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Church of England vs Catholic Church: Key Differences
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Quick answer
The Church of England and the Catholic Church share bishops, sacraments and much of their liturgy, but differ on authority: Catholics accept the leadership of the Pope, while the Church of England, the established church in England since the Reformation, does not. The Church of England ordains women and married clergy; the Catholic Church ordains only men.
On this page
Church of England and Catholic Church at a glance
| Topic | Church of England | Catholic Church |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | Bishops and archbishops; the Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop. The monarch is Supreme Governor. No pope. | The Pope, as Bishop of Rome, with bishops in communion with him. |
| Status in England | Established church by law. Senior bishops sit in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual. | Not established. Its bishops’ hierarchy in England and Wales was restored in 1850. |
| Clergy | Men and women may be ordained deacons, priests and bishops. Clergy may marry. | Only men are ordained. Latin-rite priests are normally celibate, with some exceptions such as former Anglican clergy. |
| Sacraments | Baptism and Holy Communion are the two sacraments of the Gospel; confirmation, marriage, ordination, confession and anointing are practised as rites. | Seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, holy orders and marriage. |
| Holy Communion | Baptised communicant members of other Trinitarian churches are usually welcome to receive. | Normally for Catholics. Other visitors are welcome to come forward for a blessing or remain seated. |
| Worship books | Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer (1662). Styles range from Anglo-Catholic to evangelical. | The Roman Missal. The Mass follows the same structure worldwide, mostly in English in UK parishes. |
| Mary and the saints | Honoured; devotion varies widely between parishes. Marian dogmas are not required belief. | Mary is honoured with defined doctrines (the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption); prayer to the saints is encouraged. |
Why did the Church of England separate from Rome?
The break began politically. After the Pope refused to annul Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the Act of Supremacy of 1534 made the king head of the church in England. Protestant reforms followed under Edward VI, Catholicism was restored under Mary I, and the Elizabethan Settlement of 1559 fixed the Church of England’s lasting shape: reformed in doctrine, but keeping bishops, parishes and a set liturgy.
That history is why the Church of England often describes itself as both Catholic and Reformed, and why its worship can look very similar to a Catholic Mass in one parish and like a Free Church service in another.
Can a Catholic go to a Church of England service, and the other way round?
Yes. Both churches welcome anyone to attend public worship, with no booking or membership needed. The difference is at Communion. In a Catholic church, visitors who are not Catholic are invited to come forward with arms crossed for a blessing, or to stay seated. In most Church of England parishes, baptised Christians who receive Communion in their own church are welcome to receive.
Catholics are asked to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation; going to an Anglican service does not replace that. A Saturday evening vigil Mass counts for Sunday.
Do they recognise each other’s baptisms and clergy?
Both churches recognise baptism with water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so someone moving from one to the other is not baptised again. Ordination is different: the Catholic Church does not recognise Anglican orders, a position set out in 1896, so an Anglican priest who becomes Catholic is ordained afresh if he is to serve as a Catholic priest.
Since 2011 the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham has allowed groups of former Anglicans in England and Wales to join the Catholic Church while keeping parts of their Anglican heritage in worship.
Which should I visit?
If you want a predictable, sacramental service with daily Mass in most towns, a Catholic parish is a good start. If you want to explore a range of styles, from sung Eucharist with incense to informal family services, the Church of England offers more variety between parishes. Many people try a choral evensong or a Sunday Eucharist in each before deciding.
Find a church near you
The best way to understand the difference is to visit. Browse Church of England and Catholic Church churches by town, or search by postcode for the closest congregations.
Common questions
Is the Church of England Catholic or Protestant?
Both descriptions are used. The Church of England is a Reformation church that rejected papal authority, so it is usually classed as Protestant, but it kept bishops, sacraments and liturgy and describes itself as part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
Can a Catholic marry in a Church of England church?
The Church of England can marry couples with a qualifying connection to the parish. A Catholic who wants the marriage recognised by the Catholic Church should speak to their parish priest first, as permission is normally needed to marry outside a Catholic church.
Do Anglicans believe in the Real Presence?
Many do. Anglican teaching affirms that Christ is truly present in Holy Communion, and views range from belief close to Catholic teaching to a more symbolic understanding, depending on the parish tradition.
Who leads the Church of England?
The monarch is Supreme Governor. Spiritual leadership rests with the bishops, with the Archbishop of Canterbury as the senior bishop and focus of the worldwide Anglican Communion.