I am absolutely shocked by the antiqated bigotry displayed by some of these posts. Not just their bigotry, but also in their skewed view of history. Catholics did not support Hitler - how can an educated person not recognize the number of catholic religious who died in concentration camps or acknowledge the many non-catholic people the CC helped to save from the concentration camps. You can condemn the CC for it's stance on divorce and the gay issue, but the CC follows scripture in this, if anything, the CC is one of the few churches that actually sticks to the scriptures in what is right and what is wrong. You never have to guess which way the church will rule on an issue in any time or place or culture - it will always be according to scripture.That said, I truly am ashamed that our cousins across the pond are so backwards when it comes to religious rights and justice.

Sheila, Leesburg,

The Bishop is missing the point.

What advice would he give to a Catholic girl who was considering marrying someone in line to be the nominal head of the Church of England? Either she renounces the faith or the fiance renounces the succession. There are no half measures. It is nothing to do with discrimination and everything to do with incompatibility on religious grounds for such a match.

St. Thomas More understood these things. I am galled that the bishop claims that Mr. Brown has "broken faith" with the nation's Catholics. On the contrary, the monarchy broke faith with the nation's Catholics some considerable time ago.

Margaret Porwal, Bristol, England

This is a very offesive postion for the 5 millon Catholics in the UK. To think my own taxes are promping up this system which says I am am worth less than every other person in the country albeit my brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church.

The last Pope warned this Government that a war in Iraq would be a crime against humanity. Now who wants to talk about a history of crimes and intollerance?

I will be writing to my MP in Milton Keynes to express my disgust at this attack on my faith.

John , Milton Keynes , UK

These articles and comments only demonstrate that "anti-Catholicism is the last respectable prejudice." Catholicism teaches the way of fidelity and purity, and yet the world comes to the defense of divorce and homosexuality. Catholicism teaches repect for all life from conception until death, and yet the world promotes abortion and euthanasia. The Catholic faith was established in the apostolic age and is mocked for being outdated, and yet the world hails the doctrines of the New Age Movement because...they're so ancient. The Catholic Church embraces every nation and culture known to man, and has withstood the falling and rising of empires and civilizations, yet the world condemns her as narrow-minded, and believes she will crumble any day day now. We've heard the world's blather for an awful long time, and it's quite boring to hear only more of the same. The Catholic Church cannot be destroyed because Christ Himself defends her...even from her own wicked memebers.

Timothy O'Keefe, Westfield, USA

Very delicate situation. I think the solution is a spiritual one. Why does the Church of England even exist? Because of the belligerence of a despot king (Henry VIII), who was once considered the most adamant defender of the Catholic Church until he didn't get his way! . Everyone knows the Catholic Faith is the "Mother Church". The FACT is that many royals and Anglicans have already converted to Catholicism. Even Tony Blair is en route! I think we must consider what the Catholic Church stands for and what that would mean to the UK and its many Masonic ties.
You go Excellency!

L.Mel, springfield, USA

It's so unfortunate that while people of other faiths are welcomed in GB, Wales and Scotland, Catholics are continually viewed with suspicion and fear. The Act of Settlement was 1701...it ensured the Church of England hegemony and effectively cut English Catholics off from any meaningful participation in government. Isn't it time to move on?

Summa, Camden, DE USA

easy solution - get rid of the outdated institution of a monarchy.

spend the money on schools hospitals etc instead of playboy princes and gun toting greek womanisers

sean, edinburgh,

"The RC church has a terrible history of intolerance of others and support for despots and dictators who were subservient her, consider the support for Hitler, Franco, Mussolini, The Spanish Inquisition and the way in which the church has treated victims of its own priests activity over this last century. It also has a long history of treating its own people very badly never mind others and the bar should continue."


PLEASE SEE THE FIRST COMMENT WHICH CLEARLY ANSWERS YOUR OBJECTION:

Many of your correspondents are of the opinion that the previous behaviour of the Catholic Church is justification for the continuance of this discrimination. This is a fallacious position to hold. The Act of Settlement discriminates against individuals who happen to be Catholic, not against the Catholic church, and it must be repealed.
Many adherents of Reformed churches have also been guilty of heinous crimes in the name of God - to single out Catholics in this way is, at best, disingenuous.

John, Edinburgh, Scotland

I am surprised and horrified to read anti- Catholicism still in the law book of England. I thought that we are in the 21 st centaury.It looks that England still lives in the Dark Age. The commonwealth countries have their own heads of state. The quenn is not the head of India,or other countries of commonwealth. How can a country discriminate a big portion of its citizens, still remain a civilized nation!
Fr. John, Roman Catholic priest, USA.

John, Morrice, USA

In this day and age, it is amazing that a legal provision such as this still holds out

Mr Monteith, the RCC does have a history of intolerance of others but was not alone in looking the other way as Hitler held sway 60 some years ago. All of the Christian denominations bear responsibility for looking the other way

A Monarch should be able to marry whom ever he/she cares to.
So i guess in this case, the King or Queen has less rights than a common man or woman.

