The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-06
Father McInerr,ey ANSWERS
Dean Kaye in Church History
People of England Obeyed Pope Spiritual Leader Until
Henry and Elizabeth Usuped His Supremacy.

that the Magma Charta was an instru-
ment by which the barons of England
declared that the Church in England
should always be free from the spirit
ual authority of the pope. In reality
the barons in that document defined
and defended their civil rights which
had been ignored and violated by
John, the tyrannical king of England.
There was no question of the authority
of the pope. Later on John, seeing
the barons in revolt against him and
his throne in danger, sought the pro-
lection of the pope, pretending to be
repentant, taking up the cross of
crusader and voluntarily becoming the
pope's vassal.
During the 800 years that elapsed
between the granting of the Magma
Charta and the disastrous reign of
Henry VIII the church in England
was subject to the pope just as it had
been from the beginning of Christi
anity in that country. 1t was not until
Henry's matrimonial propensities
caused him to rebel against the pope
that the payment of Peters Pence was
discontinued.
Henry VIII retained to the end his
belief in many of the doctrines of the
Catholic church. But he granted him
self a divorce, remarked and rejected
the supremacy of the pope, thus plac-
ing himself outside the pale of Catho-
licity. King John had placed no papal
yoke on the shoulders of the Church
in England that had not been there
before his (King- John's) time. The
church in England had been, since the
conversion of the country, ruled and
governed by the pope and it was only
when Henry assumed the supremacy,
probably at the suggestion of his min
lister, Cromwell, that the pope ceased,
to be the head of the Church of Eng
land tho he continued to be. and still
is, the head of the Catholic Church in
England. Elizabeth, Henry's illegiti
mate daughter, finally accomplished
what Henry had begun, the separation
of England from the Catholic church.
During the reign of Elizabeth ru-
mors were current in England that
the pope would accept the new Eng
lish Book of Common Prayer if Eliza
beth consented to acknowledge the SUI
premacy of the pope. There never was
any foundation for these reports that
left amongst Catholics the false i'm
preston that to escape the fines it was
lawful for them to attend the English
service especially If they assisted at
Mass in secret.
The Church of England.
Elizabeth rejected the pope's SUI
premaey, that all England had ac-
knowledged, forced many of the clergy
to take the oath of supremacy of the
English sovereign as head of the
church and thereby changed the
Catholic Church in England into the
Church OF England as by law estab-
lished." Not all the clergy nor all the
laity took the oath of supremacy.
Some remained faithful to their reIig-
ion in spite of the sufferings their
fidelity entailed and the Catholic
, church was never entirely extinct.
These faithful few preserved the doc
trines anil practices that had come
down from st. Augustine in the sixth
century and repudiated the iRnova-
tions of Henry VIII and his daughter.
worthy of him, Queen Elizabeth
In view of these facts the reference
in the interview to the Italian Mis-
sion" will be appreciated at Its true
worth. The first missionaries to
England had been sent by the pope
| The church founded by these had
been governed by the pope for 1900
years. The people, of England had
obeyed the pope as their spiritual
ruler till Henry and Elizabeth
usurped his supremacy and forced the
clergy and people of England to ac-
knowledge their headship IN spiritual
as IN temporal matters. The Catholic
| church continued to exist, however,
and still exists in Englands and its
members the real successors of
\ St. Augustine and his followers, the
real successors of the bishops, priests
and people who were the loyal sub
/ jects of the pope till Henry VIII and
Elizabeth wrenched from rnem their
allegiance to the head of the Catholic
| church. PATRICK AfENEREEY.