Favorable rating of Catholic Church now 29/54

For the Catholic Church, the latest revelations about the cover up of child sexual abuse in the Pittsburgh Diocese underscore the growing problems the Church is facing: the defection of many who were raised as Catholics, the criticism of its response to the scandals, and even the questioning of Pope Francis, a man who had been a popular leader around the world.

The latest Economist/YouGov Poll finds that one in three of those who were raised as Catholics no longer view themselves that way. Among the 25% of Americans who were raised Catholic, one in ten now call themselves Protestants, and even more describe themselves as not affiliated with any religious group.