{"id":187451,"date":"2024-09-26T09:54:05","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T13:54:05","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-12-12T14:06:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T19:06:22","slug":"many-catholics-in-the-us-and-latin-america-want-the-church-to-allow-birth-control-and-to-let-women-become-priests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/09\/26\/many-catholics-in-the-us-and-latin-america-want-the-church-to-allow-birth-control-and-to-let-women-become-priests\/","title":{"rendered":"Many Catholics in the U.S. and Latin America Want the Church to Allow Birth Control and to Let Women Become Priests"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-640-wide\"><img data-dominant-color=\"8b766b\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #8b766b;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?resize=480,270 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?resize=782,440 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?resize=960,540 960w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?resize=1564,880 1564w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?resize=1600,900 1600w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?resize=4074,2292 4074w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives in the popemobile to celebrate an open-air Mass in Villavicencio, Colombia, on Sept. 8, 2017.\" class=\"wp-image-187468 not-transparent\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives in the popemobile to celebrate an open-air Mass in Villavicencio, Colombia, on Sept. 8, 2017. (Alberto Pizzoli\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"how-we-did-this\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;how-we-did-this&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>How we did this<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This Pew Research Center analysis explores views on the Catholic Church and Pope Francis among Catholics in Latin America and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All seven countries in the survey have Catholic populations that rank among the world\u2019s 25 largest \u2013 notably including Brazil (largest), Mexico (second-largest) and the U.S. (fourth-largest) \u2013 according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticanum.com\/en\/annuarium-statisticum-ecclesiae-2021-statistical-yearbook-of-the-church-2021-annuaire-statistique-de-l-eglise-2021\">Vatican\u2019s 2021 Statistical Yearbook of the Church<\/a>. And the six Latin American countries surveyed account for roughly three-quarters of the region\u2019s Catholics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For non-U.S. data, this analysis draws on nationally representative surveys of 6,234 adults \u2013 including 3,655 Catholics \u2013 conducted from Jan. 22 to April 27, 2024. Surveys were conducted face-to-face in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the U.S., we surveyed 12,693 respondents from Feb. 13 to 25, 2024, including 2,021 Catholics. Most of the survey\u2019s respondents (10,642) \u2013 including all of the survey\u2019s Catholic respondents \u2013 are members of the American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel recruited through national random sampling of residential addresses, which gives nearly all U.S. adults a chance of selection. Read more about the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/our-methods\/u-s-surveys\/the-american-trends-panel\/\">ATP\u2019s methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The remaining respondents (2,051) are members of three other panels: the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, the NORC Amerispeak Panel and the SSRS Opinion Panel. All three are national survey panels recruited through random sampling (not \u201copt-in\u201d polls). We used these additional panels to ensure that the survey would have enough Jewish and Muslim respondents to be able to report on their views. (While Jewish and Muslim respondents are not discussed in this particular report that focuses on Catholic topics, they are discussed in <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2024\/04\/02\/rising-numbers-of-americans-say-jews-and-muslims-face-a-lot-of-discrimination\/\">other reports<\/a> based on <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2024\/03\/21\/majority-in-u-s-say-israel-has-valid-reasons-for-fighting-fewer-say-the-same-about-hamas\/\">this survey<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. data is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education, religious affiliation and other categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_topline.pdf\">questions used<\/a>&nbsp;for the report, along with responses, and <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/09\/26\/catholics-us-latin-america-methodology\/\">the&nbsp;survey methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This analysis was produced by Pew Research Center as part of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/topic\/religion\/religious-demographics\/pew-templeton-global-religious-futures-project\/\">Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project<\/a>, which analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world. Funding for the Global Religious Futures project comes from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John Templeton Foundation (grant 63095). This publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new survey by Pew Research Center asked Catholics in six Latin American countries and the United States how they think the church should handle a variety of matters related to contraception, the priesthood and sexuality. Among the main findings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=187471\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e8ebec\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e8ebec;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-01.png?resize=480,1042 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-01.png?resize=620,1346 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"673\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-01.png?w=310\" alt=\"Bar chart showing majorities of Catholics say the church should allow use of birth control, ordain women priests\" class=\"wp-image-187471 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Most Catholics in all seven countries<\/strong> <strong>want the church to allow Catholics to use birth control.