274:“Cafeteria Catholics,” as they are derogatorily called, observe only those teachings of the church that they find congenial. Four–fifths of all Catholics believe that birth control is "entirely up to the individual,' and two–thirds that "one can be a good Catholic without going to Mass." Among those who call themselves "Modernists," little more than a third are opposed to abortion.
156:
is a tendency on the part of some
Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church's moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the Magisterium is totally compatible with being a "good Catholic," and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching of the Bishops in the United States and elsewhere.
155:
It is sometimes reported that a large number of
Catholics today do not adhere to the teaching of the Catholic Church on a number of questions, notably sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage. Some are reported as not accepting the clear position on abortion. It has to be noted that there
585:
page 21, Andrew M. Greeley - 2010 "4 Cafeteria
Catholicism - In 1976, I published a book called The Communal Catholic (Greeley, 1976) in which I suggested that there two kinds of Catholics had emerged in the years after the council—'Institutional Catholics,' who obeyed or tried to obey all the rules
186:
of 12,038 self-identified
Catholics in 12 countries with substantial Catholic populations across the world, representing 61% of the world’s Catholic population and covering nine languages spread across five continents. It found that majorities of Catholics globally and in most regions disagree with
250:
But surveys are dangerous things. They raise expectations. And they play to people's growing sense that they have voice and choice—even in a traditional Church. If it turns out that those voices are ignored or, worse, corralled more firmly into the existing sheepfold of moral teaching, the tension
222:
This is a balancing act. They have to hold together two increasingly divergent constituencies. The church has lost its ability to dictate what people do. Right now, the less-developed world is staying true to the old world values, but it’s gradually eroding even there. doesn’t want to lose the
90:"Cafeteria Catholicism" allows us to pick those "truths" by which we will measure our lives as Catholics. ... "Cafeteria Catholicism" is what happens when the stance of Protagoras, regarding man as the measure of all things, gets religion — but not too much.
586:
and laws promulgated by the Church, and 'Communal
Catholics,' who continued to attach themselves in some fashion to the church, but now to the community of its members rather than to the rules laid down by those in Church authority."
170:, speaking of those who are rigidly conservative, assert 'alternative' views, or simply find a way to profit as figures in the church, said, "They may call themselves Catholic, but they have one foot out the door."
747:
187:
Church teachings on divorce, abortion, and contraception, with greater intra- and inter-national division on gay marriage and the ordination of women and divorced men. Favourable views about the
678:
291:, has been described as "the ultimate cafeteria Catholic". Carville said, "Everybody in some way or another takes what they want. The real thing is how we treat each other." Author
308:
242:
writes, "it’s not a survey in any sense that a social scientist would recognize." Woodhead feels many ordinary
Catholics will have difficulty understanding theological
227:
Francis has requested that parishes provide answers to an official questionnaire regarding the current opinions among the laity. He has also continued to assert present
251:
may reach a breaking point. Perhaps
Francis is clever enough to have anticipated that, and perhaps he has subtle plans to turn such a crisis to good ends. Perhaps not.
147:
The term has no status in official
Catholic teachings. However, the practice of denying adherence to the sexual morality of the Church has been criticized by
900:
798:
622:
682:
111:
The term is most often used by conservative
Catholics critical of progressive Catholics. The term has been in use since the issuance of
231:
in less dramatic tone than his more direct predecessors who maintained that the
Catholic Church is not a democracy of popular opinion.
596:
456:
539:
404:
288:
191:(Francis) did not influence Catholics who disagree with at least some of the church's teachings. Overall, a higher proportion of
784:
371:
656:
481:
865:
725:
703:
627:
910:
905:
813:
One Nation, Two Cultures: A Searching Examination of American Society in the Aftermath of Our Cultural Revolution
565:
830:
748:"Global poll reveals Catholics largely against teachings on abortion, contraception and divided by hemisphere"
765:
506:
122:
443:
334:
45:. Polling indicates that many Catholics dissent from the institutional hierarchy on at least one issue.
