Pope Francis Losing Favor With U.S. Catholics Pope Francis was initially praised by Catholics for his humble, friendly demeanor. But a new Pew Research survey has revealed that only half of the U.S. public still has a positive view of him. In 2015, 7 out of 10 Americans viewed him favorably. The drop in popularity now puts his rating equal with his predecessor, Pope Benedict. The ongoing sex abuse scandal in the church is the reason for the sharp drop in approval. Many were disappointed by Pope Francis' dismissive response to reports of sex abuse among Chilean clergy. He also allowed accused bishop Juan Barros to celebrate Mass with him. 62% of white evangelicals still view the Pope favorably.