Apostolic Vicariate of England facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Apostolic Vicariate of England (and Wales)
Location
Country	England and Wales
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Established	1623
Dissolved	30 January 1688
Map

The Apostolic Vicariate of England (and Wales) was a special part of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. It was like a temporary diocese, led by a vicar apostolic. This leader was usually a titular bishop, meaning they had the title of a bishop but didn't oversee a regular diocese. This special church area was set up in 1623 and was later divided into four smaller areas in 1688.

Why the Catholic Church Changed in England

After Queen Elizabeth I became queen in 1559, things changed a lot for the Catholic Church in England. Bishops in England and Wales had to choose. They could either take the Oath of Supremacy, which meant saying the Queen was the head of the Church, not the Pope. Or, they could refuse and lose their positions.

Most bishops chose to stay loyal to the Pope. Because of this, they were removed from their churches and replaced by priests from the Church of England. Many of these Catholic bishops were put in prison and died there. Some left the country to continue their work overseas. The last of these bishops, Thomas Goldwell, died in Rome in 1585. For a long time after this, there was no official Catholic bishop in England.

The Apostolic Vicariate is Created

After 65 years without an official Catholic bishop in England, Pope Urban VIII decided it was time to appoint one again. In 1623, he chose William Bishop to be the first Apostolic Vicar of England. Bishop arrived secretly in England in July 1623. Sadly, he died just nine months later.

Bishop was followed by Richard Smith, who also became a bishop. Smith came to England in April 1625. However, he faced problems and had to leave England in 1631. He went to France, where he died in 1655. After Smith left, England didn't have a Catholic bishop for another 54 years. During this time, a group of priests tried to keep things organized.

It wasn't until 1685 that a new leader was appointed by Rome. This was John Leyburn, a very smart scholar. He became a bishop in Rome in September 1685. When William Bishop was in charge, he had divided England into six areas. Leyburn changed this to four areas. In 1687, he traveled around Northern England and confirmed over 20,000 Catholics.

On January 30, 1688, the Pope decided to increase the number of Catholic bishops in England and Wales to four. Because of this, the single Apostolic Vicariate was split into four new areas. These were the London, Midland, Northern, and Western districts.

See also

• Religion in the United Kingdom
• Roman Catholicism in England and Wales
• Roman Catholicism in the United Kingdom