365:
162:
283:
Some notable Catholics have either been explicitly associated or identified with the term. Politician
207:
tend to disagree with many of them. In the United States and Spain, the majority of Catholics support
380:
339:
239:
895:
399:
267:
183:
349:
141:
49:
514:
427:
394:
228:
204:
148:
137:
851:
344:
215:
103:
A different distinction, in the term "communal Catholicism", had already been used in 1976.
600:
234:
Francis launched his own survey of Catholic opinion in November 2013. Religion sociologist
359:
42:
38:
117:, an official document that propounded the Church's opposition to the use of artificial
384:
284:
235:
299:, was also reported to have been a dissenter of some Catholic teaching. Having been a
889:
118:
113:
57:
388:
317:
312:
208:
188:
167:
53:
17:
544:
296:
200:
192:
27:
Ideology containing some, but not all, of the doctrines of orthodox Catholicism
376:
304:
518:
325:
Catholic, though appreciative of "all the pomp and ceremony" of the church.
292:
179:
300:
48:
Several instances of this include Catholics who support the usage of the
444:
https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/faith-and-justice/welcome-cafeteria-ross
41:
who dissents from certain official doctrinal or moral teachings of the
815:(2001) p. 99. She was citing Russell Shorto, "Belief by the Numbers,"
354:
243:
196:
133:
831:"Faith, hope, and politics: Practicing religion in the public realm"
679:"Catholics support Pope Francis, but many split on teachings: poll"
442:
Culture: ncronline.org. January 14, 2016. Retrieved 8-7-2021 from:
426:
Our Faith: uscatholic.org. July 29, 2008. Retrieved 8-7-2021 from:
203:) accept the official doctrines on these subjects, while those in
540:"Americans, Including Catholics, Say Birth Control Is Morally OK"
246:
there. Still Woodhead suspects the survey may be influential.
128:
It is often a synonymous phrase for "Catholic-in-name-only" (or
68:
An early use in print of "cafeteria Catholic" appears in 1971:
623:"Pope: Half-hearted Catholics aren't really Catholics at all"
457:"Guttmacher Statistic on Catholic Women's Contraceptive Use"
428:
https://uscatholic.org/articles/200807/cafeteria-catholics/
482:"Catholic governors inconsistent on role of death penalty"
151:
stated in his talk to the Bishops in Los Angeles in 1987:
72:"cafeteria Catholic" ... a little of this and none of that
583:
Chicago Catholics and the Struggles Within Their Church
799:"New Poll: 'Faithful Catholics' an Endangered Species"
766:"Poll: Catholic Beliefs at Odds With Vatican Doctrine"
405:
Criticism of the Catholic Church § Partial commitment
37:, is an informal term used to describe a follower of
98:, 1986, published by the Wanderer Forum Foundation
82:A later use of "cafeteria Catholicism" appears in
144:", "Ă la carte Catholic", or "liberal Catholic".
651:
649:
647:
645:
248:
220:
153:
88:
70:
174:Surveys on dissenting Catholic laity worldwide
8:
819:Dec. 7, 1997, p. 61 (citing a Roper report).
178:In 2014, the U.S. Spanish-language network
854:. UC Berkeley News. Retrieved 2010-2-08.
785:"The Catholic Church Is Not a Democracy"
415:
223:legitimacy of the more educated people.
211:, followed by France at 43% support.
7:
214:The founder of World Values Survey,
864:Caroll, Helen (February 26, 2011).
311:to the priesthood. British actress
25:
783:Daylight Atheism (1 March 2013).
307:on abortion and she supports the
56:, or find no moral objections to
901:Criticism of the Catholic Church
866:"Patsy Kensit: My family values"
850:Edelstein, Wendy (2006-02-15).
440:Welcome to the cafeteria, Ross.
621:Wooden, Cindy (June 5, 2014).
1:
538:Newport, Frank (2012-05-22).
505:Egan, Timothy (2016-04-15).
