It just shows that by taking a firm stance and not deviating from your positions you become more popular. People may not agree with you, but at least they know where you stand. As an Anglican in America, I've even thought of doing a Tony Blair. I am disheartened and sickened at the way the Church has backed off of issues. There is a big difference between acceptance and inclusion, and condoning certain behaviours. I think this is where we Anglicans have got it wrong and the Romans have it right. In my opinion, to say we love and accept you, but certain behaviours are wrong is completely appropriate.

J, Dallas, USA

There is a mnemonic in medical circles
DBDKIY
They write it on terminally ill patients notes.
Dead but doesn't know it yet.
This applies to any religion that is exposed to even a modicum of education and thinking for oneself. The falling church attendance is the reality regardless of whether people say they are Christian. Most don't even know what that means. It is just a reaction like blinking in sunlight. It doesn't mean anything.

Most people who go to church regularly are either over 50 or too young to think rationally for themselves.

That is why the followers of Jesus are called sheep. Even a brief investigation will show anyone that Jesus did not even exist and is a compound of many previous myths created and stolen by the early church like most other fairy stories posing as God given dogma.

Arguing over who has the best religion is like arguing about who has the best imaginary friend.

seekandye shallfind, Walsall, UK

Chantell,

It's the Holy Spirit working here. I think this is great news in the UK for Catholicism. Since the CC is indeed the only Church founded by Christ whom He build upon Peter, Our first Pope.

Emmanuel, Camp Victory, Iraq,

I am glad the institutional Church may come back. I am glad I am not in the "church between your ears" where your good deeds are for naught, and all that matters is what You think the Bible says. Jesus spoke of a church. It might be full of the unwashed, it might not always make you feel "saved," but at least I can count on it being here when the novelties of a thousand theologies are no more.

James Habersham, Lincoln,

Church attendance in the Uk has been low, but more so in England, where a vast majority have been "cultural christians".What ever Denominationassociation someone has, does not really matter, but i will say, that while the more Anglo-catholics of the church of england have always been more serious about their faith, which is is seen through their liturgy, the RC church are catching up in numbers, but for years, following vatican II, they have failed to show the reverence that you would expect & therefore no living faith in Christ. If this was to change, then i can see the RC church growing, not just among immigrants from eastyern europe but from England as well.This does not really matter, but the "Act of Supremacy" will force some interesting questions.

Rev Lee Stewart, Redlands, California, USA

God's final message of warning is being sounded throughout the world- through the 3 angel's messages of Rev 14. Righteousness by faith is the only means of salvation appointed for mankind. There is no way we can 'work' our way to heaven. Once we accept Christ, obedience (works) will come naturally as a beautiful fruit of our love for God.

God is calling ALL the world to worship Him alone as revealed in His Word, & to keep the true Sabbath day (Saturday) holy. Nowhere in scripture will you find one line supporting the change from the true Sabbath to Sunday. Jesus says 'If you love me, keep my commandments'. And if you turn to the last book in the Bible, it says only those who keep the commandments of God will enter through the gates into that heavenly city.

Brothers and Sisters, this is serious. Time, probation for mankind is about to end & we need to choose whose side we are going to stand on. All churches that have departed from Gods unchangable Word are fallen.

Chantell, Manchester,

Thatr last comment sounds like hogwash! The anglican church has reverted to taking anybody into their church as long as they take them from Rome. If someone does not want to follow the teachings that's there own problem, it is because of lack of faith. England id finding her way back to Catholicism. If the comment you made is actually the truth, they are certainly part of a group that statistically is less than 1% of the Polish influx.

Connor, Toronto, Canada

To Kyd Catholic, San Jose, California

The only true faith is Christianity with the truth being the only way to know God is to know Jesus. Catholicism was set up by the last Roman emperor so that Rome could find another way to control the world. People saying that the pope stands in the place of Jesus is false as now where in the bible does it talk about the pope being a replacement for Christ. So please don't start accusing other christens about being false we can all do this with ease.

End of the day weather you are Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Evangelical and any other Christen denomination as long as you love Christ that is what matters and if it takes the Catholic Church gaining dominance to bring Christ back to the UK i think all Christians should be happy. But we need to learn from our past and not argue with each other after all what would Jesus do or want?

Nick, London,

It’s about time England got her soul back, Roman Catholicism. Anglicanism is a fake religion and over 400 years of it in England has proven that. The world, not just England, is crying out for True Religion. True Religion is found only in the Catholic Church. I say three cheers for jolly old England, the more Catholic the better! In the final analysis, if the Catholic’s don’t run the world the Jews or the Moslems will. There is no other way.

Kyd Catholic, San Jose, California

Don't assume that all Poles arrive here to work and settle here 'automatically' attend their local RC church. Poland like Ireland is incresingly becoming 'secularised'. We have a Polish friend who is a baptised Roman Catholic and she came to Britain with her boyfriend about 7 years ago to find work and settle here and they subsequently got married at the Ealing Register Office and never go to church. Her brother who is an electrician and his wife who were also married in a civil ceremony live here in Ealing and when their son was born went to the local RC church and were refused baptism for him unless they undertook to be married in church. They went to their local Anglican Church and they were delighted that the priest welcomed them and agreed to baptise their son and so they may well think about attending church there on a regular basis in future !

Mike Tiley, London , U.K.

Bring it on Rome will rise again, Protestantism is over in England. Catholicism is the biggest single religion in the world, and it is rising. God Bless the Pope and Britain!!!!

Jay Beno , Liverpool ,

I believe that among Christians there should be no divisions but unity: we echo Jesus' prayer, 'that they may be one.' (John 17:11). . The journey towards unity may be long and slow, but praying together, and cherishing the things we have in common, will inspire us as we journey. People make divisions, Christ unites. The true history of the church is not in the institutions or doctrines, in the councils and reformations and sects.
The true history of the church is in the believers who pray to God our Father through the mediation of Christ, Son of God.

Antonella, LONDON, UK

I´m delighted by such apparently little opposition being expressed here to the suggestion of a reunification of the C of E with the RC Church. Maybe it´s not likely that this can happen without a major schism among Anglicans of Great Britain. But it may likewise be bound to happen in many of the archdioceses in the wider Anglican Communion. I shall pray for that unity, as well as with the Orthodox Churches, and with whoever else may wish to rejoin those mainstream communions of world Christianity.

Jon Valur Jensson, Reykjavik, Iceland

the exchange of views here is curious - it shows the tendency in the traditional old denominations to fight over turf that is long since irrelevant. The Christian faith is about having a living relationship with your saviour, not about historical grudges and turf wars.
I find it depressingly predictable that statisticians selectively represent the anglican church in isolation for some news reports as though it was all of UK protestantism then in the next story collate it with denominations attached to the Genevan reformation. It wouldn't be so newsworthy if they were to compare Roman Catholicism with the broader protestantism in the UK. Its also worth remembering that while the Catholic church compiles its membership based on nominal membership many of the protestant denominations work on active participation for membership numbers

RB, Belfast, UK

"The Cof E did not kill when they
ransacked the monasteries"

Oh yes they did. Monks died because they would not acknowledge the illegitimate royal supremacy. In the local monastery here there are stained glass windows depicting martyred monks of Glastonbury and Reading.

