Whats the difference between being Roman Catholic and just Catholic???
The Catholic Church has consistently referred to itself as the “Catholic Church” at least since 107 AD, when the term appears in the writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch The term “Roman” Catholic is rather recent. The new Anglican Church in England started using the term “Roman” in the 1500s as one of many ways of demeaning and demonizing Catholics. Catholics accepted this late coming adjective without too much protest. Today “Catholic” and “Roman Catholic” are interchangeable terms. Both terms are even used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church, or Catholic Church, is the Christian Church led by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, currently His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. It has defined itself as “the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter” — i.e. the Pope — “and the bishops in communion with him” [1]. It teaches that it is the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Jesus for the salvation of all people. To add a little more confu
