Global response to ‘accessible’ family survey

A survey conducted by three German students over five months in 42 countries, examining Catholic views on marriage and the family ahead of the October Synod, has found a high degree of unanimity across cultures on key issues. But responses to questions relating to homosexuality and Communion for the divorced and remarried varied among different countries.

Anna and Tobias Roth from Münster University and Sarah Delere from the Free University of Berlin adapted the 46 questions issued to Bishops’ Conferences by the Vatican in December last year into more familiar language, and visited cities in Europe, North Africa, and Latin and North America.

They distributed copies in parishes in England, Poland, Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain Italy, Morocco, Brazil and the US, supplementing answers to the hand-delivered questionnaire with material from informal interviews. From January to March this year, they published their questionnaire online in seven languages.

There were 12,400 responses, just under two thirds from Germany. “About half of participants attended Mass once a week or more … 60 per cent of those who did not agree with church teaching on the family went to   Mass more than once a month,” the report said.

More than 90 per cent of the respondents in all 42 countries said that a church wedding was very important and more than 95 per cent wanted a Christian education for their children. Sixty per cent prayed with their children at least once a week.

Opinions on church teaching on remarried divorcees, homosexual partnerships and mandatory priestly celibacy differed more widely across countries.