Continuing the Bulletin Conversation in late October and early November on Catholicism and Anglicanism at this point in history, especially in England.
In the Spirituality Page for two weekends in Autumn, I wrote of this topic in remembrance of Fr. Brailford, in this First All Soul’s month of his passing. Fr. William had much to say on the draw to the Catholic Church and the current decline of the Anglican Way. He was a convert to Catholicism, as most of you know. He came muchly through intellectual approach and wisdom through Catholic books and journal articles. He loved being Catholic and the insight he found of getting Home to Rome. I wrote about this in two Spirituality Page articles a month ago.
I thought of Fr. Brailsford also in the context of the great meeting of Pope Leo and King Charles a couple of weeks ago, as it was quite historic, and a mending time after a 500 year push against we Catholics in England. Catholics in practice with the Roman Catholic Church now outnumber Anglicans in practice in England and its regions, so I am told. I also thought of Father because we had an Archdiocese Memorial Mass for him and other clergy who have died this past year. The Mass was on our Clergy Convocation in Cambridge, Md. It was the place where I first met Fr. William, at dinner in the conference.
In the earlier Autumn weekends in the bulletin, I got started with this Catholic/Anglican theme as drawing from an article I read, as by an Anglican. I had much to pass on from this article and my thoughts, but it was too much of something that couldn’t fit anymore in the bulletin space, so I have put it here on the web page.
You might be surprised of what I wrote above, on the particular numbers of Catholics in England being higher now to that of its national Church of England practitioners in the Anglicans, with its head of King Charles presently. I mentioned how reading Roseberry’s words (the Anglican periodical I was reviewing) were like hearing words once of Fr. Brailsford, who’d speak of his own conversion to Catholicism, mentioning to me of how he preferred it so much over that of Anglicanism/ Episcopalianism and its beliefs or actions. Brailsford told me how he loved all things English, except their version of Christianity. He was won over by many Catholic authors of England, particularly Cardinal John Henry Newman, and the 19th century Oxford movement. They were not wishy-washy in the Oxford movement, nor of the Catholic Church—and it drew me to the Roman Church. I compare Father’s words to what David Roseberry says (in his article): ‘In our modern Western world, Christianity has long been personalized by a sort of a “me and Jesus life.” We (Protestants of modern times) say, Christianity isn’t a religion; it’s just a relationship.’ But Roseberry questions that approach, demanding: ‘Is that really true? Is that all it is? Isn’t there a moral code that comes along with it? Didn’t Jesus teach something?’ Indeed, Roseberry sees the Roman Church as better as being a religion, and not just a my-sort-of-Jesus thing. He likes the “us with Jesus” communion of faith based on sure principles for which we all are to stand for and keep. Roseberry thinks that the personalizing Christianity and of making it too easy to follow (due to hardly any moral code to keep) has hurt their re-version of Christianity. He said this new kind of Christianity, so differing with Catholic Christianity, is lacking of conviction, and not adhering to the high truths of Christ, and has become an incognito Christianity.
In the wane of his fellow Anglican-Christians faith in England, David Roseberry points to some more reasons for it, ‘In our modern Western world, Christianity has long been personalized by a sort of a me and Jesus life.” He was speaking critically here. After explaining how Catholic hold strong convictions and are not wishy-washy like his own church, he wrote on two added things.
Why is Catholicism is growing around him? It’s due to England’s Anglican members being too much of a Western, Incognito Christianity. He comments: “Sociologists have long observed that even those with a patchwork of spiritual beliefs are more likely to attend—and remain in—churches where the leaders speak and act with clear, unwavering conviction.” (Yet, look at Islam and the Incognito Christianity (we have). Even there is a difference, making even Islam seem more solid than the Anglican Way, saying “In our modern Western world, Christianity has long been personalized (by our sort). It’s about me and Jesus. We say, Christianity isn’t a religion; it’s a relationship. But is that really true? Is that all it is? Isn’t there a moral code that comes along with it? Didn’t Jesus teach something? In any event, the rise of Islam in the UK presents a stark contrast. Islam is clearly a religion—public, practiced, and patterned. You can see it in the dress, the prayer times, the dietary rules, and the fasting seasons. And the result? People know who Muslims are and, for the most part, they know what Muslims believe. There’s no ambiguity. Roman Catholicism reflects a similar structure. It offers a religion, not just a relationship. There are rhythms, rituals, holy days, moral expectations, and communal identity. It’s not something you keep hidden. Meanwhile, much of Anglicanism—especially true over in American Episcopalianism—is (this practiced ) incognito Christianity. It’s quiet, sometimes even shy, about its convictions. But in a world filled with loud convictions, that approach can feel uncertain.”
He goes on: “(Yet) People respect the visible. They trust what is practiced. As Muslims show a coherent, embodied faith, some Christians (in my fold) might be waking up to the reality that private belief alone isn’t enough. They want a faith that shapes life, not just inner thought….(they don’t want) secular relativism—(but rather) are turning toward Christianity in search of moral seriousness and coherence. They are not looking for slogans or sentiment. They are looking for something robust and obvious, rooted and real. And they are finding it not in denominational flexibility but in the ancient, global, and unyielding structure of the Roman Catholic Church.
Next. Roseberry will make his third main reason for Catholicism growing and Anglicanism waning. It is this: “With Faith moving around the world in peoples going here and there, it should be acknowledged that people carry their faith to their new places.” Catholicism transfers well—ours does not. He says. Why? Because it is clear that they (the Catholics) have much more of a united, clear teaching in common from nation to nation.“There’s a global shift happening. Populations are moving. Cultures are blending. And people don’t leave their faith behind when they migrate—they carry it with them. That’s especially true with Catholics. When they come to England—from Poland, the Philippines, Brazil—they bring not just their language and food but their faith. And because Roman Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, not a denominational leaf, it thrives wherever it’s planted…. They (bring) their faith with them and built their lives around it—which is what you’d hope faithful people would do.”
Roseberry observes: “It’s happening again in England. Catholic churches are being renewed, re-energized, and repopulated by families who know how to live their faith out loud. And that kind of living testimony draws others in. Behind this immigration story lies another, quieter reality: the fertility gap. The countries sending immigrants to England—places like Nigeria, the Philippines, and Brazil—tend to have higher birth rates and stronger family structures. And Catholic families, in particular, often retain a sense of openness to life, even if not all follow the Church’s teaching on contraception to the letter. By contrast, the Anglican Church, which once led the Christian world in cultural influence, also led the way in softening the moral seriousness of sexual ethics.” Procreation and family life have lesser treatment or focus in Anglicanism’s practice. It brings consequences.
He finishes by saying: “And for many in England, it’s not just a change in statistics. It’s a return to something sturdy, global, and lasting. A branch—not a leaf. A foundation—not a vote. Oh, how I wish Anglicans would pay attention to this last point. We need a return to something sturdy, global, and lasting. That used to be called The Anglican Communion. Now it is in tatters.”
This is Fr. Barry finishing up this article, of which I so wish I could have discussed with Fr. Brailsford, if it had been written in the time we shared a Resurrection rectory residence. Our best discussions were on topics like this of England and Faith, as seen from America.