Catholic vs Roman Catholic

[BVMFatima]

Sounds like a chip on the shoulder to me. I find it difficult to believe that numerous Roman Catholics are insisting that you are Roman Catholic.

Who isn’t treating you accordingly? How many? Is it the Western Church hierarchy? I’m interested to know.

I don’t find the term Christian derogatory.I wear it with pride even if it is secondary however, I am Catholic first.

I find the term Roman Catholic derogatory but that’s just me. Others may not have a problem with it. I prefer to identify myself as a Catholic of the Latin Rite.

But the term " Latin Church " was added by Pope Paul the Sixth because he felt Roman was no longer needed since the RCC was throughout the world then just the Diocese of Rome.

 

[JustaServant]

It is insulting for me to be called Roman Catholic considering the term was coined by Anglicans as an especially derogatory term.

I have never called Eastern Catholics Roman Catholics. However I would not find it insulting if an Eastern Catholic called me Eastern Catholic. I don’t have a problem with that as it would most likely be misguided innocent comment. I wouldn’t get my nickers in a knot over it.

Frankly, I would prefer if we all just referred to ourselves as CATHOLIC respecting our theological and ritual differences and be done with it.

When I was young I always thought it was used to distinguish from Eastern Catholics. I never saw RC as an insult. If it originated that way, it has since transformed into a phrase that has none of that original derogatory meaning.
I don’t really think it matters because most people don’t know the origin of the word. And you really can’t blame them for using it.

 

[LEMAITRE]

But the term " Latin Church " was added by Pope Paul the Sixth because he felt Roman was no longer needed since the RCC was throughout the world then just the Diocese of Rome.

I don’t see what that has to do with my post.

I prefer to be called Catholic. That’s it full stop.

It just so happens that the Catholic Church I go to worships in the Latin Rite.

 

[BVMFatima]

I don’t see what that has to do with my post.

I prefer to be called Catholic. That’s it full stop.

It just so happens that the Catholic Church I go to worships in the Latin Rite.

Ah okay, thanks for elaborating!

 

[ConstantineTG]

Sounds like a chip on the shoulder to me. I find it difficult to believe that numerous Roman Catholics are insisting that you are Roman Catholic.

Before you judge, live in our world.

Who isn’t treating you accordingly? How many? Is it the Western Church hierarchy? I’m interested to know.

A great example is the life of Orthodox saint, St. Alexis Toth. And his experience is true to this day, though not as widespread as it was 100 years ago. But it still happens.

I don’t find the term Christian derogatory. I wear it with pride even if it is secondary however, I am Catholic first.

Doesn’t matter, in the First Century it was derogatory. The point is, we’ve come to embraced names imposed on us by other people. Our faith isn’t defined by a name, only cults do that.

I find the term Roman Catholic derogatory but that’s just me. Others may not have a problem with it. I prefer to identify myself as a Catholic of the Latin Rite.

Whatever floats your boat

 

[Indifferently]

The Catholic Faith is that to which we all belong. It is the religion asserted in the three Creeds and the Holy Scripture, and in God’s one true Church. The Roman Catholic Faith is that which is founded in the Roman Catechism, a statement of faith - and a coherent one at that - assented to by the Bishop of Rome, who is the present earthly leader of the Roman Catholic Church, an episcopal polity based in the Vatican - located in Rome, Italy.

 

[BVMFatima]

The Catholic Faith is that to which we all belong. It is the religion asserted in the three Creeds and the Holy Scripture, and in God’s one true Church. The Roman Catholic Faith is that which is founded in the Roman Catechism, a statement of faith - and a coherent one at that - assented to by the Bishop of Rome, who is the present earthly leader of the Roman Catholic Church, an episcopal polity based in the Vatican - located in Rome, Italy.

The Catholic Church uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no longer the Baltimore or Roman Catechism. God Bless

 

[Indifferently]

The Catholic Church uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no longer the Baltimore or Roman Catechism. God Bless

Blessings to you, also. I was trying to avoid referring to Rome as the ‘Catholic Church’, whilst being polite (because of my love and respect for the sincere Christian witness of so many Roman Catholic brothers and sisters).

 

[Tochukwu]

Hi pals, before we go conclude in that let’s take a look at the origin of the both names.

First, the name Catholic was given to the Church by St. Ignatius of Antioch in about A. D 110. The Church adapted the name and it is known by this name till date(even after the Eastern schism).
On the other hand, the name ‘Roman Catholic’ was wrongly introduced by the protestant churches who claim that they too a catholics and so those who have the pope as their head were called ‘Roman…’
However, this claim isn’t true because the protestant churches have gone away from the Catholic Church and thus, they have lost the ‘Catholicity’.
Apologist Richard McBrian in his book ‘Catholicism’ argues that the adjective ‘Roman’ is inappropirate as it refers to only the community of Catholics in Rome just as English, American or Nigerian Church would mean the family of christians in the country respectively.
However, the Church sometimes uses this name in reference to herself but this does not mean that the protestants claim of catholicity is true. Besides, the adjective is only used in few English speaking countries. Thus, it is not universaly known as such.
Thanks

 

[BVMFatima]

Hi pals, before we go conclude in that let’s take a look at the origin of the both names.

