how do the british feel about catholics more of the same a history lesson from the catholic knight british anti catholicism has a long history going back five centuries and reaching the highest levels of british government it began in the early th century when king henry viii failed to receive an annulment from the vatican and subsequently broke english christianity away from the pope and declared himself the absolute spiritual ruler of the church of england he then proceeded on a campaign to persecute and murder all who opposed his personal claim to the english papacy things only went downhill from there in subsequent generations the throne passed between catholic and protestant heirs each persecuting their political enemies the final result came under queen elizabeth i which settled england as a protestant country in the following centuries england became the leading herald of anti catholic propaganda around the world as the british crown persecuted irish catholics and waged war against the catholic kingdoms of france and spain sadly the more things change the more they stay the same the world may have moved into the st century but british politics is still locked in the th century to date catholics are still forbidden from the british royal family government officials still mock the pope and the church behind closed doors leading party officials not only refuse to defend the pope's right of innocence until proven guilty but actually participate in promoting anti catholic presumption way to go england thanks for reminding the world just how little you've progressed in five centuries just brilliant jolly good show malke