I guess every society has its dirty little issues that we attempt to sweep under the carpet.

Ours was slavery and race relations that we struggle with to this day. Yours is anti-Catholic bigotry, institutionalized and otherwise.

The issue can be either right or wrong. There is no gray area

Religious intolerance and descrimination is as wrong as racial discrimination is. There is no in-between

Tom McLaughlin, Chicago, Illinois/ USA

Many of your correspondents are of the opinion that the previous behaviour of the Catholic Church is justification for the continuance of this discrimination. This is a fallacious position to hold. The Act of Settlement discriminates against individuals who happen to be Catholic, not against the Catholic church, and it must be repealed.
Many adherents of Reformed churches have also been guilty of heinous crimes in the name of God - to single out Catholics in this way is, at best, disingenuous.

Michael, Glasgow, Scotland

The article says that "One complication is that every Commonwealth country would have to repeal it individually or risk splitting the monarchy. If Prince William married a Catholic, he could only become King in those countries that had repealed the Act. "

Is the writer not aware that many Commonwealth countries are Republics? Being Heead of State in Britain does not maake you Head of State of all Commonwealth countries.

John Albright, London,

The Roman Catholic church members have been barred from holding the position of monarch for a very good reason and that is their history in the position. Tyranny against the holders of other beliefs and contempt for those who hold to the Roman Catholic faith are only two of the traits exhibited by historical holders of the position.

The RC church has a terrible history of intolerance of others and support for despots and dictators who were subservient her, consider the support for Hitler, Franco, Mussolini, The Spanish Inquisition and the way in which the church has treated victims of its own priests activity over this last century. It also has a long history of treating its own people very badly never mind others and the bar should continue.

Darrell Monteith, Omagh, Northern Ireland

Why is it that whenever I hear the words "anti-whatever lobby" I automatically assume that the speaker is a bully? Long experience of life, I guess. This Oprah Syndrome ("I'm more of a victim that you") is really getting out of hand.

I can probably find at least a dozen minority groups that I am a member of. I expect most people can do better even than that. If even an evil atheist like me can realise that the good I do for others is more important than the slights others do me, why can't a good bishop?

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

There is no sign that the bishop's church is planning to remove its discrimination against non-Catholics in mixed marriages, or remove its requirement that their children be brought up as Catholics.

The head of state in the UK is required to be in communion with the established churches north and south of the border. If the monarch's children were required to be brought up as Catholics, the heir could not become King because his own church bans Catholics from receiving communion elsewhere.

Let the Bishop of Motherwell sort out this discrimination, and when his own house is in order then perhaps it will be possible to repeal the Act.

Alan Marsh, Ely,

As both a Catholic and a Conservative, I think we have to tread very carefully here. The next coronation is going to be very different from the last one, which took place only eight years after victory in WWII, yet before the dissolution of the British Empire.

The focal point will be the continuation of the monarchy. Whilst I personally regret the rift with Rome on the part of Henry VIII, I think the historic integration of the Anglican Communion into the UK is a force for good, and I do not want to see the state secularised.

That said, I acknowledge with concern the drift towards secularism in our institutions and among the population. The internet has abolished our geographical status as an "island" state, and the political opinions of most UK contributors to internet debates now seem to be grounded on the American Constitution. Since the next coronation is indeed going to be very different from the last one, I think that as a nation we should all start preparing for it now.

Edmund Burke, Kingston upon Thames, England

I hope that Gordon Brown sticks to his convictions, and we do not have any alterations to these laws. We have a protestant Queen on the throne and long may it remain free of popish interference. Martin Luther the great reformer who brought about the light of the reformation, freed people from Rome, they were not even allowed to read the bible for themselves in those days, priests alone were allowed the privilege and they read in Latin. I know that the Anglican Church is in a right mess, and in many ways the Roman Catholics are much more outspoken against abortion and other issues, but so far as Christianity is concerned, it is 'counterfeit Christianity', giving people false hope, they have not changed any of their doctrines. .
Making saints in just one example, we are told in the Bible that all believers who are born again of the spirit of God are saints in the eyes of God, without the say so of an 'infallible pope'. Please keep the Monarchy of this land Protestant.

M Elward, Bridgend, Glam

Mark - faith schools back under state control? State schools are already failing too many children... why add to the misery just because you don't like religion?

Andrew Brown, derby, UK

Much as it goes againsty the grain to agree with anything that the bishop spouts, I have to say that I also see no resaon why this act should still be in force. Come on Mr Brown, lets have a general tidy up of all these anachronistic laws governing which fairy tales are supported by the government and which are proscribed. Along with ditching the Act of Settlement he can also disestablish the Church of England, scrap any new "faith" schools, and a make a solid commitment/timetable to bring all the existing ones back under state control (including the bishop's own catholic ones)

Mark Allen, Nottingham,