Is there a difference between Catholicism and Roman Catholicism?

Question

A friend of mine was conducting a survey, which included as a matter of background information a census of religion.  People were asked to check which religion they were, or check "other" and write in their religion if theirs was not listed.

One person neglected to check "Catholic" and instead wrote in "Roman Catholic."  Is there a difference?

I don't think there is.  I think all Catholics are followers of the Pope, and thus the Vatican, and thus thier religion is Roman-based.  Perhaps this person feels that "Catholic" is an disrespectful shorthand for "Roman Catholic?"  

Or are there really sects of Catholicism that are not Roman?

What do you think?

imacatholic2 · Accepted Answer

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.

To add a little more confusion, some apply the term “Roman Catholic Church” only to the Latin Rite Catholic Church, excluding the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches that are in full communion with the Pope, and are part of the same Church, under the Pope.

Eastern Rite Catholic Churches include:

Alexandrian liturgical tradition 
+ Coptic Catholic Church
+ Ethiopic Catholic Church

Antiochian (Antiochene or West-Syrian) liturgical tradition 
+ Maronite Church
+ Syrian Catholic Church
+ Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

Armenian liturgical tradition: 
+ Armenian Catholic Church

Chaldean or East Syrian liturgical tradition: 
+ Chaldean Catholic Church
+ Syro-Malabar Church

Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) liturgical tradition: 
+ Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church
+ Belarusian Greek Catholic Church
+ Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church
+ Byzantine Church of the Eparchy of Križevci
+ Greek Byzantine Catholic Church
+ Hungarian Greek Catholic Church
+ Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
+ Macedonian Greek Catholic Church
+ Melkite Greek Catholic Church
+ Romanian Church
+ Russian Byzantine Catholic Church
+ Ruthenian Catholic Church
+ Slovak Greek Catholic Church
+ Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

The term “Roman” neither increases nor decreases the faith, hope and love of the Catholic Church.

With love in Christ.

Anonymous · Answer

There are others who share the term:

Old Catholic Church
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The Old Catholic Church is a community of Christian churches. Many of these were German-speaking churches of laymen and clergymen who split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1870s because of the promulgation of the dogma of Papal Infallibility as promoted by the First Vatican Council of 1869–1870. The term 'Old Catholic' was first used in 1853 to describe the members of the See of Utrecht, who were not under Papal authority. While the European Old Catholic Churches are a part of the Union of Utrecht, there are many more that are independent, especially in the United States.

Anonymous · Answer

Within the Catholic Church there are many rites. Roman Catholics observe the Latin or Roman Rite. These are most well known. But there are many others, such as the Melkites, Ruthenians and other Eastern Rite or Byzantine Catholics. Protestants and Eastern Orthodox like to emphasize "Roman" Catholicism in an effort to limit the Church or to emphasize the fact that the Pope resides in Rome.

Millie · Answer

There is no difference, Catholicism, Catholic Church, Roman Catholic, the Roman Church, are all the same.

Anonymous · Answer

In the US, Catholic is generally construed to imply Roman Catholic.  Other Catholic-related faiths, such as Eastern Orthodox, are usually called by such names.

John 1:1 · Answer

catholic: small “c” including or concerned with all people. The early Christian Church was considered catholic (belonging to the community of all Christian churches). After the Reformation the Church at Rome (the one Luther was protesting against) became the Roman Catholic Church to distinguish it from the reformers or Protestants.

delyghtful · Answer

The word "catholic" uncapitalized, means "universal".  If the word Catholic is capitalized, it means the Roman Catholic Church.

Marysia · Answer

generally in the states (and those countries where Roman Catholicism is the primary denomination) and  when one states Catholic, it implies Roman.

Anonymous · Answer

>>Or are there really sects of Catholicism that are not Roman?<<

Yes, there really are. Eastern Catholics (who are equally in communion with the Pope) are not Roman.

http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_...

http://www.silk.net/RelEd/eastern.htm

http://www.mncuf.org/rites.htm

http://www.melkite.org/eastern.htm

http://www.maryourmother.net/Eastern.html

d00ney · Answer

Catholic means universal, for everyone.  Generally all trinitarian christian denominations are catholic.  I believe the Anglicans stand up and say so in their creed.  Most of the others don't even realise it.

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Is there a difference between Catholicism and Roman Catholicism?

13 Answers