KOC poll: Americans tend to like that mysterious Pope fellow

From the Knights of Columbus website:

Americans have an overwhelmingly positive view of Pope Benedict XVI on the eve of his visit to the United States, according to a new poll [PDF document] released March 25 at a Newsmaker event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

The poll was commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion between Feb. 25 and March 5, 2008. The results were announced by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.

By a ratio of four and a half to one (58 pecent to 13 percent), respondents said that they had a favorable or very favorable view of Pope Benedict. The poll also found that an even higher percentage – 65 percent – have a favorable view of the Catholic Church, although a higher portion, 28 percent, have a negative view.

Forty-two percent of Americans said that they would like to attend one of the Pope’s public appearances while he is in the United States, and 66 percent of Catholics said they’d like to attend one of the events. Pope Benedict will be celebrating large open-air Masses in Washington, D.C., (at Nationals Stadium) and New York City (Yankee Stadium), and will host several smaller gatherings with Catholic educators, seminarians and leaders of other religious faiths.  Anderson also unveiled a special new Web site (www.papaltrip.org) that offers detailed information about the Pope’s trip, as well as historical material about previous popes and their dealings with the Catholic Church in the United States.

Among the more interesting findings: 17% of those polled—nearly 1 in 5—have never heard of Pope Benedict XVI. Also, 81% say that they know very little or nothing at all about the Holy Father. Well, those who do want to learn more about the Pope can start by going here, reading some things here, and then perhaps ordering a few books; I recommend God and the World and Deus Caritas Est, although braver souls can jump right in with Introduction to Christianity or Principles of Catholic Theology. And the best short guide to his life, thought, and theology is, I think, Pope Benedict XVI: The Conscience of Our Age (A Theological Portrait), by Fr. D. Vincent Twomey, S.V.D.

• The Courage To Be Imperfect | Fr. D. Vincent Twomey, S.V.D. | The Introduction to Pope Benedict XVI: The Conscience of Our Age
•The Theological Genius of Joseph Ratzinger | An Interview with Fr. D. Vincent Twomey, S.V.D.

Comments

[Augustine]

"81% say that they know very little or nothing at all about the Holy Father."

It's just hard to believe.