Study: More than a third of Catholic priests in England and Wales are former Anglicans

A new report published on November 20, 2025, has revealed that more than a third of Catholic priests ordained in England and Wales over the past three decades previously belonged to the Church of England. The main reason for the mass transition of clergy was the Church of England’s decision to ordain women.

According to a study by the St Barnabas Society and the Benedict XVI Center at St. Mary’s University, about 700 Anglican clergy and monastics, including 16 bishops, have converted to Catholicism since 1992. Of this number, 491 were subsequently ordained as Roman Catholic priests. This represents 29% of all diocesan ordinations and up to 35% when personal ordinariates are included.

The authors of the report attribute the most intense period of transitions to decisions of the General Synod of the Church of England authorizing the female priesthood. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, in his foreword to the document, noted that this movement reflects the desire of former Anglicans for «the fullness of visible ecclesial communion.»

The publication also emphasizes that for many clergy, the transition was not an easy step. It was often done in confidentiality and required the support of informal groups of clergy who had traveled the same path.

Recall, the Anglican Church of Nigeria, the world’s largest Anglican congregation with more than 18 million believers, announced its «spiritual independence» and the cessation of communion with the Church of England. The reason for such a decisive step was deep disagreement with the liberal reforms carried out by the center, in particular, the decision to bless same-sex unions.