RCC? Correct term?

[TNT]

Todd Easton:

early 4th C?

St. Ignatius of Antioch used the phrase “the Catholic Church” about A.D. 107 in his letter To the Smyrnaeans.

The Martyrdom of Polycarp, written about A.D. 155, mentions “the Catholic Church” many times, for example: “And of the elect, he was one indeed, the wonderful martyr Polycarp, who in our days was an apostolic and prophetic teacher, bishop of the Catholic Church in Smyrna.”

St. Justin Martyr used the phrase “the Catholic faith” about A.D. 165 in his On the Sole Government of God.

St. Irenaeus of Lyons used the phrase “the Catholic Church” about A.D. 189 in his Against Heresies.

I also think that St Paul set the precedent in the Epistle to the Romans. He gives the discription as opposed to the single word.

In addition, he connects the Churches of Christ description to the Roman Church, by stating that ALL the Churches of Christ salute YOU (Roman Church). Rom 16:16.
Personally, I use Roman Catholic, since it is the very Church that Paul praises like no other. So, it is Scriptural.

 

[teajay]

I only recently went back to this post after using the search function and wanted to thank Irish Melkite and OrthoCath for their answers

 

[TobyLue]

I have in my hot little hands here an official book that is entitled
“Catechism of the Catholic Church”. I also have another book, “Code of Canon Law” that makes references to the “Catholic Church”. I believe there is a yearly meeting that is call the “National Conference of Catholic Bishops” Somehow, I don’t see the word “roman” inserted anywhere. Catholic Church is good enough for me. I know many consider themselves catholic but reject these books and do not follow these bishops. So,do they belong to the Catholic Church?

 

[Ignatius]

Cat:

I hope someone can answer this question. I am a convert (April 10, 2004) to the Church, so still pretty new at this.

My husband and I heard someone say that the term “Roman Catholic Church” is not correct. The correct name for the Church is “the Catholic Church.”

The reason we heard for this is that the Catholic Church encompasses several different “rites,” not just the Roman Rite. Even though the “headquarters,” so to speak, for our Church is in Rome, the church itself is not just a “Roman Catholic Church,” but a “Catholic Church.” (meaning universal).

Is this true?

I refer to the Catholic Church as “Christ’s Church,” in case you are wondering!

Thanks.

Correct, the proper term is “the Catholic Church.”

 

[batteddy]

To refer to the Church as a whole, the universal Church in communion with the Pope, the total Church in which the One True Church of Jesus Christ subsists, the preferred term by Catholics I believe is just “the Catholic Church”. It’s what I prefer.

The full official title I suppose could be argued to be the “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church” spoken of in the creed which is shortened to “Catholic Church”…and I have even seen some unofficially expand it to “the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, and Orthodox [ie, faithful] Christian Church”

If “Roman Catholic” is used, it should be used to mean the Pope’s patriarchal Church sui juris; namely Western Catholicism of the Latin Rite. Sometimes it is used properly (ie, if there are two Catholic parishes in town and one is “St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church” and one is "St. Joseph’s Syro-Malabar Catholic Church)…but most often it is used by Protestants to ignorantly and even derogatorily mean the entire Church in communion with the Pope, or by Catholics who do not mean it to designate their Rite, but only do it because they haven’t heard of the Eastern Catholic Churches and believe that “Roman Catholic” is what they are supposed to say. It makes me mad when my history textbooks at school designate the institution the “Roman Catholic Church” when clearly they are referring to the entire religion, not just a rite.

If the term “Roman Church” or “Holy Roman Church” is used, it usually refers to the Pope’s own diocese of Rome, and by extension Papal acts of the Holy See in general.

 

[TNT]

Pius XII, Encyclical *Mystici Corporis, *June 29, 1943.

1. If we would define and describe this true Church of Jesus Christ – which is the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Roman Church – we shall find nothing more noble, more sublime, or more divine than the expression “the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ” - an expression which springs from and is, as it were, the fair flowering of the repeated teaching of the Sacred Scriptures and the holy Fathers.

There really is nothing wrong with the term "Roman Catholic Church. The description, by Pius XII is valid for all time, and includes Roman. It has not a thing to do with any “Rite” of the Church.
Catholic Church is just fine as well. Although some sects have copted the word catholic. So far none have identified themselves a “Roman Catholic”.

Mortalium Animos, Pius XI, JANUARY 6, 1928:

Let them hear Lactantius crying out: “The Catholic Church is alone in keeping the true worship. This is the fount of truth, this the house of Faith, this the temple of God: if any man enter not here, or if any man go forth from it, he is a stranger to the hope of life and salvation. Let none delude himself with obstinate wrangling. For life and salvation are here concerned, which will be lost and entirely destroyed, unless their interests are carefully and assiduously kept in mind.”
[The Divine Institutions, 304 AD ]

.

 

[Roman_Army]

Cat:

I hope someone can answer this question. I am a convert (April 10, 2004) to the Church, so still pretty new at this.

My husband and I heard someone say that the term “Roman Catholic Church” is not correct. The correct name for the Church is “the Catholic Church.”

The reason we heard for this is that the Catholic Church encompasses several different “rites,” not just the Roman Rite. Even though the “headquarters,” so to speak, for our Church is in Rome, the church itself is not just a “Roman Catholic Church,” but a “Catholic Church.” (meaning universal).

Is this true?

I refer to the Catholic Church as “Christ’s Church,” in case you are wondering!

Thanks.

That person was right. It is the “Catholic Church.” As St. Augustine and many other of the Early Fathers called it. The Roman Catholic Church implies to the Roman Church only. There are Eastern Churches that are in union with Rome such as the Melkite Catholic Church, Ukrainian Catholic Church, Byzantine Catholic Church, etc. There is also an Anglican rite of the Church and I believe they recently started a Native American rite in the west coast of the U.S.

 

[TNT]

…the Melkite Catholic Church, Ukrainian Catholic Church, Byzantine Catholic Church, etc. There is also an Anglican rite of the Church and I believe they recently started a Native American rite in the west coast of the U.S.

1. There is no “Angelican Rite”. It’s an “Anglican Use” of the NOM liturgy.
2. Byzantine, Melkite, etc are RITES within the Roman Catholic Church. They are not another Catholic Church.
3. A rite or “use” does not put any member beyond the Roman Catholic Church.
4. A “Native American rite” was established by whom? Really. It would be big news.
5. A Rite is more than a Mass-liturgical practice.
   .

 

[norcenso]

Dear Cat,

Congratulations on your reception into the Church, and a warm welcome to you. Thank you for your excellent question. I have also often wondered the same thing. I could be mistaken about this (and I welcome any corrrections), but I recall reading somewhere that the name “Roman” was meant to be derogatory, referring to the “papist” obedience to the Roman Pope, and was coined by the English during the protestant revolt of the 16th century. That has always been my understanding.

Have a great day.