<\/strong> The shares saying this range from 86% in Argentina to 63% in Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In most of the countries surveyed, <strong>majorities of Catholics also say the church should<\/strong> <strong>allow women to become priests.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Opinion is more divided on whether the church should<\/strong> <strong>allow priests to get married.<\/strong> Roughly two-thirds of Catholics in Argentina, Chile and the U.S. are in favor, but majorities in Mexico and Peru say the church should <em>not<\/em> allow priests to marry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Views on whether the church should recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples vary among Catholics in the countries surveyed. <\/strong>Majorities of Catholics in Argentina and Chile say the church should recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples, and just over half of U.S. Catholics agree. In the other four countries, fewer than half take this stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The survey also finds that Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, remains broadly popular among Catholics across the region \u2013 though his favorability ratings are lower now than they were a decade ago, shortly after his papacy began in March 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=187548\"><img data-dominant-color=\"eff1f2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #eff1f2;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-02.png?resize=480,991 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-02.png?resize=620,1280 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"640\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-02.png?w=310\" alt=\"Line chart showing most Latin American Catholics see Pope Francis favorably, though these shares are smaller than a decade ago\" class=\"wp-image-187548 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decrease in favorability has been sharpest among Catholics in Argentina, his country of birth. <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2014\/11\/13\/chapter-9-views-of-pope-francis-and-the-catholic-church\/\">Ten years ago<\/a>, nearly all Catholics surveyed there (98%) expressed a favorable opinion of Francis, compared with 74% today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And in the U.S., where a <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2014\/03\/06\/catholics-view-pope-francis-as-a-change-for-the-better\/\">February 2014 survey<\/a> found that 85% of Catholics viewed the pope favorably, 75% <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/04\/12\/majority-of-u-s-catholics-express-favorable-view-of-pope-francis\/\">now take that view<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most Catholics surveyed also say Francis represents a change in the Catholic Church\u2019s direction, with more of them calling it a <em>major<\/em> change than a minor one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are among the key findings of a survey of 5,676 Catholics, conducted in English, Spanish and Portuguese from January through April 2024 in seven countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rest of this report explores these findings in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>More than a dozen of our surveys have measured U.S. Catholics\u2019 favorability toward Pope Francis since the start of his papacy. Find this more detailed U.S. trend in our recent report, \u201c<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/04\/12\/majority-of-u-s-catholics-express-favorable-view-of-pope-francis\/\"><em>Majority of U.S. Catholics Express Favorable View of Pope Francis<\/em><\/a><em>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"how-we-worded-these-questions\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;how-we-worded-these-questions&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>How we worded these questions<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We used simple, common phrases in the survey questions about some steps that Catholics would \u2013 or would not \u2013 like to see the church take. Our goal was to make the questions easy to understand for as many respondents as possible. In some cases, the wording of the questions involved a trade-off between broad understandability and theological nuance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, one question asks whether the church should \u201callow priests to get married.\u201d This would not, strictly speaking, be a change in doctrine. The Catholic Church already allows married priests&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncronline.org\/news\/father-josh-married-catholic-priest-celibate-world\">under certain circumstances<\/a>, such as if a man was married before being&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/nation\/la-na-pope-married-priests-2017-story.html\">ordained in an Eastern Catholic Church<\/a>. Technically, the church considers the rule of celibacy for priests to be a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.americamagazine.org\/faith\/2002\/10\/28\/history-behind-celibacy-and-priesthood\">\u201cdiscipline\u201d rather than a doctrine<\/a>. Nonetheless, allowing parish priests to get married and continue in their duties would represent a big change in the everyday life of the church in the United States and Latin America.