Third of RCC priests in Britain are former Anglican clergy, report

Illustration from the St Barnabas Society report on the convert Anglican clergy. Photo: stmarys

On November 20, 2025, a new report by the St Barnabas Society and the Benedict XVI Centre at St Mary's University was published, documenting a significant influx of Anglican clergy into the Catholic Church. According to the study, more than a third of Catholic diocesan priestly ordinations from 1992 to 2024 in England and Wales were former Anglican clergy.

Since 1992, about 700 Anglican clergy and monastics, including 16 bishops, have joined the Catholic Church. Of these, 491 were subsequently ordained in the Roman Catholic Church. The report notes that the share of convert clergy constitutes 29% of diocesan ordinations and up to 35% when considering the ordinariate.

The authors associate the most intense period of conversions with the decisions of the General Synod of the Church of England on women's the ordination. Cardinal Vincent Nichols emphasizes in the preface that the movement of former Anglicans to Rome reflects a desire for the "fullness of visible ecclesial communion".

The document notes that for many, the conversion was a challenging step, often made under conditions of confidentiality and with the support of informal groups of clerics.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the Church of England halts blessing same-sex couples.

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