Catholics want more focus on poverty than abortion: survey

Rev. Michael Pfleger delivers his sermon at St. Sabina Catholic Church during the predominantly African-American congregation's Unity Mass in ChicagoCHICAGO (Reuters) – Most U.S. Catholics think the church should focus more on social justice and helping the poor, even if it means focusing less on issues like abortion, according to a poll released Monday by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute. The 2012 American Values Survey finding on Catholics goes against the focus of many U.S. Catholic bishops, who have stressed the church's ban on abortion and artificial contraception in their public policy statements. …