Martin , Hereford, England

One historian has argued that the first totalitarian society was created by Henry VIII. He certainly murdered people, including priests, including in Ireland. Meanwhile, studies of the Inquisition show that the "winners'" version of history was inaccurate. Perhaps 200 were killed. And the standards of justice of the Inquisition were higher than those of numerous secular governments

Richard L.A. Schaefer, Dubuque, USA

It was during the Reformation that our branch of our family, stout defenders of the Catholic cause & the Stewarts, was driven into exile from the U.K.

Were I to immigrate, return our blood, to the U.K. it'd be more Catholics added to the population.

Dave Livingston, El Paso county, Colorado, USA

in reply to P.A.K Cambridge as a christian i suggest you visit millbrook christian centre in southampton you will find a loving welcome ,people dedicated to helping others and encourageing the young in understanding moral values,learning instruments being aware of there comunity and yes all having fun ! .They are inspired by the good things they see being done not just in this country but to other missions we help elswhere .Jesus is in our heart not just at church! he has promised all that believe eternal life we do not earn it by how much good we have done.There is talk at this moment of how there is proposals to teach young children on having gay sex !Everyone is blaming everyone else on how society is braking down is there no wonder when we spend more time on this then looking after our fellow man.Jesus shows us the correct path to follow he see's the good in all of us it's a shame that we all cant do the same without thinking of what we are to get out of it.

RICK T, southampton, england

The influx of all these Roman Catholics into Britain will certainly destabilise the country's Anglican dominance. It is obviously and it is easy to forecast that this will eventually affect business markets, products imported and customs. We will see a transition in traditions which I believe will be healthy in today's ever-evolving multi-culture.

Steve Ciantar-Barbara, Zejtun, Malta

Good Grief! What a fine set of unsolicited testimonials for the urgent need to disestablish the church from every part of the government of this country. Religions are repressive and oppressive, prescriptive and proscriptive, humourless and terrified of criticism and satire. And don't try being a woman or gay in ANY of the major religions in this country.

And there are proposals to appoint religious leaders to the second chamber!

P.A.K., Cambridge, UK

Anglican churches are not ours to "give back". The communities which were Catholic at the start of the sixteenth-century were Anglican by the end of it, and as the Reformation was a top-down affair, the advowsons of most churches were owned by families who were Protestants.

So there was never any question of medieval churches being stolen from Catholicism, as they were never owned by the Vatican in the first place!

Whatever happened to the teaching of History?

R White, Harrow, UK

All those magnificent cathedrals,abbeys ,parish churches and
chapels will once again have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offerred within their walls.England is truly becoming the Dowry of Mary-Catholic England,Land of Pole,Campion,Becket et al

Shannon, Bombay, India

To Sam, USA

ethnic cleansing? The Cof E did not kill when they
ransacked the monastries.! I do not agree with what went on then but I hate more the vile evil deeds of the RCC
inquisition .

Hanna, London , UK

I know I am an american and not an english resident so you probably do not care what i say but for those who do care, the catholic church is the only institution that speaks the truth. Christ still is a live today as he was from eternity. He gave the keys to the church to Peter. Everything that existed in anceint Rome has now raised its evil head again: open homosexuaity, feminists (those women who say men have no say in life) this one is new to our times and but I'm sure a couple lived in ancient Rome, human selection (abortion). Rome fell but the church lived on. The church will continue to live on while the democacies that engage and support such evil will fall again and again. Remember, the Catholic Church is the truth, not the laws written by man. That is my say. whether you like it or not.

tim lajoice, st.ignace, michigan, U.S.A.

Already the Catholic church has attacked our democracy and the human rights of certain sections of the population in a spectacularly media savvy way. How long before we are being ordered not to cohabit, do away with contraception, re-criminalise gay sex, and force women out of positions of authority? Medieval religious dogma has no place in a 21st century democracy. I'm a Christian, but also a secularist. I would dearly love Christ's teachings to form the basis of our law, but unfortunately the misrepresentation by organisations such as the Vatican has twisted these teachings into hatred and bigotry. There is no place for Christ in Catholicism, why was the Reformation started? Have we forgotten the revolutionary Christianity of the New Testament, and the word of Christ, that Martin Luther gave life back to, and was expounded with such beauty and simplicity by the Anabaptists? Catholicism has never been about Christ, it has always been about Catholicism and Christendom.

Rachel, London, UK

No surprise. If any person believes in God they know that He can do whatever He wants. England began as a Roman Catholic country before the Reformation. There is absolutely no reason why God cannot reverse it. Take note as to how there is so much controversy and trouble and breaking apart within the Episcopal church, which of course is the Church of England. Could this not be God's Hand allowing to happen to bring England back to its roots?

Anita, Boca Raton, USA

This is typical propaganda, similar to the story last year about there being millions of Muslims in Britian, serving only to turn small minded fearful folk against the group in supposed ascendency. We English are dispassionate about our religion whether it's Anglicanism, Islam, Judaism, or atheism. The Poles are foreigners, many of who see the Catholic Church as the antidote to what they suffered under communism. They're an addition to our society, not a force causing Britons to become Roman Catholic (we've been down that road before, and quite honestly, I can't see many of us starting to go to Catholic Church because Poles want to kneel in the streets displaying their piety). In a secular society such as Britain, how many people go wherever on Friday through Sunday or whether anyone goes anywhere to worship is immaterial.

Terry, Exeter, UK

It is as it should be, since Joseph of Arimathea used to take Baby Yeshua (Jesus) to places like Glastonbury to visit his (Joseph's) tin mines.
So the Latin rite church has always been there. This is a new blossoming since the days of King Henry and Elizabeth sought to stamp the mother church out. Everything old is new (again), the saying goes.

James Wesly Smith, Los Angeles , CA

There's a new kind of Catholicism, typically found on sites like catholicfundamentalism.com that's revolutionizing the new approach to it by proudly, and uncontradictably, saying, "God can program in three dimensions. He programmed particles, compiled them into structures and beings, and had them move through time".
That's another reason The Church is growing among open-minded intellectuals.

bill adams, portersville, USA/PA

Calum in Surrey, the drop in Polish chuch attendence will be nill percentage wise. Over 95% of people in Poland are practicing Catholics and no matter what some of the press seems to put out their overall populations are bearly touched by emmigration. As for whether they'll stop going in a few years, well, surely if that was going to be the case they would have stopped going years ago back in Poland. I doubt they are just mindless sheep flocking to the Church because they know no better, for one it takes a certain independence and bravery to leave one's country and everything you know behind to seek work and opportunity in a country entirely on the other side of Europe.

Rusell, Leeds,

If this is not the Hand of God at work, I don't know what is. After the Reformation, the C of E absconded with countless relics, occupied or destroy thousands of churches, monestaries, chapels, and schools, and committed what was essentially ethnic cleansing of its own people who remained true to the Faith. The C of E should come to terms with its illegitimate existence, and return the properties and relecis to the Catholic Church.

Sam Frankel, Plantation, FL/USA

I am an American Catholic who has a great amount of respect for the British. However, I do not understand why your country clings to an established church if it is declining, or even if there is some ambivalence towards it. Global trends show that people, no matter what religion they are, are generally more prone to attend services when the state doesn't mandate them--which is why it's so easy to find most state churches suffereing from declining members (ie: Denmark). As an American, I would argue against even established Catholicism within a state--while it is my religion, it's simply not necessary for my government to endorse it. I realize Britain has its own history, but is an established protestant church really necessary? And if it is--why is it that your head of state can occupy a different leadership position in a different protestant relgion, like say, in Scotland? The way I see it, you already have a plurality within establishment of the United Kingdom. Why not just have a plurality and leave it at that?

