Pope Benedict XVI Recognizes Powerful Effect Of Marriage Strike On Catholic Marriages in U.S.? ~by Legal Pub

Did the Pope just recognize that the Marriage Strike Movement in the U.S. is having an effect on the Catholic Church? Yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI discussed the sex abuse scandal in the Church, pornography, and the "alarming decrease" in Catholic marriages in the United States. Marriage Strike LINK

The Pope recognized the U.S is a religious country by saying, "From the dawn of the republic, America's quest for freedom has been guided by the conviction that the principles governing political and social life are intimately linked to a moral order based on the dominion of God the creator." Yet, the Pope recognized that the number of Catholic marriages have hit the skids. Why? The Pope Jeopardy Game may enlighten you on what appears to be going on in the Holy Church.

Do Catholics regularly follow all of the Church's rules? Survey says... Pope Benedict XVI's election has revealed an intense interest in faith among some young people; however, the membership does not follow or believe in all of the Church's rules. For example, few parishioners go to confession. Similarly, most catholics believed they could be good Catholics without going to Mass. (The survey was conducted in February by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolic at Georgetown University.)

The Catholic Church's reaction? Survey says... (Well not exactly.) San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer was encouraged by a showing of faith but apparently thought it demonstrates a need for better religious instruction as opposed to the Church adapting to the times. "The challenge for church leaders is to help them see what Catholicism really means," said the Archbishop.

While the Pope prays for a "time of spiritual renewal for all Americans," do the Catholic parishioners pray that their Church adapts to their needs in 2008?

The survey says... eighty percent of Catholics were somewhat or very satisfied with the Pope's leadership.

Who are the most satisfied? Survey says Catholics born before 1960 or after 1980 tend to be the most faithful parishioners.

Is the fundamental belief involving the Eucharist still upheld? Survey says... among those who attend Mass at least once a month, a vast majority still believe that Christ is present in the Eucharist.

How about Lent? Survey says... Young regular Mass-goers tend to be the ones who most observe Lent and abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. Young people are also more likely to to pray to saints.

How is mass attendance? Survey says... Only 36 percent of the younger Catholics attend Mass at least once a month. 64 percent of the older generation attend Mass at least once a month. Yet sixty-eight percent of all Catholics believed they could be in good standing with the church without going to weekly Mass. (This could explain a decrease in weekly donations.) Apparently one-third of the nation's 64 million Catholics on average attend Mass. Thirty percent go to confession less than once a year and 45 percent said they never go.

Philanthropy? Survey says... two-thirds of Catholics believe there is a moral duty for Catholics to financially aid the less privileged.

Birth Control? In other studies it has been estimated that over 80% of all Catholics ignore the Church's prohibition on birth control.

Satisfaction with current local church leaders? Survey says... Seventy-two percent of Catholics were somewhat or very satisfied with their local bishops' leadership, a 14% higher then in 2004, when clergy sex abuse was dominating the headlines.

Conclusion: If you play the Pope Jeopardy Game to it's ultimate conclusion, Catholics like the Pope, like their Bishop, like their faith, but they don't follow all of the rules. An alarming number are no longer getting married. Most believe the prohibition on birth control is out of touch with reality. Yet they still consider themselves good Catholics. Does the Church still consider them good Catholics?