New York: Americans have an overwhelmingly positive view of Pope Benedict XVI, says a poll released ahead of his week-long visit to the US beginning April 15. By a ratio of four and a half to one (58 per cent to 13 per cent), respondents said that they have a favourable or very favorable view of Pope Benedict.
The poll also found that an even higher percentage 65 per cent - has a favourable view of the Catholic Church but 28 per cent have a negative view. Forty-two per cent of Americans said that they would like to attend one of the Pope's public appearances while he is in the United States, and 66 per cent of Catholics said they would like to attend one of the events.
Pope Benedict will be celebrating large open-air Masses in Washington DC and New York City and will participate in several smaller gatherings with Catholic educators, seminarians and leaders of other religious faiths. He will also address the United Nations General Assembly. The poll was commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion between February 25 and March 5. The results were announced by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.
The respondent want to hear Pope Benedict talk about allowing God to be a part of their daily lives (73 per cent), finding spiritual fulfillment by sharing their time and talent (71 per cent) and how they can make a positive difference in the world. Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) expressed an interest in hearing Pope Benedict talk about how they can have a society where spiritual values play an important role.
"The bottom line," Anderson said, "is that, despite years of very negative stories about the Catholic Church scandals, and dissenting view of the Pope", the American people have a very balanced view of Benedict and the Church.
