Poll: Support for same-sex marriage among US Catholics rises to 54%

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A new poll shows support for same-sex marriage among US Catholics continues to rise and that 52% sayĀ the leadership of the Catholic Church is out of touch with their views.

The Quinnipiac University poll reports 54% support equal marriage, while 38% opposite it.

The figure shows support has risen 5% among CatholicsĀ since last December.

Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said: ā€œCatholic voters are leading American voters toward support for same-sex marriageā€.

Among all Americans, itā€™s a closer margin, with 47% supporting and 43% opposing equal marriage.

Meanwhile, as the Vatican prepares to select a new Pope, most American Catholics believe the leadership of the Catholic Church is out of touch with their views.

52% of US Catholics say the leaders out of touch, while 40% say theyā€™re not.

Following last monthā€™s resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, LGBT Catholics in the US and around the world have stated the importance of the Vatican moving away from its currentĀ anti-gay doctrine.

The poll also shows thatĀ 52% of CatholicsĀ want the new Pope to take the Catholic Church in a new direction.