The
historic Anglican Church was founded when Pope St. Gregory the Great
sent Saint Augustine of Canterbury to England. Prior to the
Protestant Reformation, the Anglican Church (the Catholic Church in
England, as distinct from later Protestant establishment) provided
numerous Cardinals and even a Pope. Some of these Cardinals served in
England, some of whom served elsewhere in the world. Some of them
also had connections to what would become Old Roman Catholicism. As a
modern day continuation of the pre-Reformation Roman Catholic Church
in England, this period is of particular historical relevance to the
Old Holy Roman Church of the English Rite. After the start of the
Protestant Regormation, it took centuries for Anglican tradition and
Old Roman Catholicism to converge within this Patriarchate. Today the
Old Holy Roman Church of the English Rite preserves the venerable
combination of Anglican heritage and Roman Catholicism as it spreads
the message of Christ's Holy Gospel around the world.
Robert
Cardinal Pullen - died 1146
Saint
Bernard wrote to Cardinal Pullen in 1145 asking him to counsel and
console the newly-elected Pope Eugenius III, who first granted
autonomy to the See of Utrecht.
Nicholas
Cardinal Breakspeare (Pope Adrian IV) - c. 1100 - 1159
Cardinal
Bishop of Albano. He was the only Englishman thus far to occupy the
Chair of St. Peter. He went to France and became a Canon Regular of
the cloister of St. Rufus monastery. He later served as a papal
legate to Scandinavia and helped to form Cathedral schools in the
bishopric cities there. He was elected Pope in 1154.
Stephen
Cardinal Langton - c. 1150 - 1228
Cardinal
Priest of San Crisogono. Archbishop of Canterbury from 1207-1228. He
played a central role in the dispute between King John and Pope
Innocent III, the crisis of which led to the Magna Charta. He is also
credited with the division of the Bible into chapters in the form
still used today.
Robert
Cardinal Curzon - c.1160/1170–1219
Cardinal
Priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio. He served as Chancellor of the
University of Paris and became a Cardinal in 1212. He took an active
part in the campaign against heresy in France and accompanied the
Fifth Crusade into Egypt as the Legate of Pope Honorius III.
Robert
Cardinal Somercotes - died 1241
Cardinal
of the Church of San Eustachio.
John
Cardinal of Toledo - died 1275
Cardinal
Bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina. Dean of the Sacred College of
Cardinal in 1273. Also a Cistercian Abbot.
Robert
Cardinal Kilwardby - c.1215 - 1279
Archbishop
of Canterbury. Member of the Dominican Order. Regent of Oxford
University. Cardinal Bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina in 1278.
Hugh
Cardinal of Evesham - died 1287
Cardinal
Priest of San Lorenzo in Lucina. Having earlier served as Archdeacon
of Worcester, he was personal physician to Pope Martin IV.
William
Cardinal of Macclesfield - died 1303-4
Cardinal
Priest of Santa Sabina by Pope Benedict XI. It is unclear whether
the information of his appointment reached him before his death or not.
Walter
Cardinal of Winterburn - 13th century - 1305
Created
Cardinal by Benedict XI, he wrote several works on philosophy and theology.
|
Cardinal
Beaufort |
Thomas
Cardinal of Lorz - died 1310
A
Dominican, he was a Master of Theology at Oxford University. Created
Cardinal Priest of Santa Sabina in 1305.
Simon
Cardinal de Langham - 1310 – 1376
Archbishop
of Canterbury, having previously served as Bishop of Ely and
Treasurer of England. Cardinal Priest of San Sisto Vecchio. His
library and his estate were left to Westminster Abbey.
Adam
Cardinal Easton - 14th century - 1397
Dean of
York and Cardinal Priest of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. He was a
staunch supporter of ecclesiastical power and composed the Office of
the Visitation of Our Lady.
Henry
Cardinal Beaufort - c. 1374 – 1447
Bishop
of Winchester. He was made a Cardinal in 1426 and served as a papal
legate to Germany, Hungary, and Bohemia. |
|
Cardinal
Kemp |
John
Cardinal Kemp - c. 1380 – 1454
Archbishop
of Canterbury. Lord Chancellor of England. Cardinal Bishop of Santa Rufina.
Thomas
Cardinal Bourchier - c. 1404 – 1486
Created
Cardinal in 1473. He served as Lord Chancellor of England during the
start of the War of the Roses. He served as Bishop of Worcester,
Bishop of Ely, and Archbishop of Canterbury, as well as Chancellor of
Oxford University.
John
Cardinal Morton - c. 1420 - 1500
Archbishop
of Canterbury. Cardinal Priest of Santa Anastasia. Lord Chancellor
of England under Henry VI. |
Cardinal
Bourchier |
|
Cardinal
Wolsey |
Christopher
Cardinal Bainbridge - 1462/64 – 1514
Archbishop
of York. Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede.
Thomas
Cardinal Wolsey - c. 1473 – 1530
Archbishop
of York. Created Cardinal Priest of Santa Cecilia by Pope Leo X, who
confirmed the autonomy of the See of Utrecht, which thereafter was
known as the Leonine Privilege. Perhaps most famous as Lord
Chancellor of England under Henry VIII and for building Hampton Court
Palace. Though he (unsuccessfully) appealed to the Pope for the
annulment of Henry VIII's marriage to Catharine of Aragon, he
remained loyal to the Church and ultimately lost the favor of the King. |
Saint
John Fischer |
|
Cardinal
Pole |
Saint
John Cardinal Fischer - 1459/1469 – 1535
Cardinal
Priest of San Vitale. Bishop of Rochester. He was executed by order
of Henry VIII for refusing to accept the King of England as the
Supreme Head of the Church of England and for upholding the doctrine
of papal primacy.
Reginald
Cardinal Pole - 1500 – 1558
Archbishop
of Canterbury, he was the last Catholic to hold this office. Though
not yet ordained at the
time,
he was created a Cardinal by Pope Paul III. |
In
addition, the two senior-most members of the College of Minor Canons
of the Cathedral of Saint Paul in London, which is part of the post-Reformation
Church of England, are titled Cardinal. One is the Senior Cardinal
and the other is the Junior Cardinal. For more information on this
historic college of minor canons that predates the Norman Conquest of
England, continue reading here.
These offices continue to this day.
