A majority of white working-class Catholics – 56 per cent – think abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute.

A smaller majority of the same category of Catholics – 52 per cent – favours same-sex marriage, said the study released Sept. 20.

In contrast, 53 per cent of white working-class Protestants believe that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, while 52 per cent of the same group oppose same-sex marriage.

The Catholic Church opposes abortion and same-sex marriage.

The study defines white working-class people as non-Hispanic Americans without a four-year college degree who hold non-salaried jobs.