Classifying Oneself As Roman Catholic?

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Since I am a little new at this, and being Catholic, I have been hearing people say that they are Roman Catholic, this makes me wonder if I am too, but I am not sure if I should classify myself that way.

Should I classify myself as Roman Catholic and not just Catholic?
 
Most people mean exactly the same thing by the two terms. It really doesn’t matter in general conversation.

To some people, the “Roman” part means Latin Rite (as opposed to Eastern Catholics.) To others, the Roman is an insult implying that Catholicism is not universal, or that Catholics are wrongly loyal to Rome.
 
The correct term is Latin Catholic. Saying “Latin/Roman Rite” is actually a misnomer, because that is referring to the liturgical tradition of the Latin Church. Sadly: Many Latin Catholic theologians, however, refer to themselves as “Latin Rite.” The Latin Church is not a ritual, but a Church.

Alaha minokhoun,
Andrew
 
Technically, unless I’m making a wrong assumption, you’re just plain Catholic, but a member of the Latin Ritual Church within the Catholic Church. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Rite

The term “Roman Catholic” came out of Post-Reformation England, as Anglicans consider themselves to be “English Catholics,” thus “Roman Catholic” is meant to differentiate between those that were loyal to the Pope and Anglicans. Therefore, it spread quickly to the English-speaking world. I believe that it was insulting at one point, but since the term is so common-place and sorta lost its original meaning, there really isn’t a problem calling yourself “Roman Catholic.”

However, officially, the term “Roman Catholic” is not used in any official Church documents. Since we are the Catholic Church, when referring to all 23 sui juris Churches, it’s simply either the Catholic Church, or just the Church. When referring to the Latin Church, it’s either the Roman Church, the Church of Rome, the Latin Church, or the Western Church.
 
As far as I know, there is never a logical reason to say that a Catholic is a “Roman Catholic.” At best its a redundancy, like saying that we’re “water baptised in watery water” and at worst it’s blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

If someone tries to force me into saying that I am a “Roman Catholic” I just say something like “I am a Catholic in communion with the Roman Pontiff if that’s what you mean.”

[SIGN]Congradulations! You’re Catholic![/SIGN]
 
As far as I know, there is never a logical reason to say that a Catholic is a “Roman Catholic.” At best its a redundancy, like saying that we’re “water baptised in watery water” and at worst it’s blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

If someone tries to force me into saying that I am a “Roman Catholic” I just say something like “I am a Catholic in communion with the Roman Pontiff if that’s what you mean.”

[SIGN]Congradulations! You’re Catholic![/SIGN]
 
When someone says ‘Roman Catholic’, I always have to think about what they really mean—I usually can’t tell. I don’t think that most non-Catholics that say that do either.

It is the same kind of confusion I get when I see the letter j in Latin or coeli instead of caeli. 😃 What is my mind supposed to do‽ I just get confused. :confused:
 
While Catholic is the correct term, I have no problem being called a Roman Catholic.

It is true that protestants first used the term “Roman Catholic Church” soon after the reformation in a vain attempt to suggest that the one true Church was only a part of the Catholic (ie universal) church. As you would be well aware it is still primarily used as a descriptor by non catholic Christian sects.

By the same token the term Catholic Church is the most used term by the “one true catholic and apostolic church”, because that is what it is. But some Catholics since as early as the 17th century have always been perfectly happy use the term Roman Catholic Church to emphasise their full loyalty to and faith in the importance of being in full communion with Rome.

It is also true that Roman Catholic Church is often applied to the Western or Latin Church but excluding Eastern Rite Churches which are in full communion with the Holy Father and Rome.

All this is a somewhat complex picture. I am a convert and am just as proud to say to non catholic christians that I am a Roman Catholic as saying I am a Catholic because I am a latin rite Catholic loyal to Rome.

However, more often I use the properly correct term Catholic, because that is what the Church is - the one true church founded by Jesus Christ and which has continued ever thus - as we say every time we say the Apostle’s Creed (eg when saying the rosary) or the Nicene Creed at mass.

Indeed when as a boy being raised as a Presbyterian my interest in the Catholic Church was first piqued by the reference in the Apostle’s Creed to the Catholic Church. That started me wondering and with research over time there was but one answer namely - become a real Catholic not a so called member of the (lower case) catholic church which protestant sects claim to be part of, but only by their own authority.

So in summary, Catholic Church is the most correct term to use, but there is also no problem referring to oneself as a member of the Roman Catholic Church, if by that term you mean the latin rite church in full communion with Rome.
 
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