Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the Catholic Church in Ireland. The biggest concentrations of Catholics in the UK are in London and North West England, particularly in Liverpool and Manchester. This is due to the high number of English recusants in Lancashire and large-scale Irish migration in the 19th century.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Organisation | The Catholic Church in the UK is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the Catholic Church in Ireland. |
| History | Catholics were historically discriminated against in England and Scotland, excluded from voting, Parliament, and certain professions. This continued after the Acts of Union 1800. Catholic emancipation gained support, but discriminatory laws remained, such as the Act of Settlement 1701, which excluded Catholics from the throne. Restrictions began to change with the Papists Act 1778, allowing Catholics to own property, inherit land, and join the British Army. |
| Immigration Influence | Large-scale Polish immigration to the UK since Poland's EU accession in 2004. About 10% of newly arrived Poles attend church regularly, with the Polish Catholic Mission providing 219 branches and 114 priests. Irish Catholic migration in the 19th century, particularly to Liverpool, also contributed to the Catholic presence in North West England. |
| Current Concentrations | London and North West England (Liverpool/Manchester) have the biggest concentrations of Catholics. |
| Social Views | According to polls, a majority of UK Catholics support abortion rights, contraceptive availability, and same-sex marriage. Most UK Catholics also believe society should accept homosexuality. |
| Notable Conversions | Notable historical figures who converted to Catholicism include St Edmund Campion, St Margaret Clitherow, King Charles II, and King James II and VII. |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic populations in London and North West England
The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While there is no ecclesiastical jurisdiction corresponding to the United Kingdom as a whole, the Catholic Church has a geographical presence in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
In North West England, one in five people is Catholic, making it a significant religious group in the region. This is due to two main factors: the high number of English recusants in Lancashire and large-scale Irish immigration in the 19th century, particularly in Liverpool. Recusancy refers to the refusal to attend Anglican services and was a response to the religious reforms imposed by Queen Elizabeth I. The large-scale Irish immigration in the 19th century was driven by the Great Irish Famine, which caused the Irish population in England to rise from 224,000 in 1841 to 419,000 in 1851. This led to the establishment of Catholic parishes and congregations in urban areas, particularly in Liverpool, to serve the Irish community.
London has also been a centre of Catholic life in England, especially for the Irish community. Cardinal Manning, Archbishop of Westminster in the 19th century, played a significant role in advocating for Irish Catholic labourers in London, including helping to settle the London dock strike of 1889. He also built a new cathedral in Westminster and encouraged the growth of religious congregations largely filled by the Irish. London has also been a base for the Polish Catholic community in the UK. The Polish Catholic Mission was established in London in the late 19th century, and Polish-language services have been held in the city since the early 20th century. After World War I, the Polish chaplaincy was based in North London, and in 1962, a second Polish-owned church was established in Shepherd's Bush.
In recent years, Polish immigration to the UK has increased significantly following Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004. By 2017, up to 900,000 Poles had immigrated to the UK, and the Polish Catholic Mission serves the spiritual needs of this community with 219 branches and pastoral centres and 114 priests.
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Irish migration and Catholicism in the UK
Irish migration to the UK has had a significant impact on the presence of Catholicism in the country. While there has been a long history of Irish migration to Great Britain, the 19th century saw a large influx of Irish Catholics to England, Scotland, and Wales, fleeing the Great Famine of 1845 and seeking economic opportunities in the wake of Ireland's potato blight. This migration contributed to the re-emergence of the Catholic Church in England and led to the establishment of Catholic communities in cities like Liverpool, London, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow.
In the 19th century, cities with strong industrial sectors, like Birmingham and Wolverhampton, attracted many Irish migrants. In Wolverhampton, a longstanding Roman Catholic community dating back to the 18th century earned the city the nickname "Little Rome." The city's Catholic community, along with its proximity to Ireland, made it a popular destination for Irish migrants during the Famine. Birmingham, with its industrial past, also drew many Irish immigrants for construction, factory, and industrial work. The city is home to the UK's largest St. Patrick's Day parade and Britain's only Irish Quarter.
Liverpool, with its strong Irish heritage, has been a centre for Irish migration due to its close geographical proximity to Ireland. The city has a significant Catholic population, with one in five people in North West England identifying as Catholic. Manchester, too, has a large Irish community and hosts grand St. Patrick's Day parades.
London, Leeds, and Glasgow also have substantial Irish communities. London's Irish community is synonymous with 19th-century migration, while Leeds has a smaller Irish population, with 3.3% of its residents being Irish-born, particularly from County Mayo. Glasgow, alongside Liverpool, is known for its strong Irish heritage, with many Irish immigrants settling there over the years.
The arrival of Irish Catholic migrants contributed to a "second spring" of Catholicism in Britain. The Roman Catholic Church became a natural focal point for Irish communities, providing support and a sense of belonging in a new country. This influx of Catholics led to the establishment of Catholic parochial schools and the growth of religious congregations, largely filled by the Irish. Over time, as Irish Catholics felt more accepted in wider British communities, secularisation occurred, and religious practices declined.
While Irish migration to Britain continued at various levels over a century, the assimilation of Irish Catholics into English Catholicism and the secularisation of society have contributed to a decline in the distinctively Irish Catholic experience. Nonetheless, the legacy of Irish migration has left an indelible mark on the religious landscape of the UK, with a significant Catholic presence in many parts of the country.
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Catholic emancipation in the UK
The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While there is no ecclesiastical jurisdiction corresponding to the United Kingdom as a whole, this article refers to the Catholic Church's geographical representation in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, since the establishment of the Kingdom of Great Britain by the Acts of Union in 1707.
