Newsday.com: More Liberal Pope Unlikely

Ya think?

The majority of America's Roman Catholics tell pollsters they want a greater voice for the laity in the church, that priests should be allowed to marry and that there should even be women in the clergy.

As the world's focus turns to the secretive election of the pope beginning April 18, those U.S. Catholics might want to prepare themselves for some disappointment.

The winner seems certain to continue John Paul II's progressive policies on social issues such as war and peace, human rights and concern for the poor. But on hot-button concerns that so captivate U.S. Catholics, and often the media, expect no changes. That includes the late pope's firm policies against women priests, divorce and remarriage, birth control, gay sex, same-sex marriage, abortion, mercy-killing and stem cell research using human embryos.

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A moderate pope might speak less about birth control than John Paul did, for instance, or tolerate theologians' discussion about topics like women priests. A pope might stop using such issues as litmus tests in picking bishops. Or he could subtly allow local dioceses to decide whether to allow Communion for some remarried Catholics, even if they lack annulments.

However, it's also conceivable the next pope will be more conservative than John Paul, which in some ways would please Catholics in developing countries, where the faith is growing.

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Also includes poll results from a recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup telephone survey of 254 U.S. Catholic adults conducted April 1-2. Clearly agenda driven, notice what the poll doesn't ask.