It should be a no-brainer conservative, but it has at least shifted over the (many) years.

I was raised Catholic and most of the Catholics I know are conservative liberals. Not too many are Republicans.

Conservative sounds about right, though with a lot more liberal leanings than before. I'd also beg to differ on the percentage of Catholics in the US. My guess is those numbers include the people who only show up in church on Easter and Christmas. That's probably not enough to influence how you vote.

In response to southboca:Nice point on the number of churchgoers. I think that no matter what the religion, people are a lot less likely to vote along church lines these days.

Much more conservative than it's ever been. But I think that this is simply because society is more liberal than it's ever been.

In response to Bella:The Catholic Church is an antiquated organization that used religion to control people and their money. That said, I think it's fairly conservative.

The Catholic Church is increasingly becoming out of touch with its congregation. If it doesn't move towards the realities of today's life, I think it will play less and less of a part in influencing people in their daily lives.

Still overwhelmingly liberal. They give aid to illegal immigrants and support all kinds of social programs.

In response to Peter: That's really nasty to say about someone's church. You must be a protestant.

In response to Bella:Sorry. It's just my personal opinion; I certainly didn't mean it as an insult to Catholics...just to the institution.

Perhaps Benedict needs to pick up a copy of Win Friends and Influence People. He pretty much blasted Europeans for being selfish and not having enough children, in a sermon on in Austria. "Europe has become child-poor. We want everything for ourselves and place little trust in the future."

In response to Cass:I completely agree. Being a safe haven for illegal immigrants is beyond me. I understand that they like these illegals because majority of them are catholic, but where does it stop. Are they going to be a safe house for murderers and rapists?

In response to Black Widow:I hardly think it's fair to compare illegal immigrants to murderers and rapists. The former crossed a border illegally the latter physically hurt other people for personal gain. Not the same thing in my book. Maybe substitute in jaywalkers and speeders? Crimes, to be sure. But victimless ones.

Skywalker has a point ... my first instinct (as a non-Catholic) is to label them Conservative all the way. But societies problems these days no longer fall into clear cut Conservative vs. Liberal categories. Like everyone else, Catholics are going to vote based on what affects their personal life. I'd have to stick with the Conservative label for now, with concessions that some issues will still go to the liberal side.

I don't know really, I'm no sure. For me, the catholic Church is way conservative, specially with their objections with gays and abortion, but if they really follow what Jesus said in the Bible, then they would become redical communists, and that they are not!