First, the name Catholic was given to the Church by St. Ignatius of Antioch in about A. D 110. The Church adapted the name and it is known by this name till date(even after the Eastern schism).
On the other hand, the name ‘Roman Catholic’ was wrongly introduced by the protestant churches who claim that they too a catholics and so those who have the pope as their head were called ‘Roman…’
However, this claim isn’t true because the protestant churches have gone away from the Catholic Church and thus, they have lost the ‘Catholicity’.
Apologist Richard McBrian in his book ‘Catholicism’ argues that the adjective ‘Roman’ is inappropirate as it refers to only the community of Catholics in Rome just as English, American or Nigerian Church would mean the family of christians in the country respectively.
However, the Church sometimes uses this name in reference to herself but this does not mean that the protestants claim of catholicity is true. Besides, the adjective is only used in few English speaking countries. Thus, it is not universaly known as such.
Thanks

I disagree. Syro Malabar Catholics are Catholics from India and named off there ancient town, so why can’t we Roman Catholics do the same?

 

[Wandile]

I disagree. Syro Malabar Catholics are Catholics from India and named off there ancient town, so why can’t we Roman Catholics do the same?

With this logic catholicism would become extremely nationalistic. Much like how orthodoxy
is now, and look at how that’s turned out for them

I should then be a South African catholic in communion with rome instead of “roman” catholic.

 

[BVMFatima]

With this logic catholicism would become extremely nationalistic. Much like how orthodoxy
is now, and look at how that’s turned out for them

I should then be a South African catholic in communion with rome instead of “roman” catholic.

Do we not understand what the term means? It means a Catholic who belongs to the Roman Church, no ethnicity involved.

 

[Wandile]

Do we not understand what the term means? It means a Catholic who belongs to the Roman Church, no ethnicity involved.

I think I get your point. But I do need to point out that it is a matter of fact that although Roman, in most cases, refers to the Archdiocese of Rome, it can and does in some cases refer to the worldwide Catholic Church (Both Eastern and Western) as evidenced in some of the documents of the Catholic Church.

 

[BVMFatima]

I think I get your point. But I do need to point out that it is a matter of fact that although Roman, in most cases, refers to the Archdiocese of Rome, it can and does in some cases refer to the worldwide Catholic Church (Both Eastern and Western) as evidenced in some of the documents of the Catholic Church.

Eastern Catholics disagree.

 

[KLJM12]

This is wrong. All Catholics are Roman Catholics (See Humani generis). However, one can be Roman-rite (Latin Catholics) or Byzantine-rite (Eastern Catholics). Every single person in communion with the Holy Father in Rome is a Roman Catholic though, regardless of their liturgical rite.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

So the terms Latin and Roman are equal correct?

Incorrect. “Latin Catholics” refers to those Catholics who belong to the sui iuris Church which predominantly uses the Roman Rite. Think of it as those Catholics whose liturgies are either in Latin or in an official, church-approved translation of a Latin liturgical text. “Roman Catholics” refers most properly to all Christians in communion with the bishop of Rome, in other worlds all true Catholics as opposed to say Anglo-Catholics or Orthodox who are not in communion with Rome. Or of course in a narrower sense it can refer to Catholics in the diocese of Rome, obviously.

 

[Wandile]

Eastern Catholics disagree.

Tell that to the Vatican

 

[Aelred_Minor]

Let me point out that obviously both sides of this debate are engaging in a word-fight that is probably counterproductive in terms of growth in charity between East and West, and which may even scandalize some readers. I wouldn’t be surprised if the moderators shut it down for this reason.

I still hold that if the term “Roman” is to be used at all it should be used the way the Church herself uses it, to refer to all Catholics. At the very least no Catholic should take offence at this use of the term, all the more when it is also the way it is used in the wider culture. Nevertheless this thread is proof that some Eastern Catholics do take offence, construing the term to mean something it does not.

Perhaps the best policy would be for both sides, including those Eastern Catholics who insist on making it a synonym for Latin Catholic, to avoid using the term themselves and when we encounter it to, as I suggested in my first post in this thread, charitably take the term in the sense that the person using it evidently intends.

 

[BVMFatima]

Let me point out that obviously both sides of this debate are engaging in a word-fight that is probably counterproductive in terms of growth in charity between East and West, and which may even scandalize some readers. I wouldn’t be surprised if the moderators shut it down for this reason.

I still hold that if the term “Roman” is to be used at all it should be used the way the Church herself uses it, to refer to all Catholics. At the very least no Catholic should take offence at this use of the term, all the more when it is also the way it is used in the wider culture. Nevertheless this thread is proof that some Eastern Catholics do take offence, construing the term to mean something it does not.

Perhaps the best policy would be for both sides, including those Eastern Catholics who insist on making it a synonym for Latin Catholic, to avoid using the term themselves and when we encounter it to, as I suggested in my first post in this thread, charitably take the term in the sense that the person using it evidently intends.

So as a Roman Catholic I shall identify myself a Latin?

 

[QNDNNDQDCE]

Tell that to the Vatican

You might say that it is absurd for a black man to take offense at being called a ****** (I guess you can’t type that here) because the word, etymologically considered, simply means “black.” But why would you insist on using a phrase to describe someone when that person, whether you think it is justified for them to do you so or not, will receive it pejoratively and when there are other ways to express the same thing?