LONDON, December 24, 2025 – In the decades between 1910 and 1960, over half a million people in England and Wales converted to Catholicism, a surge that included prominent literary figures like Oscar Wilde, Evelyn Waugh, Muriel Spark, and Graham Greene. But beyond these famous names, a host of lesser-known poets, artists, and intellectuals also “went over to Rome,” sparking both fascination and disapproval.
A Search for Certainty in Tumultuous Times
Table of Contents
A new book explores the motivations behind a wave of conversions to Catholicism among British intellectuals during the 20th century.
- Melanie McDonagh’s book examines the experiences of 16 British converts to Catholicism.
- Many converts sought stability and certainty amid political extremism and global warfare.
- The Catholic Church often met potential converts with a surprisingly indifferent approach.
- The aesthetic appeal of Catholicism didn’t always match expectations.
Melanie McDonagh, a columnist, offers 16 case histories of Britons who converted during a period marked by profound upheaval. As reason and decency seemed to falter in the face of political extremism and global conflict, a longing for something steadfast became increasingly common. In 1925, Graham Greene confided to his fiancée, “one does want fearfully hard for something firm and hard and certain, however uncomfortable, to catch hold of in the general flux.”
Not a Celebrity Hunt
Contrary to popular misconceptions, Catholic priests weren’t actively seeking to “lure” celebrities into the faith. McDonagh’s research reveals that many converts were taken aback by the cool reception they received at places like Brompton Oratory or Farm Street Church in Chelsea. The typical approach involved a priest providing the Penny Catechism and leaving the decision to convert entirely up to the individual. Maurice Baring, a writer who converted in 1909, likened the clergy to train station ticket agents: they offered information but didn’t pressure anyone to board the train.
The Appeal of Catholic Certainty
This hands-off approach proved surprisingly appealing, particularly to those coming from Anglicanism. The Church of England often encouraged endless debate on complex theological questions—the Real Presence, the Immaculate Conception, even the Resurrection. RH Benson, son of a former Archbishop of Canterbury, articulated the frustration many felt with this ambiguity, stating, “there is a liberty which is a more intolerable slavery than the heaviest of chains.”
Aesthetic Disappointments
The anticipated aesthetic pleasures of Roman Catholicism often failed to materialize. Unless attending a fashionable London church, converts frequently found themselves worshipping in unattractive, modern buildings alongside working-class congregations. Charles Scott Moncrieff, the translator of Proust, described attending a “hideous drab little RC chapel” on the outskirts of an industrial estate on Easter Sunday in 1915, where the priest was inaudible and there was no music. Yet, even in that moment, Moncrieff realized he was called to Catholicism. Magnificent architecture, glorious hymns, and refined clergy were more readily found within the Established Church.
Conversion inevitably brought censure. Muriel Spark’s Miss Jean Brodie famously declared that “only people who did not want to think for themselves were Roman Catholics,” reflecting a widespread prejudice. Accusations of moral failings were also common, fueled by the conversions of figures like Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley. Becoming Catholic could invite suspicion of madness, homosexuality, or even espionage.
Few Regrets, Limited Perspective
Despite these challenges, McDonagh notes that few converts appeared to regret their decision, though definitively knowing is difficult. Conversion is a recorded event, while choosing not to practice the faith simply means no longer attending church. The book also reveals a relative lack of attention to female converts, beyond chapters on Gwen John, Spark, and philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe. Perhaps, McDonagh suggests, conversions by women were perceived as less threatening to the established order. The book’s structure, focusing on individual case studies, leaves broader analytical considerations somewhat unexplored. However, it compensates for this with compelling biographical storytelling.