Max, Washington, DC, United States

Wait a minute....
Surely the increase in attendences in England is cancelled-out by the decrease in attendences in Poland.

In a few years the migrants will stop going like the rest of us anyway.

Calum, Egham, Surrey

I think one can has to remember that the Catholic community in seventeenth-century England amounted to little more in size than that of an overseas mission. It is possible to overstate the case for anti-Catholicism (in England, anyway) and to then deliberately conflate it with public demonstrations of 'no popery'. I think we also have to remember that England was under threat of invasion for much of that time, and that Protestant communities also suffered (stand outside the gates of Balliol College Oxford and you'll know what I mean).

Most people who signed the protestation returns in the 1640s were living quite peacefully with the few Catholics living among them. It would pity to spoil a good debate on Catholicism by resorting to hyperbole.

Camelopardus, watford, UK

St. Dominic Savio, (Turin, Italy) one of the youngest saints of the Roman Catholic Church (+1854, at the age of 15) predicted before his death that England would come back to the fold of the One, Holy, Roman, Apostolic and Catholic Church, with the Pope at its head. Finally, his dream is coming true, but who would have thought in such a manner? In any case: WELCOME BACK TO THE FOLD!!!

Damir, Washington, DC, USA

so that's it then - the English are now an ethinic minority in England!

Mark Baker, Tunbridge Wells, KENT

It could also be due to the strong left ward leaning of the Anglican church. It has had a terrible effect in the US for the faithful in Episcopalian churches.

Jim Hunter, Gainesville, GA, USA

In most threads I've read about England and religion, it is usually the non-believers who show far more ignorance and disdain (and hatred?) than the believers. I think this is interesting.. Maybe the Church of Englad causes this attitude. Or maybe, when you look at actual believers instead of reading about them in the headlines of the secular British press, real-life believers are affected positively by their firm belief in the dignity of all people and the centrality of love and respect.

Andrew Na, New England,

Perhaps its the Church of England and its acceptance of the world rather than trying to mold world for Christ is reason for its decline. To Meerkat, to respond to your comments No one is proud of horrible sex scandals, no one. To you Prods I ask, why is it that your Church is about to split apart because the Liberal wing of your Church now accepts gay priests (male or female and) while your brethren in the global South recognize the truth, homosexuality is a sin. Please dont preach to us, the decline in your Church is not fault of us "Romans" it s your Church's "tolerance" , liberality and the failure to preach truth.

SCm, Yonkers, Ny

Correspondents kindly note that the Catholic Church is outstandingly deeper in commitment despite terrible recent revealed scandals. It's a great way of life. One can be sure that there are awful scandals elsewhere, often unrevealed and much worse. Only a further deepening in Faith will see more in ministry and Priesthood. There's no other way.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel., UK

The Times should be rather embarrased to allow space for the bigoted opinions expressed in some posts here. I am English and Catholic, have served my country and sworn the allegiance to the Monarch, I attend Mass and have throughout my life taken part in Anglican services. As a point of fact the Anglican Church believes itself both Protestant and Catholic without contradiction, and claims to be part of the 'one, holy, catholic and apostolic church' to which all Christians should aspire. Some writers here would no doubt also be surprised to hear that many members of the Royal Family feel affinity with Catholicism or Orthodoxy, not least the Heir to the Throne; there is no reason this should affect either the constitution or the Union. Having said all that, perhaps being the main Christian religion in England again will give those fighting the wars of the 16th Century cause to remember they only attack fellow countrymen in doing so.

James, Nottingham, England

Considering the terrible depredations the state waged against it in these isles (Great Britain and Ireland), that Catholicism survived at *all* should be cited as a minor proof of God’s existence. (That Judaism survived its terrible history is a major one.) ......
But I would agree with Francis Marsden that anti-Catholicism is a dirty little secret in British history that should be expunged. IMO, however, the major source of anti-Catholicism in today's Britain stems from the mainstream of atheist rather than Protestant sentiment, a good example of which could be found in yesterday’s rants on this very site! Is this ‘progress’? Or is it merely the old Cromwellian antagonism dressed up in new clothes?

Mary Shelley, London, UK

As a lapsed Catholic who has observed the inexorable decline of the Christian Churches across the UK over the past 50 years, I am pleased to see any revival in Christianity in this country. The decline of the Christian faith has been accompanied by a collapse in moral values and social adhesion. This is not a coincidence. The Ten Commandments have been replaced by a moral vacuum. Only Muslims now profess a widespread adherence to a moral code, even if we don't agree with their views. An upsurge in Catholicism can only be good for Christians and society in general, particularly families.

John Mason, Derby, Derbyshire

As a Catholic I am aware of the history of persecution and subsequent ostracising of the church's followers by the English establishment in the second half of the last millenium. However, unlike Francis Marsden I believe that these acts should be left in the last millenium. An apology from the English government would be no more relevant to me than an apology from the Pope would be for his forebearers encouraging or turning a blind eye to the Crusades, the Inquisition, or the Holocaust.

I feel no ongoing prejudice against Catholics in today's world, true there are vestigates of it in some of the rituals of the establishment, however they are by and large irrelevant to how today's people live their lives.

John Phythian, UK,

It's a great notice.

Samuel, Madrid, Spain

Emmeline of London, the 'atheist' should do some more reading. Dear lady, it is atheists in the last 150 years who have far exceeded any real or imagined believer in slaughtering people.

As a self confessed atheist shouldn't you be apologizing for all the blood spilt by your fellow atheists?

I think we should be told.

mike davis, Sydney, Australia

I don't think anybody can be proud of the child abuse committed by the Clergy. Indeed, it is especially deploring as they were, and still are by many, trusted in a special way.
However, "abusus non tollit usus", i.e. abuse does not nullify use.
Only because there are abusive elements in a system (or hierarchy) does not mean that the system per se is bad.
All religions, all societies, indeed the great majority of people have dirty little or big secrets - it doesn't mean we abolish Great Britain for their dirty little sins during the colonial times, or abolish the Courts because there were miscarriages of Justice, does it?
So, yes, there were (and probably still are) problems in the Catholic Church, but it does not necessitate its abolition.
Regarding the spread of HIV, even scientists and doctors agree: the best way to avoid infection is to abstain from sexual intercourse. That's the stand of the Catholic Church. It may be an extreme view, maybe not practicable, but it is: correct!

Pat, London, England

It says that the influx of migrants could be the Catholic community’s “greatest threat” or its “greatest opportunity”.

That is the case with all the religion in the world. We are shifting the society to where we belong and we do want to be left out. If one wins, the other has to lower the stance not the value.

Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD, Dar-Es-Salaam , Tanzania

Sir/Madam,
I have not read The Times in many years, (over twenty), mainly because I don't live in the UK. However, I'll be in no hurry to read it again if Ruth Gledhill is typical of your columnists. Her article is tainted with all the sensationalism of the toilet tabloids! Moreover, if the majority of the comments is typical of the readership to whom you preach, I would not want associated with those who are still living in centuries past.

