Growing disapproval of Pope Francis found among Americans, U.S. Catholics: poll

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A new poll shows growing displeasure among Americans and U.S. Catholics for Pope Francis, who nonetheless maintains high approval ratings.

In a Gallup poll conducted Dec. 1-20, a new high of 30% of Americans held an unfavorable view of Francis and 58% held a favorable view. Among U.S. Catholics, a record 17% disapproved of the pope and 77% approved.

Gallup said Thursday that the Vatican’s Dec. 18 announcement that priests can bless individuals in “irregular” relationships, including same-sex pairings, did not have a significant impact on the poll results.

The survey was conducted after Francis removed Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, a staunch critic who accused the pontiff of “undermining the deposit of faith” in the church.

Francis, who turned 87 last month, has been in office for 10 years. He is the first Jesuit and the first South American to be elected pope, which came after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who died Dec. 31, 2022.

At the start of his papacy, Francis had a 58% favorability rating among Americans and 80% among U.S. Catholics. Those numbers grew the following year, when Francis had 76% support among Americans and 89% among U.S. Catholics, Gallup said.

The pope’s favorability rating among American Catholics has fluctuated during his tenure. In July 2015, displeasure among self-described political conservatives cut his approval rating to 71%, which rebounded to 87% three months later after he visited the U.S.

The results of the Pennsylvania attorney general’s investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by clergy in September 2018 led to a 53% favorability rating for the pope among Americans, Gallup said. The favorability rating among U.S. Catholics has remained around the 80% mark, the pollster said.

Gallup reported that Americans who describe themselves as politically liberal give the pope their highest favorable rating, 70%, while 66% of moderates and 42% of conservatives give him their approval.

The poll was conducted via telephone interviews among a random sample of 1,013 adults living in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.