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Similarly, another question asks whether the church should allow unmarried Catholics who \u201care living with a romantic partner\u201d to receive Communion. Actually, Catholicism has no rule against unmarried people living together. The church\u2019s teaching is that&nbsp;<em>sexual activity outside of marriage<\/em>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/catechism\/en\/part_three\/section_two\/chapter_two\/article_6\/iv_offenses_against_the_dignity_of_marriage.html#:~:text=the%20sexual%20act%20must%20take,excludes%20one%20from%20sacramental%20communion.\">is a grave sin<\/a>, and that anyone \u201cconscious of a grave sin\u201d should&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/catechism\/en\/part_two\/section_two\/chapter_one\/article_3\/vi_the_paschal_banquet.html\">not take Communion<\/a>&nbsp;unless they have been to confession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet another example concerns contraception. The survey asks whether the church should allow Catholics to \u201cuse birth control.\u201d But the church does not object to married couples using&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usccb.org\/topics\/natural-family-planning\">natural methods<\/a>&nbsp;(i.e., abstaining from sex during fertile periods) to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/catechism\/en\/part_three\/section_two\/chapter_two\/article_6\/iii_the_love_of_husband_and_wife.index.html\">\u201cspace the births of their children.\u201d<\/a>&nbsp;Rather, the objection is to using methods that prevent the sexual act from resulting in conception, including&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.americamagazine.org\/content\/dispatches\/catholic-scholars-duel-over-contraception\">\u201ccondoms, hormonal birth control pills and sterilization.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;views-of-pope-francis&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"views-of-pope-francis\">Views of Pope Francis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In every Latin American country surveyed, as well as the United States, approximately two-thirds or more Catholics express a favorable view of Pope Francis, including 88% in Colombia and 84% in Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2024\/09\/26\/how-people-in-latin-america-and-the-u-s-view-pope-francis\/\">How people in Latin America and the U.S. view Pope Francis<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=187477\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e0e7e9\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e0e7e9;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-03.png?resize=480,465 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-03.png?resize=782,758 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-03.png?resize=840,814 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"407\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-03.png?w=840\" alt=\"Bar chart showing most Catholics have a favorable view of Pope Francis\" class=\"wp-image-187477 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Colombia is the only country surveyed where at least half of Catholics express a <em>very<\/em> favorable view of Francis. In the other countries, these shares range from 40% in Argentina to 23% in Chile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Catholics who pray daily generally are more likely than those who pray less frequently to hold a very favorable view of Francis. For example, 40% of Mexican Catholics who pray daily say they view the pope very favorably, compared with 29% of other Catholics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;pope-francis-as-a-source-of-change-in-the-church&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pope-francis-as-a-source-of-change-in-the-church\">Pope Francis as a source of change in the church<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most Catholics surveyed say Pope Francis represents a change in the Catholic Church\u2019s direction. And they are more likely to say this is a <em>major<\/em> change than a <em>minor<\/em> change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=187476\"><img data-dominant-color=\"bbd0da\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #bbd0da;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-04.png?resize=480,539 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-04.png?resize=782,879 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-04.png?resize=840,944 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"472\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-04.png?w=840\" alt=\"Bar chart showing most Catholics in the U.S. and Latin America say the pope is bringing change to the Catholic Church\" class=\"wp-image-187476 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, in Colombia, 62% of Catholics say that he represents a major change in the church\u2019s direction, while just 19% say he is a <em>minor<\/em> change. Another 19% of Colombian Catholics say he represents no change at all for the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=187475\"><img data-dominant-color=\"d6e3e9\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #d6e3e9;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-05.png?resize=480,895 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-05.png?resize=620,1156 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"578\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-05.png?w=549\" alt=\"Bar