Culture of England Catholic Church does not accept) and has been a distinct Anglican church since the settlement under Elizabeth I of England (with some disruption during the 17th-century Commonwealth of England period). The British Monarch is formally Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Its spiritual leader is the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is regarded by convention as the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. In practice the Church of England is governed by the General Synod of the Church of England, under the authority of Parliament. The Church of England's mission to spread the Gospel has seen the establishment of many
Catholic societies of the Church of England Catholic societies of the Church of England The Catholic societies of the Church of England are associations within the Church of England which follow in the tradition of Anglo-Catholicism. Although many, especially the older ones, make specific reference to the Church of England in their foundation documents, the vast majority today extend their membership and influence to all member churches of the wider Anglican Communion, and often also to those non-Anglican churches that are in full communion with the See of Canterbury (for example, through the Porvoo Communion). The various societies were founded for many different reasons. Some have specific