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From the Anglican Catholic's point of view, the Papacy was given the boot 100 years after the illegitimate selling of indulgences reached its peak. Greed among the many wealthy clergy throughout the Priesthood within England spawned a new type of "poor priests" that, for all intents and purposes, became papal outcasts. Any priest taking a vow of poverty or considered a follower of Wycliffe, was charged with rabble rousing or heresy by the wealthy bishopric. They were often condemned to death and burnt alive at the stake under the orders of the See of Rome.

(Although Anglican Catholics had ceased paying tribute taxes to Rome for more than a century, the church still recognized that the Pope was supreme pontiff.)

Contrary to popular opinion, Anglican Catholics did not sever ties with Rome because "King Henry wanted a divorce." (If King Henry wanted anything, it was more power.) The separation from Rome was truly an early example of class warfare. The peasants who could now read (or listen to the reading of) the English bible and the Good News for the first time, came to realize that the Roman Catholic church was corrupt and greedy--certainly not living the thrifty life that one would expect from a Monk or Priest.

The House of Lords and the Commons passed the "Act of Supremacy" that declared the king the supreme head of the Anglican Catholic church. When Queen Mary passed a decree placing control of the church back under the Pope, Stephen Gardiner was made chancellor by papal appointment. He reopened the heresy trials and thousands of "heretics" were tried and sentenced to death. The martyrs were poor and rich, alike.

Under the rule of Queen Elizabeth control of the Anglican Catholic Church was transferred to the Archbishop of Canterbury in an attempt to reach a compromise and the "witch trials" came to an end. Queen Elizabeth sought to please both Rome and the (persecuted) peasantry of England. Parliament passed an act banning allegiance to Rome, but in practice, Queen Elizabeth was highly tolerant of all faiths practiced during her time.

Despite the persecution by various ministers from Rome over the centuries, the Anglican church has sought reunification several times since, but has been wholly rebuffed by Rome.