boston support republican presidential front-runner donald trump among party church-going catholics rise since pope francis suggest u.s. businessman real christian reuters/ipsos poll show trump average support among 47.9 percent catholic republicans 50 days since leader world 1.2 billion roman catholics make comment feb. 18 39.8 percent 50 days precede brief tiff one series controversies fail dent new york billionaire popularity include call temporary ban muslims enter country insult women plan wall mexico elect president nov. 8. reuters/ipsos poll 1,117 church-going catholic republicans credibility interval 4.8 percentage point ask plan wall border mexico pope say february person think build wall wherever may build bridge christian papal spokesman late say pontiff way single trump try sway voters blunt candidate initially say disgraceful pope judge another faith god say francis nice man probably misinterpret media catholics sizable u.s. vote bloc comprise quarter electorate say georgetown university center apply research apostolate catholics nearly evenly split presidential vote republicans democrats accord pew research center analysis part increase trump support among catholics likely relate dwindle number republican white house candidates field drop 12 january three presbyterian trump u.s. senator ted cruz texas southern baptist ohio governor john kasich anglican mark gray senior research associate georgetown say result also show catholics hear pope message trump sway many catholics probably felt pope comment directive vote support still others may never aware pope comment begin say opinion poll show u.s. catholics think necessary agree pope every issue faithful church member washington post-abc poll last september show pope 86 percent favorability rat father william paul mckane catholic priest rural montana support trump say felt pope comment backfire flock call paradoxical put gently pope say live behind wall 40 feet high 40 feet across say refer wall around vatican city comment hurt credibility parishioners mckane say appreciate trump speak plainly issue like security economy issue say line christian value protect innocent even dislike candidate fiery comment trump verbiage sound compassionate mckane say hold paragon christian virtue look candidate look someone prudent make good political decisions support trump among ordinary catholic republicans high roughly equal among republicans whole small sum money flow candidates christian priests bishops pastors clergy denominations tend favor evangelical cruz cruz receive 155,500 contributions 380 members christian clergy give 200 report threshold february compare 700 10 people trump 3,500 nine people kasich mckane contributor list trump campaign finance disclosures identify catholic priest base reuters review democratic side u.s. senator bernie sanders vermont jewish candidate receive 85,400 280 people ordain religious duty church compare 192,500 250 individuals former secretary state hillary clinton clinton poll much good among church-going catholic democrats 67.8 percent support compare sanders 29.3 percent accord reuters/ipsos poll despite sanders bid liken view pope especially wealth inequality climate change sanders pope meet briefly saturday vatican sanders address conference social justice war word pope issue trump backers reuters/ipsos poll