I would hardly expect William Donohue to point this out, but most Catholics do NOT believe the clearly stated teachings of their own church, especially in the areas of sexual morality (birth control, remarriage after divorce, etc.) Whose fault it is isn't my concern. For whatever reasons, they are perfectly content to remain contributing, Mass-going Catholics. I point this out not to criticize them, but to offer that if one fails to understand this point, one will not understand why the sex abuse scandals have been unfolding the way they have.
Mass-Going Catholics are less likely to be divorced than Cafeteria Catholics. Divorce as it exists in the secular world is merely respectable polygamy.
"I would hardly expect William Donohue to point this out, but most Catholics do NOT believe the clearly stated teachings of their own church, especially in the areas of sexual morality (birth control, remarriage after divorce, etc.)"
What follows may seem a "technical point," but it really isn't. During the Creed, we all stand and profess "...I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic..." That "Oneness" is "Unity" and that unity is a unity of Worship, Doctrine and Authority. (Vatican Two, in Lumen Gentium if I remember correctly,has the same explication of what is necessary to be Catholic)When one stands and professes the Creed while rejecting Doctrine, he is professing a lie. By rejecting Doctrine he is declaring he is not a Catholic.
It is easy to see that any "Catholic" who rejects Doctrine really is not a Catholic. He may profess publicly he is; but he is lying. He may answer polls intending to survey Catholics but his answers are invalid because he is not Catholic.
I don' think I have EVER seen a poll that surveys Catholics qua Catholics. When one hears a "Catholic" opposing Doctrine, remind yourself you are listening to a non- Catholic.