Roman Catholic
sometimes called just Catholics
These are people who do not follow any of the Reformation of the 16th century alterations to church structures. They continue to accept the authority of the Pope as God's representations on Earth. This group survived through resistance to the Protestants - though it was often carried out in secret. (This necessitated priest-holes - secret hiding for priests and their followers). As such these Catholics were called recusants. The priests were trained in Europe at these times. Such persecution lasted, for lay people and priests, till the 1680s when Kings Charles II and James II became Catholic. Catholics were acknowledged as a group in the 1740s AD - though they were not allowed to hold certain positions, such as Members of Parliament, in 1829AD when Catholic emancipation was achieved. (The emancipation of Catholics removed the Corporation and Test Acts that required that people should receive the Church of England service only).
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