Research has found that younger priests and those ordained in more recent years are noticeably more conservative than older priests, with nearly half disapproving of Pope Francis
U.S. Almost half of young clergy in a survey disapprove of the liberalizing Pope Francis While young priests hold on to tradition, Catholic laity have been moving in a more liberal direction. Photo: Brittainy Newman/Associated Press This article is in your queue. American Catholic priests are becoming more conservative, even as their flocks are becoming more liberal. U.S. Catholic bishops elected conservative leaders last month, continuing to resist a push from Pope Francis to put social issues such as climate change and poverty on par with the bishops’ declared priority of opposing abortion. Resume Subscription We are delighted that you'd like to resume your subscription. You will be charged $ + tax (if applicable) for The Wall Street Journal. You may change your billing preferences at any time in the Customer Center or call Customer Service. You will be notified in advance of any changes in rate or terms. You may cancel your subscription at anytime by calling Customer Service. …