480:Scanlon, Kate (2023-05-04).
372:Moralistic therapeutic deism
507:"The End of Catholic Guilt"
455:Staff (February 15, 2012).
160:During morning Mass at the
927:
829:Molyneux, Michael (2006).
628:National Catholic Register
422:Rathschmidt, Father Jack.
315:said in an interview with
303:since she was 12, Karr is
132:), "dissident Catholic", "
833:. Boston College Magazine
572:. Redemptorists: 8. 1971.
195:Roman Catholics (notably
852:"An Improbable Catholic"
817:New York Times Magazine
123:natural family planning
335:Cafeteria Christianity
276:
259:
225:
158:
101:
80:
811:Gertrude Himmelfarb,
657:"Voice of the People"
597:"Cafeteria Catholics"
366:Mater si, magistra no
272:
163:Domus Sanctae Marthae
461:Guttmacher Institute
424:Cafeteria Catholics.
381:Crypto-Protestantism
340:Cafeteria Christians
240:Lancaster University
801:. 12 December 2013.
400:Recovering Catholic
309:ordination of women
268:Gertrude Himmelfarb
184:World Values Survey
772:. 9 February 2014.
511:The New York Times
350:Cultural Christian
279:Notable proponents
142:cultural Christian
134:heretical Catholic
31:Cafeteria Catholic
18:Cafeteria Catholic
395:Nominal Christian
295:, a convert from
229:Catholic doctrine
205:Western countries
149:Pope John Paul II
138:cultural Catholic
16:(Redirected from
918:
911:Catholic culture
906:1980s neologisms
881:
880:
878:
876:
861:
855:
848:
842:
841:
839:
838:
826:
820:
809:
803:
802:
795:
789:
788:
780:
774:
773:
762:
756:
755:
744:
738:
737:
735:
733:
722:
716:
715:
713:
711:
700:
694:
693:
691:
690:
681:. Archived from
675:
669:
668:
666:
664:
653:
640:
639:
637:
635:
618:
612:
611:
609:
608:
599:. Archived from
593:
587:
580:
574:
573:
562:
556:
555:
553:
552:
535:
529:
528:
526:
525:
502:
496:
495:
493:
492:
477:
471:
470:
468:
467:
452:
446:
436:
430:
420:
345:Catholic atheism
257:
216:Ronald Inglehart
99:
78:
21:
926:
925:
921:
920:
919:
917:
916:
915:
886:
885:
884:
874:
872:
863:
862:
858:
849:
845:
836:
834:
828:
827:
823:
810:
806:
797:
796:
792:
782:
781:
777:
764:
763:
759:
752:Washington Post
746:
745:
741:
731:
729:
724:
723:
719:
709:
707:
702:
701:
697:
688:
686:
677:
676:
672:
662:
660:
655:
654:
643:
633:
631:
620:
619:
615:
606:
604:
595:
594:
590:
581:
577:
564:
563:
559:
550:
548:
537:
536:
532:
523:
521:
504:
503:
499:
490:
488:
486:Catholic Review
479:
478:
474:
465:
463:
454:
453:
449:
438:Reese, Thomas.