Yours etc.,

Dr. Paul Lavelle, Barrhead,

There is little prospect of the Roman Catholic Church having sufficient priests in ten years time to look after its present congregations due to a serious reduction in the number of ordinations in the UK and elsewhere in Europe as it still refuses to ordain married (unless they are Anglican 'converts' which seems illogical and unfair to existing RC priests ) and women priests and will not be able to rely on numbers 'imported' Irish priests as in the recent past due to the recent severe reduction in numbers being ordained as priests in Ireland. On the other hand the numbers of ordinations in the Anglican Church both male and female are very healthy at present and for this reason it is unlikely that the Roman Catholic Church in England will be able to overtake the Anglican church in the medium or longer term. The best prospect is for the urgent continuation of unity talks between the two churches.

Mike Tiley, Ealing,London, UK

Hmmm. Let's see. A Church founded as the procurer for King Henry or the Church founded by Jesus Christ? Hmmm. Let's see.

Ciarraiman, USA,

Since when has Catholicism not been a denominaion of Christianity? What has The Times come too, if it doesn't comprehend this fact. ANGLICANISM AND ROMAN CATHOLICISM AR BOTH CHRISTIAN.

simon dobbs, Market Harborough,

I think Raymond Atkinson might benefit from a nice lie down in a darkened room......

As a thoroughly lapsed Catholic, who received a fine education in Catholic schools, I can honestly say it never did me any harm.

In any case, the Vatican has already abolished limbo, - just mumbo and jumbo to go, then....

Patrick, Harrogate, UK

I cannot help but grin reading some of these comments.
It goes to show how hypocritical British "tolerance" is to a large extent towards faith. You would be hard pressed to find such anti-muslim comments on this site, but anti-catholicism is, well, alright.
This is especially baffling as the differences between the CoE and Catholic church are not so very great (if you'd bother to attend mass of both Churches you'd realise that even many prayers are near identical).
How many Englishmen died to replace the "tyranny of the Pope" for the tyranny of the Monarch, I do not know. The cause, however, is clear: the Pope not granting a divorce.
But I do know that many Englishmen died in the Crusades under the English King Richard (the Lionheart) to to "free" Jerusalem from the tyranny of Islam and bring it under Catholic rule once again. How times have changed. Once England brought Christianity to the world, now the world is bringing it back here.

Pat, London, England

Are you proud, Mr Peake, of the sexual abuse committed against children by members of your church? Or of its dogmatic refusal to advise its followers to use condoms to protect themselves and others against HIV, thus perpetuating the dreadful consequences of the disease?

meerkat, London, England

The true effect of popery will not be felt by the English people until it is too late. It is the avowed goal of the Roman Catholic church to disestablish the Church of England and with it the English Monarch. Britain was Great when Queen Victoria ruled with her belief in the King James Bible and the Protestant faith. Since her demise Britain has lost, and will continue to lose her influence worldwide. During her reign the sun never set on the Commonwealth - it is a very different situation today.
God help us when Rome takes over the education of all British children and we are subjected to the debauchery of her priests.

Raymond Atkinson, Belfast,

Many Englishmen died to secure freedom from the tyranny of the Pope and the Catholic monolith and now we are being dragged back...

Nik , London , UK

Bring it on! At the end of the day they're all people like you and me before we apply labels to everybody. Let's take the time to really get to know individuals and to value belief systems and cultures but let's also strive to discover real absolute truth about God, life and ourselves by listening to what God has to say in the Bible to us all.

Dave Pegg, Exeter, UK

And who's Mr. Suggs?

In my opinion, England's never stopped being Catholic. It just had a patina of Anglicanism painted over top. Think of the difference between Protestant America and England.

My grandad was a Catholic/Irish policeman, highly regarded and possessing the sergeant's exam, but was never promoted because he refused to join the Masons. But he served his community and his family and God without fault.

winnie murphy, Wigan, England

"... solve the underlying problem of secularisation." What problem? I take it Malcolm MacLean means the "problems" of equality and tolerance rather than privilege based on which faith you claim to follow or bigotry disguised as religion.
The Catholic Church should be applauded for helping these migrants. However, no religion should ever be described as "dominant." One reason for the church's decline is that too many bishops seem bent on gaining political power rather than looking after those in need.

Paul Millington, Reading, UK

Ruth Gledhill's article claims the "report describes how many migrants have few or no documents, little or no English, no job to go to and nowhere to live" and then immediately adds that the "Catholic Church is the first port of call for thousands when they find themselves in difficulty, with up to 95 per cent from countries such as Poland being practising Catholics".

The Poles don't "have few or no documents" and not only are they are entitled to come here, they have earned a reputation for hard work. There is no reason to suppose that very many illegal immigrants are Catholic or even Christian but Gledhill appears to be trying to give that impression.

James, London,

As an atheist, the growth of religion is something that I welcome – as long as it does not mean a rise in fundamentalism and narrow-mindedness. How many lives have been lost over the centuries in the name of religion? From the Crusades to modern suicide bombers, too many people think that only their way of life is correct and anyone who opposes it must die. How can Britain grow and progress as a society if we are hampered by suspicion and hatred at every turn? We are a multi-faith society, and we must reflect this in ourselves. No matter our personal views, being tolerant and open minded is essential in the fight against fear and oppression. Secular or religious, no ine has the right to decree other people's lifestyles based on their own values.

Emmeline, London, England

I believe that the formation of a new, political party, in England, pledged to uphold Catholic moral and social teaching, is urgently needed.
It is tragic that no person, no matter how innocent, has the legal right of a life-long marriage partner.
I am Irish but if I were English, I would be angry at the state of England, and fly the St George's flag.

John Caughey, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Im a Catholic myself, but i sometimes wonder if evreything we believe in... is just a figment of our imaginations, that gives hope to the hopeless, gives a reason for living, and shows us or limits. Do we really know if theres a "Heaven" or "God"? Religion is not just an idea! It is a BELIEF and men for centuries have died for beliefs! Religion can be a scary and dangerous idea or sign of hope for all...

John, Mobile, AL, United States of America

Based on my experience as a young adult in today's world, this is good news. I'm glad that Catholics are migrating to England. Our generation has been hurt by divorce, drugs, sexual promiscuity, and lack of faith. I think the young people in England have turned their backs on God, not necessarily through their own fault. Hopefully more people will realize how much God loves them. It would be nice to see Westminster Abbey and the Canterbury Cathedral, for instance, returned to their original owners who were the local Catholics who paid for their construction with sweat and blood.

Emily, Portland, Oregon, USA

I would like to point out that in addition to Ann Widdecombe there are many protestants and others who have or are like me in the process of converting to Catholicism. In our Diocese (Nottingham) the numbers are increasing steadily year on year.

Mike Greenhalgh, Nottingham, England

Fear is a bad advisor, Mr Lester May, a very bad one!

Alex Spak, Aberystwyth, UK

We've known for years that Catholic and Anglican church attendances were roughly equal, despite the fact that over 50% (?) of the population is Anglican and only 10% Catholic. But the C/E are the acceptable Establishment while the Catholic Church is often left out in the cold, to be pilloried by the BBC.
Catholicism was a persecuted religion in this country from 1535 to 1553 and from 1559 to 1827, it looks as if the Reformation now has little left to offer. Perhaps we will have an apology from the British state for the 500 Catholic martyrs they hanged (+drew and quartered, often enough or who just died in prison). And what of the 2000 or so Catholics who were killed for their religion after the Pilgrimage of Grace (1536), the Western Rising (1549) and the Rising of the Northern Earls (1569), all in defence of the Catholic Faith? This country has a long, ignoble history of anti-Catholicism, that last acceptable prejudice, which it prefers to keep in the cupboard with other skeletons.

