Majority Catholic Support Marriage Equality, New Poll Says

According to a new poll, the majority of Catholics in the U.S. back gay marriage as well as the ordination of women to the priesthood, CatholicCulture.org reports.

The Oct. 4 Quinnipiac University poll found that 53 percent of Catholics who attend Mass weekly and 65 percent who attend less frequently would back "a law in your state that would allow same-sex couples to get married." Overall, 56 percent of Americans said they agree with marriage equality.

The poll also found that gay marriage support was high among Catholics between 18 and 49 years old, with 64 percent saying they think same-sex couples should be able to legally tie the knot. Sixty-two percent of Catholics between the ages 50 and 64 backed marriage equality and 46% of Catholics 65 and older backed it.

Catholic women were more supportive than men on the issue: 72 percent of women surveyed said they support gay marriage with just 49 percent of men saying they do.

The poll also found support was high when it comes to Catholic Americans' views on women becoming ordained priests, with 52 percent of Catholics who attend Mass weekly backing the issue.

When it came to Pope Francis, 93 percent of Catholics who attend Mass weekly and 85 percent who attend less frequently, said they have a favorable or very favorable opinion on the pontiff, who recently said that the Catholic Church was "obsessed" with the LGBT community and abortion.