CamoJohn, the English didn't actually reject Catholicism, but the Pontiff and his cronies. At that time, the church of Rome owned something like a quarter of England, with all the revenues that that entailed, and as I understand it, they were a political, interfering, and corrupt bunch of people. Henry declared himself head of the Catholic Church in England, for political and secular reasons, including getting his hands on all that lovely lolly and getting politely rid of his seemingly infertile wife.
The church in Rome stirred up England's neighbours in an attempt to bring England back into the fold, and kept it up for generations.
The Church of England was a Catholic church originally, only becoming deemed Protestant later.
To blame a modern Englishman or his government for that time is as unjust as to blame the latest Pope for it.

I read a book once. Sorry if I'm telling you what you already know.