British Catholic news magazine The Tablet has honed in on what it means to be a Catholic in the UK today. The results obtained are very interesting indeed. The Tablet found that while “over-60s fit a model closer to that officially promulgated by the Vatican,” “under-50s believe, behave and belong in different ways.” Obedience to Catholic doctrine and practice generally generally declines. But rather than completely abandoning the faith, many faithful tend to switch to a more personal practice of the Catholic faith.

The percentage of Catholics in the country remains constant at 8-10%; when the 2011 census revealed a fall in the number of people who call themselves “Christian” – from 72 per cent to 59 per cent over a decade – it was Anglican, rather than Catholic, losses which were responsible. 70% of those who call themselves Catholics say they believe in God. This figure is higher among…