Is the term "Roman Catholic Church" pejorative?

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Emma2829

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I’ve noticed that few Catholics actually refer to themselves as “Roman Catholics.” It’s a term normally used by Protestants or other non-Catholic Christians, almost as if to imply that one can be “catholic” without actually being part of the Catholic Church (i.e. the one that’s headed by the pope). Although, I realize that some Catholics describe themselves as Roman Catholics to emphasize that they are of the Roman rite, as opposed to the other non-western rites used by the Eastern Catholics.

However, I’ve always considered the term “Roman Catholic Church” (RCC) to be somewhat of a misnomer- and one that’s almost exclusively used by Protestants, again as if to imply that a church could be “catholic” without being in communion with Rome. In my mind, there is only one Catholic Church and it consists not only of the Latin (Roman) Church, but also the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches. Anyway, I was reading one of Pope Benedict XVI’s books, and I noticed that the author bio referred to him as “the head of the Roman Catholic Church.” Was this simply an oversight, or is the term RCC considered acceptable?

I’ve also had several history professors who almost always say RCC when talking about the Church. Should I take issue with this? Or is it acceptable to say RCC when talking exclusively about the history of western Europe?
 
Emma2829 said:
I’ve noticed that few Catholics actually refer to themselves as “Roman Catholics.” It’s a term normally used by Protestants or other non-Catholic Christians, almost as if to imply that one can be “catholic” without actually being part of the Catholic Church (i.e. the one that’s headed by the pope). Although, I realize that some Catholics describe themselves as Roman Catholics to emphasize that they are of the Roman rite, as opposed to the other non-western rites used by the Eastern Catholics.

However, I’ve always considered the term “Roman Catholic Church” (RCC) to be somewhat of a misnomer- and one that’s almost exclusively used by Protestants, again as if to imply that a church could be “catholic” without being in communion with Rome. In my mind, there is only one Catholic Church and it consists not only of the Latin (Roman) Church, but also the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches. Anyway, I was reading one of Pope Benedict XVI’s books, and I noticed that the author bio referred to him as “the head of the Roman Catholic Church.” Was this simply an oversight, or is the term RCC considered acceptable?

I’ve also had several history professors who almost always say RCC when talking about the Church. Should I take issue with this? Or is it acceptable to say RCC when talking exclusively about the history of western Europe?
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I am not an expert. I never used Roman Catholic (don’t know why) until maybe about four, five years ago. Just to emphasize the Latin Catholic (universal) Church in terms of history. I think Roman Church is kind of an insult given by the Orthodox (knocking out the universality, RCC claim to be the supreme true Church, papal primacy, etc.). That could be wrong. But I have never heard anyone inside or outside the Church say that RCC is an insulting term, just technically correct. I agree Catholics don’t use it. I like it really. Perhaps that is just because I like Rome? Who knows. I don’t have a very deep commitment or aversion to it. I will be interested to see the other responses. Maybe I have been missing the insult…
 
FollowChrist34 said:
I am not an expert. I never used Roman Catholic (don’t know why) until maybe about four, five years ago. Just to emphasize the Latin Catholic (universal) Church in terms of history. I think Roman Church is kind of an insult given by the Orthodox (knocking out the universality, RCC claim to be the supreme true Church, papal primacy, etc.). That could be wrong. But I have never heard anyone inside or outside the Church say that RCC is an insulting term, just technically correct. I agree Catholics don’t use it. I like it really. Perhaps that is just because I like Rome? Who knows. I don’t have a very deep commitment or aversion to it. I will be interested to see the other responses. Maybe I have been missing the insult…
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Me neither. And sometimes it’s necessary, as hinted at above, to differentiate, say, the Maronite or the Melkite Catholic Churches from, well, the one based in Rome.
 
I most often see it used by more “conservative” Catholics. Especially on parish street signs. None of this “St. George Catholic Community” – we’re “St. George Roman Catholic Church!” Just fill in “St. George” for your local conservative parish.

Or maybe that’s just a regional thing. At any rate, I think I prefer “Roman Catholic,” so as to give a nod to the *Eastern *Catholic Churches. (“Yes, they’re Catholic too!”) Maybe nobody would think much of it, but that distinction is what I tend to think of when I hear the term.
 
DaveBj said:
Me neither. And sometimes it’s necessary, as hinted at above, to differentiate, say, the Maronite or the Melkite Catholic Churches from, well, the one based in Rome.
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But we could also just say “Latin Catholics.”
 
I don’t know of any Catholics who would be insulted by the term “Roman Catholic”. On this forum, however, there are those who don’t like the term for whatever reason, but out in the real world not too many would care. Also, in my growing up years, almost every Latin rite church used the title in their name. Nobody was insulted then either. There is nothing you need to do about it.

I realize that at first it was a derogatory title from the Reformation, I believe, but the tables seemed to have turned on that one, and most people would proudly call themselves Roman Catholics.
 
I don’t know why, but I generally just say “Catholic”, except on certain documents like on a form at the hospital asking about religious affiliation in case a chaplain in needed…in cases like that I usually put down “Roman Catholic”… maybe because I subconsciously feel like it’s more formal or precise? Like the staff would understand better? I dunno. Just my own weird tendencies.
 
