To all people who aren't Italian/Roman, why are you a Roman Catholic when you're not Italian/Roman?

Answer 1

The Catholic Church has consistently referred to itself as the “Catholic Church” at least since 107 C.E., 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.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13121a.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

"Roman" in this case refers to the Roman rite (that is, the liturgy, or the way in which the sacraments are celebrated). There are about 23 rites within Catholicism, but the Latin or Roman rite is the most widespread -- overwhelmingly so, including 95% or more of Catholics in the West.

It has nothing to do with nationality but rather where the seat of authority of the Church is. "The Roman Rite was adopted throughout the West because the local bishops, sometimes kings or emperors, felt that they could not do better than use the rite of the chief bishop of all, at Rome. And this imitation of Roman liturgical practice brought about in the West the application of the principle (long admitted in the East) that rite should follow patriarchate."

Answer 3

Catholic Church is the church founded by Christ under the stewardship of Peter
Peter traveled to Rome and was first bishop of Rome.
The Apostolic see of Peter and his Episcopal successors, is the Rome of the Papacy. Christians who recognise the magisterium of the Pope are therefore referred (by others) as "Roman".
This distinction is foisted by others who reject the
majesterium of Peter's successors, AND who want to double think the Apostles' Creed, to label themselves as ( name-). Catholic. The Anglican church for instance .. pose the identity of Anglican Catholic. The Eastern Orthodox Church is of course in schism with Rome but has valid Catholic sacraments
"Roman" Catholics do not take kindly to the "Roman" distinction, it is a false tautology. One cannot be Universal and just exclusively Roman at the same time. Such a distinction is a conceit.

Answer 4

Simple. . . you don't have to be of Italian descent in order to be a Roman Catholic.

Answer 5

Because being Roman or Itallian has nothing to do with being Catholic. Rome is just where Peter went to start the Church Jesus charged him with starting.

Besides if it's Roman Catholic then why would you consider other itallian cities. Shouldn't one have have to physically be in Rome by your logic?

Answer 6

By some measures the Roman Catholic church is the largest in the world. Virtually the entire world was evangelized by someone or another. St. Patrick brought christianity (catholicism) to Ireland, St. Adalbert brought christianity to Poland, Spanish and French explorers brought christianity to the Americas etc. etc.

Answer 7

Roman Catholic means the church that is based in rome


lost.eu/21618

Answer 8

because roman catholicism has nothing to do with being roman or italian, it is a type of christianity.

Answer 9

Roman Catholics are members of the Catholic church linked to the part of the church organised from Rome. They, and the Reformed Churches are part of the one Holy Catholic Or Universal Church of Jesus Christ.

Answer 10

I guess this is directed at me since I'm not Italian/Roman.

They did what was commanded of them by the lord. They went into all the world (or as much of it as they could) and spread their doctrine.

A lot of immigrants to this country brought their religion with them, because there was no religious persecution here, just religious freedom. One of the best gifts from those deists and freemasons that wrote our constitution.