chart showing most Catholics who see Francis very favorably also say he represents major change for the church\" class=\"wp-image-187475 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chilean Catholics, who tend to be less favorable toward Francis than Catholics in other surveyed countries, also stand out on this question. Nearly half say that Francis has not changed the church\u2019s direction, and the rest are divided on whether he has been a major (21%) or minor (26%) change for the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The view that Pope Francis represents a major change is especially strong among Catholics who say they have a very favorable view of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, 62% of Peruvian Catholics with a very favorable view of the pope also say he represents a major change in direction for the church, while 26% of Peruvian Catholics who view Francis less favorably say this.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;views-on-the-priesthood-contraception-and-sexuality&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"views-on-the-priesthood-contraception-and-sexuality\">Views on the priesthood, contraception and sexuality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On balance, most Catholics in Latin America and the U.S. say the Catholic Church should allow Catholics to use birth control, allow women to become priests and allow cohabiting couples to receive Communion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=187474\"><img data-dominant-color=\"b5cbd5\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #b5cbd5;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-06.png?resize=480,451 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-06.png?resize=782,735 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-06.png?resize=840,790 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"395\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-06.png?w=840\" alt=\"Heat map showing Peruvian Catholics least likely to say the church should recognize same-sex marriages\" class=\"wp-image-187474 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Catholic opinion in the countries surveyed is more divided on whether the church should let priests marry and whether it should recognize the marriages of same-sex couples. Catholic majorities in Argentina, Chile and the U.S. want the church to take both of these steps, while a majority of Peruvian Catholics do <em>not<\/em> want the church to take these steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Similarly, most Catholics in Mexico do not want the church to allow priests to get married, and a majority of Catholics in Colombia do not think the church should recognize marriages of same-sex couples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"views-by-measures-of-religiousness\">Views by measures of religiousness<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In general, Catholics who pray daily are <em>less<\/em> likely than other Catholics to say the church should take these steps. For example, 55% of Brazilian Catholics who pray daily say the church should allow Catholics to take Communion even if they are unmarried and living with a romantic partner. Meanwhile, among Catholics in Brazil who pray less often, 75% say this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Due to small sample sizes of Catholics who say they attend church weekly or more often, we are unable to show the differences in opinions on these survey questions between frequent Mass attenders and other Catholics in all the surveyed countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, in countries where the samples are large enough to allow reliable analysis, the broad pattern is similar to daily prayer: More traditionally observant Catholics are less likely to favor these ideas. In Mexico, for instance, 38% of Catholics who attend church at least weekly think the church should recognize gay and lesbian marriages, but among other Catholics, 52% say this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"views-by-age\">Views by age<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across Latin America, younger Catholics are more likely than others to say the church should take these steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=187473\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f3f3f2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f3f3f2;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-07.png?resize=480,521 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-07.png?resize=782,849 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-07.png?resize=840,912 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"456\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-07.png?w=840\" alt=\"Barbell chart showing in Latin America, younger Catholics are more likely to support women becoming priests\" class=\"wp-image-187473 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Colombia, for instance, 65% of 18- to 39-year-old Catholics think the church should allow women to become priests. Among older Colombian Catholics, 49% take this position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"views-over-time\">Views over time<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We also asked several of these questions in <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2014\/11\/13\/chapter-9-views-of-pope-francis-and-the-catholic-church\/#views-on-catholic-church-teachings\">our survey of religion in Latin America<\/a> a decade ago, and in surveys of U.S. Catholics conducted around the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The shares of Latin American Catholics who say the church should allow women to become priests