Francis Marsden, Chorley, Lancs, UK

When I was a boy at prep school in the sixties we used to say a prayer for the conversion of England. How nice to read, that bit by bit our faith is increasing. The Catholic Church does much good in this country. I agree with others that laws that discriminate against catholics and prohibit members of the Royal Family from marrying a catholic are sectarian. Many Roman Catholics have given their lives for this country in wars in foreign lands including the young officer who died recently in Iraq.
Good Save the Queen. .

Charles Morgan, Halifax, U.K.

The Catholic church has been an `organisation non grata´ in England for over four hundred years, with Catholics even suspected of being capable of treason during the last war. Is the establishment capable of adjusting to accommodate those who are historically seen as being undesirable? Only a few days ago Tony Blair again failed to give an answer as to why the Act of Settlement is still on the statute books. Is it a case of `I suppose they are all right, but I wouldn´t want my daughter to marry one´?

Rita Kleppmann, Essingen, Germany

As an English Catholic, I'm curious if Mr Suggss, can share with me, the manner of my oppression.

David, Manchester,

Well, this country has plummetted into a moral pit due to its vehement anti-Christian stance. People like Jonathan talk about us as power-hungry, greedy corporations, how wrong you are. The Church provides more education to Africa than anybody else, supports more poor people than anybody else, and has the best moral stance than anybody else. Only in the church will you find the fullness of truth, and I mean the Catholic Church. As for idolatry, check your facts chap, that means worshpping an idol, not using a statue in worship, which is ok biblically. And I can prove it just not wasting my time. This country is on the cusp of a Christian revival - get ready for it because it will start with the Catholics - alleluia.

Derek Williams, Quadring,

The claim that the Catholic tradition has, or may, become the dominant religious tradition in Britain is misleading. It may be the case (and it is more difficult to calculate than this article admits) that Sunday attendance is now greater than the Anglican Church, but it remains around half the total Protestant Sunday attendance when the Free Churches are included. One must be careful with headlines!

Philip Hill, Leighton Buzzard, UK

Well let's just hope that all these Catholics don't do too much damage to our beautiful family values, bringing their silly traditions such as having dinner with their children etc...

Paula Haddocks, London,

Time to disestabish the C of E then.

Tim locke, guelph, canada

So What!! England was alwaysa Catholic country before the reformation and by the looks of things is on a fast track to becoming a muslim one I would'nt worry about this one unless of course a Camilla is planning to convert or Cherie might convert Tony he would have to resigne RIGHT?? us that still illegal ? Come out of the dark ages and get with the program.

Meg, DC EX Pat, USA

"Have your say." As if.
Who is Mr Miller, to whom Bellhouse refers and who is Malcom sic to whom Jim from dublin sic refers. Your censorship is clumsy and absurd.
Strange how amateurs(genuine bloggers) have got the hang of this blog thing and you professionals(potemkin blog sites) have not.

Mark Lyndon, London, UK

I sincerely hope that this means that our schools and the hierarchy within the Catholic Church can now begin to reflect more closely the congregations that they serve. In other words, let us see the universality of the Catholic Church represented at all levels for too long it has been dominated by Irish worshippers and their offspring to the exclusion of all other practising Catholics.

Nicola, Liphook, England/Hants

I am an agnostic but sometimes I wish Jesus was real and would come again. Just to see what he'd do the obscenely rich and utterly hypocritical Roman Catholic religion. Should be fun to watch considering what he did to the money changers in the temple.

A W Jones, Grantham, UK

This view is not statistically proven but as I read all the above posts I felt real anger and rage coming out in many of them. Christianity in all its forms is about love, compassion, not competition. We should not allow ourselves to engage in the same debates as go on in secular society. We are under a different authority and should demonstrate it.

Kay Buckley, Huddersfield, UK

So people are now choosing their branch of christianity through the number of people who go to a particular church, and not through any particular aspect of the belief system?

Logic and religion. You really do apply it when you want, don't you.

Lee Duff, Reading, UK

This news is only surprising to those folks who have written off religion as a cultural phenomenon of a bygone era. At the heart of the Christian faith is the belief that this world, for all its suffering, makes sense. That God has not and will not abandon us. That the restlessness and lonliness of the world are overcome by the peace and fullness offered by Christ. As long as mankind longs to be fulfilled, the Church will be there offering our Lord to feed the souls of men.
Those who mock religion or cast it off as meaningless risk forgetting that there is more to life than "me." Why does Europe have more wealth and well being than ever before but is slowly dying? Why is it that pessimism about the future runs rampant throughout sucular world, Europe?
What are the prospects for the hardcore secularists? Plumetting birthrates, pessimism, and a bleak future. Religion isn't about removing the world's pain, it's about giving it meaning, so that there can be room for hope.

Stephen, Washington,

You should judge people by their actions, not their words.

If an individual's spirituality (we all have this dimension, even if we ignore this fact) is enriched through a community experience of worship then, good on them. Many an Individual in a faith community have an extra support to turn to, should they find that life's challenges become too great to bear.

Saying a person is 'religious' because they choose to identify themselves with a particular faith community does not make that person necessarily spiritual, but it may help.

Many a spiritual person today is agnostic, feeling unsure in which direction their spiritual allegiances lie.

Damian, Bangkok, Thailand

According to catholic faith homosexualism is a sin and actually in Poland it's being recognised as state of mental illness needed certain psychological treatment. Do we have last days of homosexualism in UK?

Caesar, London,

religion is one of the most common causes of international disorder in the world today. if religious people could think in the present and stop blindly following man-made ideas from the past, real progress could be made in bringing those problem areas of the international community to peace. You rarely hear of Christian “terrorists” these days but the underlying attitude of the bible is essentially the same as the kuran etc: “we are right and all others are wrong because god says so; erm.. well.. that’s what it says in my book anyway”

ben, manchester,

Not before time.

James, Glasgow, Scotland

Best news!

kathleen, West Midlands,

this is aproduct of the EU's efforts to consolidate mass migrations putting some economic pressure on the receiving 'region'. We expereience this in north america from another 'global effort' to consolidate, like they do in companies that go over seas and shatter jobs from the' homeland', leaving the people that made the company grow, out on a limb!! It seems that govenrnments that relenquis power to companies fall into the conundrum of missing the uniquenss of cultural contributions from the people that have devoted hteir time, energy and education and effirts and yes, devotion, or loyality to the company fleeing to other ports to establish their products and profits with the benefits the laws allow to reap higher profits from investing in the original persons that have remained loyal, and left like a flat tire in the road.
We need ,as citizenry, to revive our VOICE and make the government represent these people.

Ken, New york, NY USA

Mike, of London, should be ashamed of himself to call priests "robed charlatans". He obviously writes with prejudice and complete ignorance of the many and varied good works done by priests, monks and nuns all over the world.

