Washington D.C., Mar 18, 2020 / 12:30 pm
When asked about Catholicism, most people think of the pope, according to a newly released survey from the Pew Research Center.
The survey, published on Tuesday, March 17, found that over half of respondents--54%--replied with either "the pope," "Pope Francis," or "Pope John Paul II" when asked who is the first person to come to mind when they heard the word "Catholic." Of that number, 47% replied with simply "the pope," and only 5% said "Pope Francis."
A further 18% of respondents named a figure from the Bible when asked what came to mind when they heard the term Catholic. Of that percentage, 12% replied "Jesus," and 5% said the Virgin Mary. An additional 2% said "God."
Six percent of respondents cited themselves or a Catholic family member as the first person to come to mind, while 13% either refused to answer or said they could not think of anyone.