have risen. In Argentina, these shares increased from 51% in 2013-14 to 71% in 2024, while in Mexico they increased from 31% to 47% over the same period. In the U.S., however, attitudes on this question among Catholics are in the same ballpark as they were a decade ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Views about the church allowing Catholics to use birth control have held fairly steady over the decade in most of the countries surveyed. The largest swings recorded in either direction were among Catholics in Peru (a 12 percentage point increase in wanting the church to take this step) and in Brazil (a 12-point <em>decrease<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, the shares of Catholics who say the church should allow priests to get married have remained relatively stable in the surveyed countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-640-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=187472\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f0f3f4\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f0f3f4;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-08.png?resize=480,395 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-08.png?resize=782,644 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-08.png?resize=960,791 960w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-08.png?resize=1200,988 1200w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-08.png?resize=1280,1054 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"527\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_0-08.png?w=1024\" alt=\"Line charts showing increasing support among Latin American Catholics for allowing women priests\" class=\"wp-image-187472 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>For more information on how attitudes on these issues have changed over time among U.S. Catholics \u2013 including the individual data points for all three surveys from 2013-15 that asked some of these questions \u2013 refer to our recent report, \u201c<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/04\/12\/majority-of-u-s-catholics-express-favorable-view-of-pope-francis\/#views-about-the-priesthood-contraception-sexuality\"><em>Majority of U.S. Catholics Express Favorable View of Pope Francis<\/em><\/a><em>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Views vary on other ideas, such as recognizing same-sex marriages. Most see Pope Francis as a change in the church\u2019s direction, and he\u2019s broadly popular.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":675,"featured_media":187468,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sub_headline":"Most view Pope Francis favorably, though his ratings have dropped","sub_title":"Most view Pope Francis favorably, though his ratings have dropped","_prc_public_revisions":[],"_ppp_expiration_hours":0,"_ppp_enabled":false,"ai_generated_summary":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"relatedPosts":[{"key":"_d0eieik1v","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2024\/09\/26\/how-people-in-latin-america-and-the-u-s-view-pope-francis\/","postId":187986,"title":"How people in Latin America and the U.S. view Pope Francis","date":"2024-09-26 09:50:49","label":"How people in Latin America and the U.S. view Pope Francis"},{"key":"_tvyjn9f8t","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/04\/12\/majority-of-u-s-catholics-express-favorable-view-of-pope-francis\/","postId":69252,"title":"Majority of U.S. Catholics Express Favorable View of Pope Francis","date":"2024-04-12 09:50:23","label":"Majority of U.S. Catholics Express Favorable View of Pope Francis"},{"key":"_carcni961","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2024\/04\/12\/9-facts-about-us-catholics\/","postId":7747,"title":"9 facts about U.S. Catholics","date":"2024-04-12 09:42:55","label":"9 facts about U.S. Catholics"},{"key":"_z0wtazy2y","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2014\/11\/13\/religion-in-latin-america\/","postId":72393,"title":"Religion in Latin America","date":"2014-11-13 00:02:13","label":"Religion in Latin America"},{"key":"_yzkjead50","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2023\/09\/20\/under-pope-francis-the-college-of-cardinals-has-become-less-european\/","postId":7871,"title":"Under Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals has become less European","date":"2023-09-20 16:10:49","label":"Under Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals has become less European"}],"reportMaterials":[{"key":"_m7krb9efk","type":"report","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_report.pdf","label":"Report PDF","attachmentId":187599},{"key":"_id23ikd6p","type":"topline","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_topline.pdf","label":"Topline","attachmentId":187490},{"key":"_b1a6bvj02","type":"link","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/09\/26\/religion-catholics-september-2024-press-release\/?