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	Catholics in Survey Say News Helps Shape Views Most Respondents Tell Pollsters They Pay Little Heed to News of Church Leaders By Renée K. Gadoua The Post-Standard [United States] April 4, 2007 http://www.syracuse.com/articles/news/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1175677894234360.xml&coll=1 The news media may be more effective than religious leaders in shaping the attitudes of Roman Catholics, suggests a Le Moyne College/Zogby International poll being released today. "Clearly, it looks as if Catholics are looking to the national news for their cues. They aren't going out of their way to see what the bishops are saying," said Matthew Loveland, a sociologist of religion who works with the Le Moyne/Zogby poll. Seventy-six percent of respondents in the national poll said they pay "a good deal" or "a lot" of attention to national news. But 52 percent of respondents said they pay "a little" or "no attention" to news about the pope. Seventy-five percent said they pay "a little" or "no attention" to news about the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Local pastors have the potential to strongly influence views, Loveland said. "The way the bishop can influence laity is through priests," he said, noting the survey found an 86 percent approval rate for local pastors. In response to a question about the status of the church five years after the clergy sex abuse scandal, 23 percent of respondents say the church is stronger, 41 percent say the church is weaker and 31 percent saw no change. The survey also found: • Sixty-five percent of people who identified themselves as conservative and 48 percent of those identified as liberal said "hatred of freedom" causes terrorism. • The approval rate for U.S. bishops remains at 70 percent, about the same rate as recorded in the fall. • The approval rate for bishops drops among people who say they are aware of a priest in their diocese publicly accused of sexual abuse. • The majority said religion provides guidance in their daily life, with 34 percent saying it provides "quite a bit" of guidance and 38 percent saying it provides "a great deal" of guidance. • Two-thirds of respondents who say religion is influential in their own lives say religion should have more influence on public life. Renee K. Gadoua can be reached at rgadoua@syracuse.com or 470-2203.
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