Mar 16, 2006 4:31 pm US/Eastern
How Do Boston-Area Catholics Feel About O'Malley?
by Lisa Hughes
BOSTON (CBS4) ―
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Archbishop Sean O'Malley will soon be on his way to Rome and will become a cardinal.
Archbishop Sean O'Malley is entrusted with the fourth largest archdiocese in the country. Boston area Catholics seem moderately happy with how well he's doing his job. Forty-nine percent tell CBS4's exclusive Fast Track his job performance is excellent or good. Forty percent rate his job performance as fair or poor.
When O'Malley came to Boston three years ago, the archdiocese was reeling from the sex abuse cases, and the fallout from that scandal forced him to confront some very difficult issues early on.
One of the most heart-wrenching, closing more than 50 churches. Sixty-two percent of the Catholics CBS4 asked said the archbishop handled it the wrong way. Twenty-four percent believe he managed it the right way.
O'Malley becomes a cardinal next Friday in Rome. He will be the fifth cardinal from Boston.
The impact of the controversies has been declining attendance and that's led to fewer donations In fact, 52 percent of the Catholics told CBS4's Fast Track they are donating less to the church than they were five years ago. Only 15 percent say they now give more.
O'Malley's challenge has been to inspire more than two million Catholics exhausted by scandal and turmoil. A slim majority of Catholics are now feeling at least somewhat confident about the church's future. Forty-eight percent are not.
CBS4 will be in Rome all next week, leading up to the Friday ceremony.
Starting on Monday, CBS4's Lisa Hughes will be taking a look at the significance of the event and the issue still facing O'Malley as he takes on the elevated role with the church.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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