Catholics in England and Scotland were discriminated against in significant ways following the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. They were excluded from voting, sitting in Parliament, and practising certain professions. These discriminatory laws continued after the Acts of Union in 1800, which created the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. At that time, Catholic emancipation gained support but was not yet realised, especially in Ireland, where the Protestant Ascendancy held sway.
The process of Catholic emancipation in the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and later the United Kingdom, began in the late 18th century and culminated in the early 19th century. It involved reducing and removing the restrictions on Roman Catholics imposed by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts, and the penal laws. The penal laws began to be dismantled from 1766, and the most significant measure was the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1829, which removed the most substantial restrictions on Roman Catholicism in the United Kingdom.
The campaign for emancipation was spearheaded by Daniel O'Connell, who established the Catholic Association in 1823. In 1828, he was elected in County Clare, Ireland, but could not take his seat in the House of Commons due to his Catholic faith. The turning point came with a shift in public opinion in Britain, as well as strong support from the Whigs and the followers of Lord Grenville. Despite opposition from King George IV and the House of Lords, the Duke of Wellington, the Prime Minister, threatened to resign and retire his Tory government, paving the way for the passage of the Roman Catholic Relief Act in 1829.
The Act removed the sacramental tests that barred Roman Catholics from Parliament and higher offices in the judiciary and state. It was the culmination of a fifty-year process of Catholic emancipation, offering successive measures of relief from the anti-Catholic civil and political disabilities imposed by the Penal Laws in both the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland. However, it is important to note that even after emancipation, some restrictions remained, such as the obligation to pay tithes to the established Anglican Church in Ireland, which resulted in the Tithe War of the 1830s.
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Catholic schools in the UK
In the United Kingdom, there are many 'local authority maintained' (i.e. state-funded) Roman Catholic schools. These schools are open to pupils of all faiths or none, although oversubscribed schools will give priority to Roman Catholic children. The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, which is organised as part of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
During the Reformation, Catholic schools were established on the European continent for the training of children of Catholic families from Britain. In the 18th century, colleges for training priests were set up in Scotland, and after the Re-establishment of the English and Scottish hierarchies, new schools were created. The Education Act of 1918 in Scotland and the Education Act of 1944 in England and Wales led to the building of state-funded Catholic schools.
In England and Wales, Catholic schools are under the jurisdiction of their local diocese, which can inspect the religious education and acts of worship of the school under Section 48 of the Education Act 2005. Many schools are also founded and maintained by religious orders. There are also joint Anglican and Catholic schools, including primary schools such as All Saints in Cambridge, The Bishops' School in Chelmsford, and Emmaus School in Liverpool. Joint secondary schools and academies include St Cuthbert Mayne School in Torquay, St Augustine in Taunton, and St Bede in Cambridge.
In Scotland, some local authorities have built "shared campuses," where Catholic and non-denominational schools share grounds and facilities but teach lessons separately. Notable Scottish Catholic schools today include St. Aloysius' College in Glasgow, Fernhill School in Rutherglen, and Kilgraston School.
In Northern Ireland, Roman Catholic schools are state-funded and organised and run by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS). The Catholic Education Service provides central coordination under the Bishops' Conference for Catholic schools in England and Wales.
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Polish immigration and Catholicism in the UK
The Polish population in the UK has increased tenfold since 2001, with large-scale immigration taking place since Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004. This has resulted in a boost to Catholic congregations across the UK, particularly in England and Wales, where the Polish Catholic Mission operates around 219 parishes and pastoral centres with 114 priests.
The Polish language is the second-most spoken language in England and the third-most spoken in the UK after English and Welsh. About 1% of the UK population speaks Polish, and it is estimated that up to 900,000 Polish people lived in the UK as of 2017. While only about 10% of newly arrived Poles regularly attend church, their presence has helped slow a decline in Catholic congregation sizes in the UK.
Historically, Polish immigrants tended to settle in areas near Polish churches and food outlets. In West London, for example, the area of Earl's Court became known as the "Polish Corridor" in the 1950s, and as house prices rose, they moved to Hammersmith, Ealing, Lewisham, and Balham. More recently, Polish immigrants have settled in areas such as Southampton and East Anglia, where there had never been a significant Polish presence before.
The integration of Polish Catholics into the wider Catholic Church in the UK has been a topic of concern for some church leaders. While the Polish Catholic Mission has stated that it has a good relationship with the hierarchy in England and Wales, and integration is a gradual process, some worry that a separate Polish Catholic Church is being created. This concern is particularly relevant in areas with large Polish communities, such as West London, where Polish-majority congregations attend churches like Our Lady Mother of the Church and St. Andrew Bobola's Polish Church.
The impact of Polish immigration on the Catholic Church in the UK extends beyond congregation sizes. Polish immigrants bring with them a vibrant faith that has the potential to shape English Catholicism. Additionally, the mutual lack of understanding between the local population and Polish immigrants, as well as the diverse motivations for immigration (ranging from economic opportunities to religious and political freedom), present challenges and opportunities for the Catholic Church in the UK.
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Frequently asked questions
The biggest concentrations of Catholics in the UK are in London and North West England, particularly in Liverpool and Manchester.
The arrival of Irish Catholic migrants and the reconversion of England led to a "second spring" of Catholicism in Britain.
During the Roman conquest of Britain, starting in 43 AD, the indigenous religion of the Britons was suppressed. In the following years, several religious cults were imported, including Christianity. The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
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