Are Eastern Catholics "Roman Catholic"?

[CompSciGuy]

Eastern Catholic churches are their own churches. They are not part of the Roman Catholic Church, they are a Catholic/Orthodox church in communion with Rome, the way the Eastern Orthodox churches were before they broke off. Eastern Catholics themselves recognize that it is important to be in agreement with the church of Rome, as did the early Eastern Orthodox churches. But they themselves are their own separate churches under the leadership of a patriarch and are recognized by the Catholic Church as a valid church.

 

[Zekariya]

Eastern Catholic churches are their own churches. They are not part of the Roman Catholic Church, they are a Catholic/Orthodox church in communion with Rome, the way the Eastern Orthodox churches were before they broke off. Eastern Catholics themselves recognize that it is important to be in agreement with the church of Rome, as did the early Eastern Orthodox churches. But they themselves are their own separate churches under the leadership of a patriarch and are recognized by the Catholic Church as a valid church.

 

[CompSciGuy]

I should actually probably clarify myself: the Eastern Orthodox churches are also considered valid churches by the Catholic Church, but the difference is that there is schism between Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, but not between Roman Catholics and Eastern Catholics.

 

[Hunho]

Hello,

Wikipedia states " TheCatholic Church, also known as theRoman Catholic Church, is the world’s largestChristian church, with 1.2 billion members worldwide.[1][2][3]It is among the oldest institutions in the world and has played a prominent role in thehistory of Western civilisation.The Catholic hierarchyis led by thePopeand includescardinals,patriarchsand diocesan*bishops."

Since this also includes Eastern Catholics being under the Pope, wouldn’t Eastern Catholics be part of the Roman Catholic Church just like us Latins? Since Roman Catholic means all Christians in communion with Rome, how does it apply to only the Latin Church?

God Bless!

I ran a Google search for “the Catholic Church’s official name.” The top response was an article on the EWTN website by Kenneth D. Whitehead titled “How Did the Catholic Church Get Her Name?” In that article Whitehead said:
"In the New Testament itself, the Church is simply called “The Church.” There was only one. … Very early in post-apostolic times, however, the Church did acquire a proper name–and precisely in order to distinguish itself from rival bodies which by then were already beginning to form. The name that the Church acquired when it became necessary for her to have a proper name was the name by which she has been known ever since-the Catholic Church. …The name appears in Christian literature for the first time around the end of the first century. … Around the year A.D. 107, a bishop, St. Ignatius of Antioch …, made the first written mention in history of “the Catholic Church.” [see St. Ignatius, To the Smyrnaeans 8:2]

Whitehead also notes of St. Polycarp (d. A.D. 155) that “it appears to have been a normal part of the vocabulary of a man of this era to be able to speak of ‘the whole Catholic Church throughout the world’.” Whitehead also notes that the use of the term Roman Catholic is (1) “not used by the Church itself,” (2) “is a relatively modern term.” and (3) “is confined largely to the English language.”

 

[AdvocatusVerbum]

In English? Catholic, certainly. Roman, not really as they’re not in Rome.

 

[Peter_J]

In English? Catholic, certainly. Roman, not really as they’re not in Rome.

I agree with your conclusion that Eastern Catholic are not “Roman”, but not with your logic. After all, wouldn’t your logic mean that the vast majority of Roman-Rite Catholics are not really “Roman” either?

 

[AdvocatusVerbum]

Probably right, in that context which was admittedly tongue in cheek. American Catholic. English Catholic. German Catholic. Etc

 

[adawgj]

No because we have our wonderful Eastern Rites, Roman Catholics are Catholics in the Roman Rite which is the largest of all the Rites.
However I don’t like saying The Roman Catholic Church

 

[theistgal]

No because we have our wonderful Eastern Rites, Roman Catholics are Catholics in the Roman Rite which is the largest of all the Rites.
However I don’t like saying The Roman Catholic Church

Maybe we should “re-brand” ourselves - how about The Vintage Catholic Church?