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Catholic V. Roman Catholic - Is There A Difference?


The Bus Station

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The Bus Station

The other day I told a protestant acquaintance of mine that I was Catholic, and her immediate response was "are you Catholic, or Roman Catholic?" I asked her how she differentiated the two, and she said Roman Catholicism is "more strict." I told her that I don't think there is a difference, and if there are differences, I am not aware of them.

I know there are Eastern Catholics and such, but I've never met a Catholic who didn't consider himself a Roman Catholic. Is this just yet another protestant misconception or is there a real difference? Thanks.

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Thy Geekdom Come

Your friend is misinformed. Not all Catholics are Roman Catholics. Roman Catholics are specifically Catholics belonging to the Roman Rite. Eastern Catholics are not Roman Catholics, but are just as Catholic as Roman Catholics. This is why anti-Catholics show their ignorance about the Church when they attack the "Roman Catholic Church" as if that is the extent of Catholicism.

There are some people who call themselves "Catholic" while not actually being Catholic, such as the "Old Catholics" (a post Vatican I heresy) and they are known for being very lax. However, there is no "less-strict" Church that is actually Catholic.

God bless,

Micah

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