VENTURA, Calif. -- American Catholics say they're wavering in their personal beliefs, but more of them are showing up at Sunday services as the Church copes with a wave of sex scandals involving priests.

The survey, conducted by Barna Research Group, included phone interviews with more than 1,000 adults nationwide in January, April, July and October of 2001, and this January and April.

Church attendance among Catholics - who make up 25 percent of the adult U.S. population - has risen 7 percent compared with the same time last year, the survey revealed. Attendance rose by 10 percent among parents of children under 18. But the level of Catholics claiming to be "absolutely committed" to Christianity fell from 39 percent to 30 percent, the lowest level in Barna's 10 years of research.

The findings reveal an "internal conflict of values as they strive to reconcile protecting their family and protecting their souls," said George Barna, the research group's president.

Those describing their religious faith as "very important" dropped from 70 percent to 64 percent.

While some reports have speculated that Catholics will leave their parishes and join other denominations, Barna said many in his study indicated they didn't know where else to turn. The Episcopal and Presbyterian denominations, frequent choices for former Catholics, are dealing with their own sexuality and leadership issues.

"Given the nature of the crisis facing the Catholic Church, that has tempered the interest of many Catholics in jumping ship to a ‘Catholic-friendly' denomination," Barna said.