US Catholics Want Focus on Poor, Not Abortions

Poll goes against focus of many bishops

Most U.S. Catholics think the church should focus more on social justice and helping the poor,
even if it means focusing less on issues like abortion, according to a poll released Monday by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute.

The 2012 American Values Survey finding on Catholics goes against the focus of many U.S. Catholic bishops, who have stressed the church's ban on abortion and artificial contraception in their public policy statements.