Joe Busuttil, SWIEQI, MALTA (EU)

In response to Malcolm Williamson - nobody deplores or is more critical of or more angry of the handling of these issues than lay Catholics. Be clear - it was comprehensively mishandled but do not believe for a second that it was condoned or accepted by any Catholic.

In an 'anything goes' society, it is no suprise that faiths that consistently stand for something and don't flex with the prevailing view are on the increase.

Guy, Nothamptonshire, UK

Statistics last week showed that the Catholic Church worldwide is increasing in numbers - at about the same rate as world population itself - to around 1.16 billion. UK secularists who rage against church-goers and priests and see religious bogeymen at every corner are a small minority in this country (do a million committed people turn up for National Secular Society meetings every week?!) and a truly tiny minority worldwide. But that doesn't stop them trying to force their opinons on everyone else!

Andrew Eburne, Norwich,

I cannot see the Pope or the papal curia repealing Canon 844, and if Catholicism does overtake Anglicanism (assuming we are not counting 'stay-away' Anglicans) that would effectively reduce the rest of us to the status of second class citizens when it comes to areas such as education.

Camelopardus, Watford, England

Fortunately there will still be vastly more people without religion to base their bigotted views on, than those that claim to practice love, tolerance etc, whilst wishing to persue their own view of what the rest of the world should be like.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

Given that, as an earlier commentator noted, the Church has been the largest practising religious grouping in this country for decades, it is disgraceful that the laws discriminating against Catholics remain on the statute book. As for disestablishing the protestants - well, Cardinal Hume refused a peerage as the Vatican does not permit priests to have a legislative role, so there is an argument for allowing the protestants to remain in the House of Lords just that some of moral voice is retained as the Catholic bishops could not accept seats there even were they to be offered them. All other laws discriminating against Catholics and favouring the protestant settlement should go, however. The Act of Settlement prohibiting Catholic succession, the fact that decisions of the protestant synod have the force of English law, and anything else which remains.

Martin, Hereford, England

It certainly is fascinating for me, a Roman Catholic, to read the wildly prejudiced comments on my religion made by people who obviously have no idea what the Church teaches, nor much knowledge, for that matter, of the history of their own country. Ignorance and prejudice lead to imprudent acts sooner or later. The Taliban blew up the Buddhist statues in Afghanistant because they wre ignorant and prejudiced. I wonder how the Catholic bashers above can stand seeing so many monuments of their own history which must offend them by reminding them of that evil Church. Do they not know the U.K. and its institutions (parliament, universities, great art and architecture) would be unrecognizable had not Catholicism been the national religion for about 1000 years?

Brigid Elson, Toronto, Canada

Oh well, I'll try one more time....The presence of the Church as an institution to help & ultimately assimilate immigrants is a tremendous good for the entire country. As we struggle with radical mullahs & unassimilated Muslims, we should give thanks for an indigenous Catholic Church--and English Catholicism has a vibrant, wonderful history of aiding those in need--to help these people. The anger of atheists--so intolerant!--always bothers me, but I would hope that English pragmatism will ultimately prevail.

Mary Shelley, London,

Answering the above message of Stephen Peake. It is obviously good that the Catholic Church offers love, warmth and help, but this must be the result of serving God according to His will. I wish the Catholic Church will be offering the example of serving its Lord and everything which follows will develop society in a marvelous way. It is not a theory, but reality!

Alex Spak, Aberystwyth, UK

If, as Linda Morgan comments above, right and wrong come from nothing more than each individual's "personality," then the duty to follow the law and to act morally means nothing other than the duty to obey oneself. In this view, there's no ultimate difference between the victim in the concentration camp and the Eichmann who runs the camp. Each obeys his own "sense of right and wrong," and the content of morality shifts from unchanging moral laws to the momentary whims of the individual. This is the kind of contradiction that atheism and humanism always generate. They imagine that individual actions create the law when, in reality, human actions are judged by the standard of an unchanging law. If not, then we're forced to concede that Nelson Mandela was no better than Hitler. Each invented his own "right and wrong" and held them till the end. Catholicism has endured for this reason. It preaches an eternal law that persists despite the horrors and mistakes of human history.

Charlotte, Lafayette, USA

The Times needs to monitor the responses more carefully. I might have been interested to read responses that were relevant to the article, but most of the first of the responses I read are of no relevance at all.

The Times would not publish a letter with the sort of drivel being written here. Please set a standard that mirrors the newspaper and rid us of these extremist writings.

Lester May, Camden Town, London

I have always known the United Kingdom as a Protestant stronghold, so therefore, this is quite shocking for me to read.
Nevertheless, parallels could be drawn with The Netherlands, where the Royal Family is Protestant, but still 30 percent of the population is registered as Catholic.
Ultimately, I am curious about what people like Ian Paisley have got say about another Catholic Revival in Britain.

Inti Ibanez Matus, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Whilst I agree that many of these institutions were used for power and greed and as control mechanisms but we should not throw out the baby with the bath water. Genuine biblical faith is not tied to curruptable man made institutions, denominations and man made traditions. Genuine biblical Christianity is about living your life to a moral code whilst loving God and loving all others around you including your enemies and those you disagree with.

Alan, Mid-Ulster, Northern Ireland

The EU is practically one country now and this is a mass migration of existing worshippers from one region to another. Like as if all the Catholics in Essex picked up sticks and moved to Kent. Hardly a triumph of religion as not one new catholic has been created. The rise in numbers in Britain and Ireland is balanced by the fall in Poland, Romania, Czech etc. Welcome to the EU.

Derek, Dublin, Ireland

So the Churches are being overwhelmed by migrants. What about all the other public services who have to cope without extra funding, never mind having to spend millions on interpreters

James, Reading,

It always speaks volumes for religion that those who are not religious spew insults so freely.

While it is true that these migrants might provide a short term boost to numbers and their offspring will be at the mercy of the secular forces in our society, the world demographics of religious society in contrast to that of secular NW Europe shows the long term outlook for the growth of the church in this country is good. Russia, China and Africa are all enjoying growths in Christianity. The people of NW Europe still have a tendency to think the world looks to them for future trends: it doesn't.

James Stuart, London,

As long as it is christian denominations that are in the majority in the United Kingdom & not Islam then "No Worries".

Zippy, vejle,

Interesting how unenlightened and bigotted the English can be. Catholicism thrives on oppression, so keep it up.

Jason Suggs, Notre Dame, Indiana

There may be a welcome increase in the numbers of Roman Catholic believers through immigration but the church is experiencing a significant decline in priests, who are seen by the faithful as the guardians of the faith. So it seems that a significant pastoral problem is being created if the status quo continues. If laymen were to be given more responsibility then perhaps the situation could be ameilorated .

Tom Jackson, Stockport, England

No surprise there! The cost of having children in Britain means the indigeneous population is ageing and being replaced by educated immigrants! Remove social protection and birth rates decline!...but at least, we pay less taxes!... For the masochists having children now pay school fees (10 to 20k£/a per child), university fees (3k£/a), mortgages... that only city bankers and people with inherited fortune can afford! Hopefuly, these immigrants will pay our old days since it appears we have put nothing aside for these!

Antoine , London, UK

The Catholic church was dominant in the UK long before the temporary blip of false doctrine installed in the 16th century by the tudors, who in their desire for independence from Rome, took it upon themselves to build a religion based on the pillars of evil, whereby man was free to commit organised anti-Popery. It is only right that the one true Catholic and Apostolic church should returned to its rightful place in the UK.

