PRACTICING Catholics more likely than general public to back homosexual unions

Only 31% of Catholics who attend Mass at least weekly oppose granting legal recognition to homosexual unions, according to a new report by the Public Religion Research Institute. 64% favor some sort of legal recognition of homosexual unions, with 26% favoring same-sex marriage and 38% favoring homosexual civil unions.

In 2003, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reiterated the Church's opposition to any form of legal recognition of homosexual unions.

Overall, only 22% of Catholics oppose granting legal recognition to homosexual unions. 43% favor same-sex marriage, while 31% favor homosexual civil unions.

Latino Catholics are more likely to be faithful to Church teaching on this issue than are white Catholics. 30% of Latino Catholics oppose the legal recognition of homosexual unions; only 19% of white Catholics do. In contrast, 58% of white evangelicals, 52% of black Protestants, and 33% of the general public oppose granting legal recognition to homosexual unions.

Despite the Catechism of the Catholic Church's clear teaching on the "grave depravity" of homosexual acts, Catholics are less likely than other Americans to believe that homosexual activity is sinful. 56% of Catholics-- compared to 46% of the general public-- believe that homosexual activity is not a sin.