'Pope Francis Effect' In United States Minimal, Pew Poll

Pope Francis Effect? What Pope Francis Effect?
Pope Francis checks his watch as he attends his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis checks his watch as he attends his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italy's Center for Studies on New Religions reported in November that half of the priests surveyed reported a "significant rise in church attendance" since the election of Pope Francis. The "Francis effect" was lauded worldwide as a real change in religious attendance trends.

However, a recent survey by Pew Research Center refutes those claims, at least in the United States. Despite the Pope's popularity, self-reported levels of Mass attendance have remained virtually unchanged since 2007.

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Furthermore, the percentage of U.S. adults who identify themselves as Catholics has remained extremely stable.

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