Whilst the influx of Catholics from overseas will no doubt grow the attendants at mass, there is also a migration from CoE believers who have grown to realise that a woman who sits in Buckingham Palace should not be sitting as their "Supreme Governor" . The Catholic church has foundations of love that can be unbrokenly traced back to Jesus through his Apostle Peter -"on this rock I will build my church (Mark 16)"- and was not muddled together by a womaniser from the 16th century, who in his desire to follow the path of adultery decided to form his own creed.

James, Bracknell, Berkshire,

Mr Miller, I can't help but worry about attitudes like yours. To refer back to the bloody history and attitudes towards homosexuality within anglicanism whilst claiming catholicism is the answer? Crazy.... Catholicism is just a bad, almost always more fundamental, responsible for enormous bloodshed throughout history, and worst of all, encourages the indoctrination of children into its cult before they're even aware of right and wrong. These are commonalities amongst all religions, and quite frankly, the answer stares us in the face... People need to grow up, rationalise, and finally ditch religion for the supernatural absurdity that it is.

Freddie Bellhouse, London,

In the UK we have an increasingly secular society where many people have turned their backs on organised religion.

I am a Humanist and an Atheist, and I conduct non-religious ceremonies - particularly funerals - for people who feel that religion has no place in their lives, and that their sense of right and wrong comes from the core of their personality. I have never been so busy.

For more details see www.humanism.org.uk

Linda Morgan, Colchester, UK

Church-going Catholics have outnumbered their Anglican brothers and sisters for decades, though perhaps because the Catholic Church isn't Established the figures are often unnoticed. I wonder if the timing of this story has more to do with the Anglican Primates meeting in Africa?!
At our church in Norwich we have a 1,000 at Mass each weekend. We have seen an increase in Poles recently - and they are very welcome indeed, but many don't intend to stay in this country and plan to return to Poland in the next couple of years. We already had many parishioners from India, Portugal, the Phillipines - all over the world in fact - as well as converts from Anglicanism. One of the reasons people come is because the congregation is so varied.

Andrew Eburne, Norwich,

I am a catholic based in Cardiff and i have witnessed the recent upsurge in attendance in my local parish. However, i feel the real issue should be the role the church and in general christainity plays in shaping the values of society. Numbers, wonderful but what value is numbers when there is no perceivable impact on society?

nicholas okpeku, cardiff, wales

'Roman Catholicism is set to become the dominant religion in Britain for the first time since the Reformation'. No, the number of practicing Catholics overtook the number of practicing Anglicans in the 1960s. In recent years the two Churches have had about similar numbers due to decline in Catholic attendances and the growth of Evangelicalism in the C of E. So it would be truer to say that the RC Church is about to overtake the C of E once again.

revd r parrish, Barry, Wales

The Catholic Church is a steady rock in a changing world, it offers love, warmth and help. Sometimes problems can be bigger than you are, and the help is there, you only have to ask. I’m very proud of my Church.

Stephen Peake, Liverpool, UK

Sorry Mr Thornton but the Catholic Church has has strayed hugely from the teaching's of Jesus Christ. It has adopted the Trinity from the 3rd century, a pagan teaching, has idol's in every church which is against the 2nd of the ten commandments and the apostle Paul's writings, enforces a celibacy rule going beyond scriptual teachings, and has ignored Jesus command to love having been involved in wars throughout the centuries. The church should keep to bible teachings, not taditions of men.Mark 7:7,8.

Jonathan King, Offaly, Irish Republic

John ,Milton Keynes is correct..

The Lambeth Conference next year will see an exodus in my opinion to the RC Church ,as people such as myself are reluctant to follow the road taken by the liberal and arrogant Episcopalian Church of America.
The Anglican Church has over the last 3 decades become a Church which has been hijacked by minorities who wish to further their own cause,and is responsible for it's own moribund state and decline..
It's time they accepted they were no longer able to administer to the Nation as the established Church, and have failed miserably ,and should send missionaries out to the Parishes...
As an Anglican uncomfortable at the road taken over the past 10 years i too shall follow soon the road taken by many,and will be converting...as will I suspect those who are Forward in Fairth

John, Durham,

malcom, gimme a break will yah, harbouring illegal immigrants? aye! me thinks someone is anti catholic

jim, dublin, ireland

Is it not time for the disestablishment of the Church of England?

Tom Fallowfield, Braemar, Aberdeenshire

So, increased Catholic migration, and resultant influence in politics, could well see the Constitution being amended to end the ban on an R.C. becoming sovereign of England? Many Scots will be amused at your religious correspondent's Anglo-centric reference to the decline in the Anglican 'province' of Scotland! Since the Reformation, the Kirk has always been the national church in Scotland! The Scottish Episcopal Church, with a microscopic membership, is miniscule in comparison to the Church of Scotland, and its sister Presbyterian churches! As for Wales and Ireland? Has your journalist forgot how under the non-conformist Lloyd George The Church in Wales successfully broke away from Canterbury! Since Partition, the Church of Ireland, also with a dying Anglo-Irish membership, has been overwhelmed by the Roman Catholic Church, both sides of the Irish border! Since 1965, fifty percent less people from ALL Scottish faiths now attend church! No...I'm an atheist!

Lachie Todd, Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.

Geoff Miller claims that it is because of moral relativism that the Chuch of England is in decline. Yet the Catholic Church in France where he lives, preaching eternal truths whatever they are, has all but collapsed, as it is currently doing in Catholic Spain. I think the reasons for religious decline are rather more complicated than that.

Simon Hobbs, London, UK

"The grandfather prays in Hebrew, the father prays in English, the son doesn't pray and the gandson isn't Jewish."
Immigration can provide a short-term boost, but Catholics must not be lulled into thinking that it will solve the underlying problem of secularisation.

Malcolm McLean, Bradford, UK

Catholicism, Protestantism and all of the different variants of the two are just facades for the power-hungry, greedy corporations that run them. What concerns me is not whether Catholics will outnumber Protestants, but whether this rise in the number of so-called "Christians" will lead to further interference by “spiritual” despots in the government of the lives of the vast majority in this country who care not for such unsubstantiated, morally hypocritical preachings. Even talk of such things can be dangerous – look at Northern Ireland. It seems to me that the Church has too much money if it's commissioning such reports, money better spent elsewhere.

Jonathan, England, UK

It is a shame that in a country like the UK , under oppression from an overweening and taxing government , riven with spin and falsehood ; that another large organization , based upon the promotion of guilt , greed and the subjugation of mankind should be increasing.

Paul Dilks, Heanor, Derbyshire, England

The references to "baptised" catholics/anglicans in this report just about says it all. How can they claim the mind of somebody just because they had a few drops of water splashed on their heads in the first few months of life without giving consent. Britain is an increasingly secular country and if we stopped giving so much attention to dying superstitions we would all be better off.

Howard Phillips, Jersey, Britain

So what? Eddie Izzard has called the 'Church of England' the psychotic bastard religion. Which explains, I guess, why England has a history of barbarity and causing mayhem whereever it goes, from Northern Ireland, to Sri Lanka to Palestine. All regions which benefitted from the English 'divide and conquer' mentality. Oh and the shipping in of a mass of foreigners who were then given preferential treatment and extra 'rights' by the Brits. So the chickens come home to roost. Enjoy.

