 52.% support Editorial note: Protestantism anyone? Which of the following do you consider to be the most important problem facing the Boston Catholic archdiocese today? 40% addressing the sexual abuse crisis Editorial note: Funny how the most important problem facing the diocese is addressing the clergy sexual abuse crisis, but the most important quality of the new bishop is for him to be open to change vs. addressing the crisis by a 43.9% to 13.4% Which of the following would be the most important quality you would like to see in the next archbishop? 43% openness to change Editorial note: Again, here is a question that takes one undefined euphemism and puts it at the top of 6 other clearly defined needs. What exactly does “openness to change” mean? It’s undefined on purpose because it allows the Globe to define what change the new bishop should be open to – i.e. ordination of women, gays, married priests, abortion, contraception, etc., etc., etc. Which of the following do you see as the primary cause for the problem of clergy sexual abuse? 29% the celibacy that is required of priests (this was the majority). Editorial note: What about fidelity to Christ’s teaching? What about Fidelity to the Church’s teaching? What about a Moral Compass? What about a sense of right and wrong in those evil men who preyed on young boys? What about a lack of faith? What about penance and reconciliation? Why is celibacy listed as the top choice of those to choose from? Because Catholicism doesn’t fit into the Globe’s social and worldview. Simple. Has what you've learned about sexual abuse of children by priests caused you to donate less money to the church than before, or has it not? 55% say it has not Editorial note: Interesting note here – the article sites that 44.1 % of the Catholics give less to the church because of the crisis, but fails to point out that well over half of those polled have not donated less. Simple – most readers won’t analyze the poll and the Globe wants you to believe that the Crisis is worse that it really is. Contributions are down because the economy is in the tanks. It is not helped by this crisis, but the crisis alone is not single-handedly killing the church’s bank account. Has what you've learned about sexual abuse of children by priests made you less likely to encourage your children to practice Catholicism, or has it not? 28% said it has made them less likely to encourage their children to practice the faith. Editorial note: A note on wording here. The overwhelming majority of abuse victims were boys, yet the word “children” is substituted. Why? Because to highlight that male priests molested young boys, highlights that it is not a celibacy issue, but primarily a pedophilia and homosexual issue. Is your opinion of the organization called Voice of the Faithful extremely favorable, favorable, unfavorable, or extremely unfavorable? 51% favorable Editorial note: Of course – this has been the go-to catholic group for the Globe. Never mind that the Globe, in writing on Catholicism, immediately undermines its credibility in any situation where it quotes VOTF. Why – because it’s a heretical group, and Catholics know this. Funny how clergy groups, lay groups or prelatures like Knights of Columbus or Opus Dei are never sought after. In terms of the following categories, how old are you? Editorial note: This one question demonstrates the bottom line analysis for this entire poll and article. In one simple statistic, the Globe has done the Archdiocese of Boston a tremendous service by conducting for it a demographic survey of where the breakdown in understanding Catholicism has occurred. 44.8% of respondents were born between 1954 and 1973, demonstrating a catastrophic breakdown in catechism in the period roughly between 1964 and 1983. If there is one good, albeit unintended consequence, of this poll, is that it highlights for the Archdiocese their target audience for evangelization.

posted by Michael Lee on 5/18/2003 03:53:00 PM | link |

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