“Catholics Have Become Mainstream America,” says a July 9 report issued by the Ventura-based Barna Group. The report was derived from nationwide telephone surveys by Barna between Aug. 2006 and Jan. 2007. The survey interviewed 4,014 adults, 18 years of age and older, among whom were 876 people who identified themselves as Catholics. Catholics are mainstream says the report, because they are “virtually indistinguishable from people aligned with other faith groups – except in the area of faith.” Though 68% of Catholics surveyed described their religious faith as very important in their life, only 44% said they were “absolutely committed” to it (compared to 54% “of the entire adult population.”) Among “faith-oriented behaviors,” Catholics were 20% less likely to share their beliefs with people of other faiths” but were 16% more likely to have attended a church service or 8% more likely to have prayed in the week prior to the survey.