Paris ib, Beausoleil, France

How nice to read an article about Christianity that talks about growing church numbers and doesn't mention Dawkins. More please...

Alastair, East Grinstead, UK

as home grown brits are uninterested in religion , it is in the various churches favour to welcome people from abroad to boost their numbers.

carl payne, eastleigh, hampshire

A cheap jibe from Malcolm Williamson. Are you seriously trying to suggest that offering a pastoral service to immigrants is on the same level as issues concerning paedophilia?

Aside from the religious obligation for immigrant Catholics to attend mass, the Catholic church is in a unique place to look at immigrants (illegal or otherwise) as individuals. It can avoid the grandstanding that politicians are often forced into on the issue and use its authority to point out that immigrants are still people as much as anyone in this country and so deserve basic respect.

Robert Hollas, London,

The quality of Catholic Church practice in terms of Sunday obligation and attendance at weekday Masses is also much higher than the Anglicans.

Given the decline of the Catholic Church in Europe, dare one hope that the UK will be sending missionaries to reconvert Europe in fifty years time. Now that would be a turn up for the history books.

I am singing a quiet Te Deum tinged with sadness that the English could not find the spiritual resources within themselves. But Blessed Dominic Barberi came to England barely speaking a word of English and he received John Henry Newman into the Church.

Christopher Gillibrand, Brussels (in exile), Belgium

To respond to Father Bryan of Tintagel, it is true that awful things happen in this world, but it is our duty to make those responsible accountable. When some silly myth-struck old biddy drops a few pennies in the salver, it is important somebody explains to her that her money will be used by the church to fund a conspiracy to conceal child abuse or to keep a Nazi in style. In a similar vein, it is incumbent on all reasonable men to combat the robed charlatans that mislead the simple of mind and defraud them of their pennies.

mike, London,

Not only in England and Wales are numbers going up. Here in Scotland we are inundated with migrant Roman Catholics from Poland and elswhere. Since the establishment of the European Union ( and freedom of movement) Catholicism in the U.K. has without doubt increased in numbers. You can't stop Religion from growing, some have tried in the past and failed. People are begining to realise that if you find God you find Life.

Father Gerry Magee, Kilwinning, Scotland

In Peterborough all massesare packed out and Mass is as you say from 8am to 8 pm Morning Noon and Night. There is just no room at the inn. So they are having to extend and build much bigger the actual church at a cost of about 3M. So who said Catholic s were dead. Come and see alive and kicking in Peterborough.

John P Most, Cambridge, UK

At last! We understand why Blair was so keen to scrap all controls on immigration.

Geoffrey Williams, London, England

As a Catholic (the son of an Irish immigrant) I welcome wholeheartedly the contribution to our church from immigrants from such nations as Poland and the Phippines.

As someone who has visited both countries I can say in all honesty that not only the Catholic Church in the UK, but the UK as a whole can only benefit from their presence in our midst.

I once heard a Filipino priest state that 'Filipinos will be to the 21st century what the Irish were to the 20th, becoming the priests, nurses, teachers and building workers of the rest of the world'

Sean Haran, Swansea, Wales

For more than a thousand years Catholicism was the dominant religion in the UK - until that is Anglicanism sprang out of Henry VIII's codpiece amidst an orgy of desecration, theft and murder.
The passing nature of Anglicanism with its obsessions with homosexuality, women "priests" and moral relativism is at the core of its decline.
Christians want a church that stands for eternal truths. The growth in European immigration and the flood of conversions from Anglicanism will ensure that Catholicism once again becomes the Established Church in the British Isles.
..........And none too soon!

Geoff Miller, Josselin, France

I am surprised by Ruth Gledhill's glaring error in the first sentence of her article. Catholicism is not, never has been, and never should become a religion - and neither should Anglicanism, Presbyterianism, Methodism or any other of the Church 'isms'.

The religion is of course Christianity. As the hymn reminds us, there is 'one Church, one faith, one Lord'.

It seems to me that whether the number of Roman Catholics outnumbers Anglicans or any other denomination is entirely irrelevant to the mission and purpose of the Christian Church. Surely the fact that the numbers of the Christians can be measured in the millions in Britain alone, let alone the rest of the world, should serve as a reminder that the Church is far from being a dead or useless entity, and that in towns, cities and villages everywhere, Christians work together to improve their communities. Playing the 'numbers game' is surely little more than an unwanted distraction.

David McLachlan, GLASGOW, UK

I am an "Englsh Catholic" who attents mass in Milton Keynes. The church can probably old 250 people. If you don't get to mass atleast 10 minutes before the start you won't be sitting down. Recently numbers do appear to be up but in my parish I have not seen an increase in poles. I think we have seen an increase in converts from CofE recently? A CofE friend came to the baptism of our son two years ago and then converted because they said the church was packed and very different from CoE? They seem stunned that you could not get a seat in the church. They said that CoE church they attended was 90% empty.

I think people in this country like to think that the Catholic church is in decline. Sorry to dissapoint you - in my parish (Blecthley All Saints) nothing could be further from the truth!

John, Milton Keynes, Bucks

Let's straighten things out a bit, Malcolm Williamson. Turning a blind eye to wrongdoing even the grave things you mention goes on everywhere. You can put this anti Catholic stick away. The problem is much worse in society generally. We all need to put these matters right.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel., UK

Not all that surprising. The Church of England has accelerated its own decline by embracing political correctness (and I write this as a former Anglican, who now considers himself a Buddhist).

The Catholic Church on the other hand has remained more or less steadfast to the fundamentals of Christianity, as the controversy over the ordination of gay clergy in the C of E demonstrates, as does the Catholic Church's belief in the need of children to be brought into the world and raised by their father and mother who are married to each other in a traditional form of marriage.

Herbert Thornton, Victoria, Canada

The article seems to suggest that the Catholic Church is harbouring illegal immigrants.
Does the Church hierarchy view this through the same blind eye as paediophilia in the ranks of its clergy?

Malcolm Williamson, WGC,

I am not sure why this is news. According to the English Church Census, Catholics passed Anglicans decades ago...

Average Sunday Attendance - 1989
Catholics - 1,703,800
Anglicans - 1,260,800

Average Sunday Attendance - 1998
Catholics - 1,217,800
Anglicans - 975,900

Average Sunday Attendance - 2005
Catholics - 875,600
Anglicans - 867,400

Peter Bridgman, Camden, UK

Succession in the United Kingdom is governed now by the Act of Union 1800, which restates the provisions of the Act of Settlement 1701 and the Bill of Rights (1689). The rules of primogeniture apply, but those who are not legitimate descendants of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, those who have ever been Roman Catholics, or who have married Roman Catholics are disbarred from succeeding to the Crown. So with this new change in the United Kingdom it is time that this preposterous law, which is an open breach of the European Convention of Human Rights, must be derogated by the Parliament, the sooner the better. In a decade more, the Holy Roman Church will prevail in all the territories of those who used to be the Defenders of the Faith, I mean the true one. Only then maybe some royals like Prince Michael of Kent will be able to recover their lawful right to the throne, or perhaps the Head of the House of Bavaria, who has more legitimacy to the crown as descendent of King Charles II than the members of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or Schleswig-Holstein who are in the throne now.

Louis Freiherr Wetzler von Plankenstern, Buenos Aires/Boston, Argentina