I recently heard the term secular Catholic, is it the same as lapsed Catholic or cafeteria Catholic?

Answer 1

I would think a secular Catholic and a lapsed Catholic would be about the some, Catholic in name only and not caring about religion in general.

Cafeteria Catholics are a bit different. They do care about religion but the pick and choose what they want to believe.

Cafeteria style dining means to pick and choose what food to take from a cafeteria line.

The term "Cafeteria Christians" refers to people who view Christianity like a cafeteria where one picks and chooses only those beliefs that appeal to them and reject a genuine interpretation of Christian doctrine and the teachings of Jesus.

The term "Cafeteria Catholics" is similar. It is used to describe people who dissent from certain teachings of the Catholic Church while maintaining an outward identity as Catholics.

In Los Angeles in 1987, Pope John Paul II said: "It has to be noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church's moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the magisterium is totally compatible with being a "good Catholic," and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching of the Bishops in the United States and elsewhere."

Heresy is the obstinate denial after Baptism of a truth which must be believed with divine and Catholic faith.

"Cafeteria Catholics" in denial of certain truths are in danger of committing heresy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cafeteria_Christianity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cafeteria_Catholic

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

In Los Angeles in 1987, Pope John Paul II said: "It has to be noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church's moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the magisterium is totally compatible with being a "good Catholic," and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching of the Bishops in the United States and elsewhere."

Answer 3

I've heard these terms before. May mean different degrees of involvement or belief in the Catholic Church. I consider myself to be an ex-Catholic actually. Guess to some Catholics I would be considered an apostate or a heretic. Not sure though.

EDIT:
That clears a little bit of it for me personally, since I never had a Confirmation, but only Baptism & First Communion.

Answer 4

Pastor Billy says: perhaps the term was secular order.
Secular simply means of our time, our generation, living in the world.

To be secularized could mean a lack of tradition as in lapsed Catholics or those who reject portions of the faith such as cafeteria Catholics. However in the religious understanding secular is opposite of cloister it doesn't necessarily mean to be non-religious. I think this has been your confusion thinking it means one is Catholic in name only.

see the following http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14637b.htm
for a definition on Third orders which can be secular.

Secular Clergy
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13675a.htm

Answer 5

Those you listed are all made-up terms, with no specific definitions, except for whatever the person who made them up had in mind.

In the eyes of the Catholic Church, once confirmed as a Catholic (~age 14) you're always a Catholic. However, those who stop actively participating in the religion (attending mass) are "non-practicing" Catholics.

Answer 6

I do believe that they are lesser versions of the secular Catholic.