The Catholic Church has referred to herself as the Roman Catholic Church in her own documents…for example, in Humani Generis by Pius the XII, paragraph 27:
“Some say they are not bound by the doctrine, explained in Our Encyclical Letter of a few years ago, and based on the Sources of Revelation, which teaches that the Mystical Body of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church are one and the same thing.[6] Some reduce to a meaningless formula the necessity of belonging to the true Church in order to gain eternal salvation. Others finally belittle the reasonable character of the credibility of Christian faith.”
So if it is good enough for the Church, it’s good enough for me!
 
Virtually all outside church signs / lawn signs I’ve ever seen say “Roman Catholic.”
 
Emma2829 said:
However, I’ve always considered the term “Roman Catholic Church” (RCC) to be somewhat of a misnomer- and one that’s almost exclusively used by Protestants,
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The term “Roman Catholic” is chiseled in stone on some of our church buildings here in Pittsburgh, on buildings more than 100 years old.

I don’t think it was protestants that did the chiseling, although even if it was, they were workmen doing it at the instruction of the Roman Catholic owners of the building.
 
A small minority of protestant apologists I’ve seen tend to use the term ‘roman’ with catholic or catholicism almost obsessively. However I don’t think that makes it pejorative. I think they just wish it was still socially acceptable to say “papists” and the other actual pejorative terms they invented. So they have to settle with always saying ‘roman’ catholic.

“For nothing more glorious, nothing nobler, nothing surely more honorable can be imagined than to belong to the One, Holy Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church, in which we become members of One Body as venerable as it is unique; are guided by one supreme Head; are filled with one divine Spirit; are nourished during our earthly exile by one doctrine and one heavenly Bread, until at last we enter into the one, unending blessedness of heaven.” - Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi

I wear the label ‘Roman’ with pride!
 
Many times, I will just use the term ‘Roman’ or ‘the Romans’ when talking about the specific branch of the Church and its members. I don’t think it’s pejorative at all.
 
To define my religion, I have used “Roman Catholic.” We adhere to the Pope, known as the “Bishop of Rome.” Also, Saint Peter as the first Pope passed there, developing what we consider “the cornerstone” in scripture. I can’t tell you what a “charismatic Catholic” is, but I can tell you that I am a Catholic recognizing Rome! (The Vatican)!

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

To me if ^ means something to you, Roman Catholic it is.
 
CB_Catholic said:
I don’t know of any Catholics who would be insulted by the term “Roman Catholic”. On this forum, however, there are those who don’t like the term for whatever reason, but out in the real world not too many would care. Also, in my growing up years, almost every Latin rite church used the title in their name. Nobody was insulted then either. There is nothing you need to do about it.

I realize that at first it was a derogatory title from the Reformation, I believe, but the tables seemed to have turned on that one, and most people would proudly call themselves Roman Catholics.
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I do. They’re members of different suri juris Eastern Catholic churches in full communion with the Holy See.
 
Emma2829 said:
I’ve noticed that few Catholics actually refer to themselves as “Roman Catholics.” It’s a term normally used by Protestants or other non-Catholic Christians, almost as if to imply that one can be “catholic” without actually being part of the Catholic Church (i.e. the one that’s headed by the pope). Although, I realize that some Catholics describe themselves as Roman Catholics to emphasize that they are of the Roman rite, as opposed to the other non-western rites used by the Eastern Catholics.

However, I’ve always considered the term “Roman Catholic Church” (RCC) to be somewhat of a misnomer- and one that’s almost exclusively used by Protestants, again as if to imply that a church could be “catholic” without being in communion with Rome. In my mind, there is only one Catholic Church and it consists not only of the Latin (Roman) Church, but also the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches. Anyway, I was reading one of Pope Benedict XVI’s books, and I noticed that the author bio referred to him as “the head of the Roman Catholic Church.” Was this simply an oversight, or is the term RCC considered acceptable?

I’ve also had several history professors who almost always say RCC when talking about the Church. Should I take issue with this? Or is it acceptable to say RCC when talking exclusively about the history of western Europe?
Click to expand...
I personally don’t find the term “Roman Catholic” to require apology. I don’t believe it to be protestant in origin, their terms were more along the lines of “romish” and “popish” (really is that the best one can come up with stick ish on the end use lower case and believe it to be an insult? puritan style), and my favorite “whore of babylon”, a favorite of martin luther and also an english play by Thomas Dekker. This was quite an ingenious use of the biblical terminology, though very much out of its context, for the “whore” were intended to mean satellite nations such as france spain germany and england etc who had pledged allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church, and were therefore regarded as “whores” by those in rebellion. Propaganda did no really develop in the 20th Century, it has been there at least since the reformation.
 
Solomonson said:
I do. They’re members of different suri juris Eastern Catholic churches in full communion with the Holy See.
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But those are Greek Catholics, people who aren’t referred to as “Roman Catholic” at all, at least not by informed people.
 
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