▁and ▁a ▁recovery ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 0 s ▁there after , ▁with ▁a ▁prediction ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁of ▁ 2 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁up ward ▁social ▁movement ▁of ▁Irish ▁C athol ics ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁working - class ▁into ▁the ▁middle - class ▁sub urban ▁main stream ▁often ▁meant ▁their ▁assim ilation ▁with ▁bro ader , ▁sec ular ▁English ▁society ▁and ▁loss ▁of ▁a ▁separate ▁Catholic ▁identity . ▁The ▁Second ▁V at ican ▁Council ▁has ▁been ▁followed , ▁as ▁in ▁other ▁Western ▁countries , ▁by ▁divisions ▁between ▁traditional ▁Catholic ism ▁and ▁a ▁more ▁liberal ▁form ▁of ▁Catholic ism ▁claim ing ▁insp iration ▁from ▁the ▁Council . ▁This ▁caused ▁difficulties ▁for ▁not ▁a ▁few ▁pre - con c ili ar ▁converts , ▁though ▁others ▁have ▁still ▁joined ▁the ▁Church ▁in ▁recent ▁dec ades ▁( for ▁instance , ▁Mal col m ▁M ug ger idge ▁and ▁Joseph ▁Pear ce ), ▁and ▁public ▁figures ▁( o ften ▁descend ants ▁of ▁the ▁rec us ant ▁families ) ▁such ▁as ▁Paul ▁Johnson ; ▁Peter ▁A ck ro yd ; ▁Anton ia ▁F ras er ; ▁Mark ▁Thompson , ▁Director ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁BBC ; ▁Michael ▁Martin , ▁first ▁Catholic ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁since ▁the ▁Re formation ; ▁Chris ▁Pat ten , ▁first ▁Catholic ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁Chan cell or ▁of ▁Oxford ▁since ▁the ▁Re formation ; ▁P iers ▁Paul ▁Read ; ▁Helen ▁L idd el , ▁Britain ' s ▁High ▁Commission er