Catholics from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and the U.S. were asked by the Pew Research Center about their beliefs regarding contraception, the priesthood, and sexuality. The new survey is part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project and “analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world.”

The think tank finds many Catholics in Latin America and the United States believe the church should allow the use of birth control. Women should also be ordained as priests. 

Across the six Latin American countries included in the survey, the support for birth control varies, ranging from 63% in Brazil to 86% in Argentina. A majority of U.S. Catholics (83%) are also in favor of reproductive freedom for women.

Nearly all the countries surveyed are in favor of women joining the priesthood, save Mexico (43%). A majority of U.S. Catholics agree the church should allow women to become priests (64%). 

Views on the recognition of same-sex marriage varied among the countries surveyed. More than half of U.S. Catholics agree that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry. 

On the other hand, only most Catholics in Argentina and Chile say the church should recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples. In the remaining countries, less than half share this position.

“On balance, most Catholics in Latin America and the U.S. say the Catholic Church should allow Catholics to use birth control, allow women to become priests and allow cohabiting couples to receive Communion,” Jonathan Evans, a senior researcher and Kelsey Jo Starr, a research analyst, wrote. “Catholic opinion in the countries surveyed is more divided on whether the church should let priests marry and whether it should recognize the marriages of same-sex couples.”

For the survey’s methodology and the full report, click here.