When I was editing the Catholic Herald in the early 1990s, we thought we were living through the most momentous times for the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

We were witnessing the conversion of such Establishment figures as the Duchess of Kent, Ann Widdecombe and the Telegraph's Charles Moore, but we never dreamed that one day an ex-prime minister would himself cross the Tiber. Or, indeed, that this news would be overshadowed by an even more important development: that for the first time since Henry VIII, there are more Catholics than Anglicans in this country.

This is not because the prayer for the conversion of "Mary's Dowry" (England), with which Catholic children used to begin their school day, has been answered. Rather, Catholic immigrants, from eastern Europe as well as Africa, have filled the once-empty pews of Catholic churches across the country.

After more than 500 years of being a suspect minority, forced to convert, driven underground or abroad, the Church is now triumphant.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Anglican Provinces • Church of England (CoE) • * Culture-Watch • Religion & Culture • * International News & Commentary • England / UK • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Roman Catholic

1. Words Matter wrote: Fr. Tee, I believe it was, noted that Mass attendance among British Catholics had dropped from 1.5 million to .5 million. The present reports indicate the increased attendance is, in fact, due to immigration (Polish, I think). So what’s with the massive decline in Mass attendance to start with? Or am I remembering the numbers wrongly? December 27, 7:08 pm | [comment link]

2. driver8 wrote: No you are correct. The question will be whether the second and third generation immigrants will follow the pattern of their Irish and Jewish forebears (that is, become assimilated to pattern of religious life of the host community). December 28, 3:15 am | [comment link]

3. Tom Roberts wrote: This article was so hopeful, almost to the point of speculation, that I was disappointed not to see a call for a Stuart Restoration. No smiley face on that, as the status of the monarchy, its current dynastic situation, and the constitutional situation of the UK are historically bound together. December 28, 9:30 am | [comment link]

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