An interesting development in Britain: Catholics set to pass Anglicans as leading UK church

Roman Catholicism is set to become the dominant religion in Britain for the first time since the Reformation because of massive migration from Catholic countries across the world.

This was the situation in 2005 (when I learn that there were twice as many Catholics as Muslims) but now the number of Catholics is surging.

Figures for 2005 show that there are 4.2 million Catholics in England and Wales, under one fifth the 25 million baptised Anglicans and double the number of Muslims.

But the real Mass attendance figure is higher by many hundreds of thousands. Precise numbers are impossible to obtain because of the irregular status of so many of the migrants, who prefer to keep a low profile.

What are the implications for our small and increasingly threatened Jewish community, many of whom are leaving the country?

Most of the new Catholics are from Poland - have they brought traditional Polish anti-Semitic attitudes with them? A lot will now depend on the leadership they are given by the Catholic bishops in Britain. On the basis of the performance of the latter during the latest 'intifada', producing statements heavily biased against Israel, there might not be much cause for optimism. The new Catholics will also fall under the influence of the prevailing secular culture, where the virus of anti-Semitism is spreading, nurtured by the BBC, etc.

It's too early to tell yet, but I'm not feeling very hopeful.