437:
433:
421:
417:
413:
360:Lapsed Catholic
331:
321:that she is an
281:
264:
258:
256:Linda Woodhead
255:
182:commissioned a
176:
109:
107:Use of the term
100:
94:
79:
76:
66:
43:Catholic Church
33:, also called
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
924:
922:
914:
913:
908:
903:
898:
888:
887:
883:
882:
856:
843:
821:
804:
790:
775:
757:
739:
717:
695:
670:
641:
613:
588:
575:
557:
530:
497:
472:
447:
431:
414:
412:
409:
408:
407:
402:
397:
392:
385:Crypto-Judaism
374:
369:
362:
357:
352:
347:
342:
337:
330:
327:
285:James Carville
280:
277:
270:reported that:
263:
260:
253:
236:Linda Woodhead
175:
172:
121:and advocates
108:
105:
92:
74:
65:
62:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
923:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
893:
891:
871:
867:
860:
857:
853:
847:
844:
832:
825:
822:
818:
814:
808:
805:
800:
794:
791:
786:
779:
776:
771:
767:
761:
758:
753:
749:
743:
740:
727:
721:
718:
705:
699:
696:
685:on 2014-02-23
684:
680:
674:
671:
658:
652:
650:
648:
646:
642:
630:
629:
624:
617:
614:
603:on 2012-05-07
602:
598:
592:
589:
584:
579:
576:
571:
567:
561:
558:
547:
546:
541:
534:
531:
520:
516:
512:
508:
501:
498:
487:
483:
476:
473:
462:
458:
451:
448:
445:
441:
435:
432:
429:
425:
419:
416:
410:
406:
403:
401:
398:
396:
393:
390:
386:
382:
378:
375:
373:
370:
368:
367:
363:
361:
358:
356:
353:
351:
348:
346:
343:
341:
338:
336:
333:
332:
328:
326:
324:
320:
319:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
278:
275:
271:
269:
262:United States
261:
252:
247:
245:
241:
237:
232:
230:
224:
219:
217:
212:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
185:
181:
173:
171:
169:
165:
164:
157:
152:
150:
145:
143:
139:
135:
131:
126:
124:
120:
119:birth control
116:
115:
114:Humanae Vitae
106:
104:
97:
91:
87:
85:
77:Redemptorists
73:
69:
63:
61:
59:
58:birth control
55:
51:
50:death penalty
46:
44:
40:
36:
32:
19:
873:. Retrieved
870:The Guardian
869:
859:
846:
835:. Retrieved
824:
816:
812:
807:
793:
778:
769:
760:
751:
742:
730:. Retrieved
720:
708:. Retrieved
698:
687:. Retrieved
683:the original
673:
661:. Retrieved
632:. Retrieved
626:
616:
605:. Retrieved
601:the original
591:
582:
578:
569:
560:
543:
533:
522:. Retrieved
510:
500:
489:. Retrieved
485:
475:
464:. Retrieved
460:
450:
439:
434:
423:
418:
389:Crypto-Islam
364:
322:
318:The Guardian
316:
313:Patsy Kensit
282:
273:
265:
249:
233:
226:
221:
213:
209:gay marriage
177:
168:Pope Francis
161:
159:
154:
146:
129:
127:
112:
110:
102:
95:
89:
83:
81:
71:
67:
64:Use in print
54:masturbation
47:
34:
30:
29:
728:. Univision
706:. Univision
659:. Univision
566:"Liguorian"
545:Gallup Inc.
297:agnosticism
201:Philippines
193:Third World
39:Catholicism
896:Neologisms
890:Categories
875:August 19,
837:2009-06-25
732:27 October
710:27 October
689:2014-02-19
663:27 October
607:2012-07-26
551:2023-09-23
549:Retrieved
524:2023-09-23
491:2023-09-23
466:2023-09-23
411:References
377:Nicodemite
323:Ă la carte
305:pro-choice
35:Ă la carte
570:Liguorian
519:0362-4331
293:Mary Karr
266:In 2001,
180:Univision
329:See also
301:feminist
289:Democrat
254:—
199:and the
96:Fidelity
93:—
86:, 1986.
84:Fidelity
75:—
726:"Spain"
704:"Spain"
634:May 14,
517:
355:Heresy
244:jargon
218:said:
197:Africa
877:2016
770:Time
734:2014
712:2014
665:2014
636:2017
515:ISSN
287:, a
189:Pope
136:", "
130:CINO
238:of
140:"/"
892::
868:.
768:.
750:.
644:^
625:.
568:.
542:.
513:.
509:.
484:.
459:.
387:,
383:,
166:,
125:.
60:.
52:,
879:.
840:.
787:.
754:.
736:.
714:.
692:.
667:.
638:.
610:.
554:.
527:.
494:.
469:.
391:)
379:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.