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=translatedpressrelease&utm_id=pr-catholics","label":"Spanish: Muchos cat\u00f3licos en Latinoam\u00e9rica y los EE. UU. quieren que la Iglesia permita el uso de m\u00e9todos anticonceptivos y que permita que las mujeres puedan ser sacerdotes","icon":"link"},{"key":"_wthf5rtkr","type":"link","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2025\/12\/12\/errata-many-catholics-in-the-us-and-latin-america-want-the-church-to-allow-birth-control-and-to-let-women-become-priests\/","label":"Report errata","icon":"detailedTable"}],"multiSectionReport":[{"key":"_v861kzyhk","postId":187458},{"key":"_tookpyrkl","postId":187465}],"package_parts__enabled":false,"package_parts":[],"datacite_doi":"{ \"@context\": \"http:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"Report\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.58094\/faqx-f641\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/09\/26\/many-catholics-in-the-us-and-latin-america-want-the-church-to-allow-birth-control-and-to-let-women-become-priests\/\", \"name\": \"Many Catholics in the U.S. and Latin America Want the Church to Allow Birth Control and to Let Women Become Priests \", \"author\": [ { \"name\": \"Jonathan Evans\", \"givenName\": \"Jonathan\", \"familyName\": \"Evans\", \"affiliation\": { \"@type\": \"Organization\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/ror.org\/02tvvdy44\", \"name\": \"Pew Research Center\" }, \"@type\": \"Person\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3206-3439\" }, { \"name\": \"Kelsey Starr\", \"givenName\": \"Kelsey\", \"familyName\": \"Starr\", \"affiliation\": { \"@type\": \"Organization\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/ror.org\/02tvvdy44\", \"name\": \"Pew Research Center\" }, \"@type\": \"Person\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4525-9724\" } ], \"description\": \"This Pew Research Center analysis explores views on the Catholic Church and Pope Francis among Catholics in Latin America and the United States. Among the main findings are that most Catholics in all seven countries want the church to allow Catholics to use birth control, and that Pope Francis remains broadly popular among Catholics in these places, though his favorability ratings are lower now than they were a decade ago.\\n\\nThe Center conducted nationally representative surveys in seven countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and the U.S. For non-U.S. data, this analysis draws on face-to-face surveys of 6,234 adults\u2014including 3,655 Catholics\u2014conducted from Jan. 22 to April 27, 2024. In the U.S., the analysis was drawn from an online survey of 12,693 adults\u2014including 2,021 Catholics\u2014conducted from Feb. 13 to 25, 2024. The survey used Pew Research Center\u2019s American Trends Panel (ATP), as well as the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, the NORC Amerispeak Panel and the SSRS Opinion Panel. All four panels are national survey panels recruited through random sampling (not \u201copt-in\u201d polls).\\n\\nThis analysis was produced by Pew Research Center as part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, which analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world. Funding for the Global Religious Futures project comes from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John Templeton Foundation (grant 63095). This publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation. \", \"license\": \"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/about\/terms-and-conditions\/\", \"keywords\": \"Latin America, Catholic, Pope Francis, birth control, same-sex marriage, priests\", \"inLanguage\": \"en\", \"encodingFormat\": [ \"text\/html\", \"application\/pdf\" ], \"datePublished\": 2024, \"spatialCoverage\": [ { \"@type\": \"Place\", \"geo\": { \"@type\": \"GeoCoordinates\", \"address\": \"United States\" } }, { \"@type\": \"Place\", \"geo\": { \"@type\": \"GeoCoordinates\", \"address\": \"Latin America\" } }, { \"@type\": \"Place\", \"geo\": { \"@type\": \"GeoCoordinates\", \"address\": \"South America\" } } ], \"schemaVersion\": \"http:\/\/datacite.org\/schema\/kernel-4\", \"publisher\": { \"@type\": \"Organization\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/ror.org\/02tvvdy44\", \"name\": \"Pew Research Center\" }, \"funder\": [ { \"@id\": \"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.13039\/100000875\", \"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"Pew Charitable Trusts\" }, { \"@id\": \"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.13039\/100000925\", \"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"John Templeton Foundation\" } ], \"provider\": { \"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"datacite\" } }","datacite_doi_citation":"10.58094\/faqx-f641","_prc_seo_qr_attachment_id":0,"spoken_article_player_enabled":true,"displayBylines":true,"footnotes":"","prc_watchers":[],"_prc_fork_parent":0,"_prc_fork_status":"","_prc_active_fork":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[180,212,216,412,436,443,167,170],"tags":[],"bylines":[866,832],"collection":[],"datasets":[2774,2789],"level_of_effort":[],"primary_audience":[],"information_type":[],"_post_visibility":[],"formats":[458],"_fund_pool":[],"languages":[],"regions-countries":[514,513,509,515],"research-teams":[517],"workflow-status":[],"class_list":["post-187451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-catholicism","category-gender-leadership","category-gender-equality-discrimination","category-pew-templeton-global-religious-futures-project","category-pope-francis","category-religion-bioethics","category-religion-lgbtq-acceptance","category-religious-leaders-institutions","bylines-jonathan-evans","bylines-kelsey-jo-starr","datasets-american-trends-panel-wave-143","datasets-spring-2024-survey-data","formats-report","regions-countries-international","regions-countries-latin-america","regions-countries-mexico","regions-countries-united-states","research-teams-religion"],"label":false,"post_parent":0,"word_count":1983,"canonical_url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/09\/26\/many-catholics-in-the-us-and-latin-america-want-the-church-to-allow-birth-control-and-to-let-women-become-priests\/","art_direction":{"A2":{"id":187468,"rawUrl":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/09\/PR_2024.09.26_catholics-us-latin-america_featured.jpg?w=268&h=151&crop=1","width":268,"height":151,"caption":"Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives in the popemobile to celebrate an open-air Mass in Villavicencio, Colombia, on Sept. 8, 2017. 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