My question is: What is the difference between catholic and roman catholic?

Answer 1

Catholic means "universal." There was only one Church for the first thousand years of Christianity.

Roman Catholic recognizes Rome as the headquarters of the one Church. It has been the headquarters since St. Peter, the first Church leader, moved to the capital city of the civilized world to become its bishop. He died there as a martyr.

Jesus appointed Peter to lead his Church, and he gave Peter and the other apostles great authority to "bind and loose," i.e., to make decisions on earth that would be honored in heaven (Matt 16:18).

Among the most important decisions were about who would be the next leaders. Even in Acts I we see the Church choosing a new apostle, Matthias, to replace Judas Iscariot.

The present leaders of the Catholic Church were appointed in the same way, exercising the authority granted to them by Jesus. This is "apostolic succession."

Here are the Church leaders in apostolic succession, going back to Peter. You can click any name for a biography and information about what the Catholic Church was doing all through history.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

Those not authorized by authorized leaders in apostolic succession are not leaders in the Church. They are protestants, and they have man-made rival organizations they call "churches." No protestant "church" goes back before 1500 AD.

Only the Catholic Church (and the Orthodox Church, which also has apostolic succession) has both the scripture and Sacred Traditions entrusted to Peter and the other apostles.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

Actually Roman Catholic is a proper term (along with Latin Rite Catholic). Roman Catholics are part of the Roman Catholic Church and in communion with the Pope (ie the Bishop of Rome). Some that call themselves Catholics are really just Protestants who attempt to still lay claim to Apostolic succession. Others are part of the Orthodox Churches when the Empire lines split, most are in communion with Rome but not under the direct authority of the Pope.

Answer 3

As you see from most of the answers above the word "catholic" means "universal". the word catholic appears in the Apostles Creed which is said by many Christians that are not just Roman Catholic only. Orthodox and some Protestants claim to be the original catholic church but the church that was led by Peter in Rome is the real Catholic church because it never sparated from the truth. the Catholic Church has many Rite (rituals) for example the roman(Latin)' Maronite, Chaldean, Greek, and so on in total the is about 23 rites. i hope this helps!! Maronites Rule!!!

Answer 4

There is Byzantine Catholic and Roman Catholic
they are basically the same thing except for a different church set-up and different order the mass is said in a different order
Byzantine Catholic was slightly evolved from the roman catholic after the byzantine empire was created.

Answer 5

The term catholic (meaning universal) was used by the apostles to term a large or all encompassing body of believers. Catholic can mean any professing Christian, like Anglican who consider themselves catholic but not Roman Catholic. While Roman Catholic is a term used for those who follow the Roman Catholic denomination of Christianity.

Answer 6

A Roman Catholic is a Catholic that enjoys full communion to the Apostolic See in Rome under the primacy of the Supreme Pontiff. The term "Roman" pertains to the place of the center of the real Catholic Church which is the city of
Rome in Italy.

Nowadays, the term Catholic is also claimed also by our brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Church. There is also church that is called Old Catholic, the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt and many more.

That is why the the people who are called Roman Catholics are those faithful one in faith, one in practice and one in unity and under the leadership of the visible head of the Church-the Pope.

Answer 7

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 8

Actually, the proper term isn't Roman Catholic, it's Latin Rite Catholic. The Catholic Church is comprised of several rites - e.g. the Maronite Rite (Lebanese Catholic Church). They are all in communion with the Pope.

Answer 9

Sandy, i know a dazzling group of Charismatic Catholics. this is the version I even have observed: They make the main of the Holy Spirit in worship,compliment and in prayer. They examine scriptures lots greater effective than the classic Roman Catholic. They place their faith in Jesus, for healings and such. they do no longer pray rote prayers....they talk to God from their hearts! some talk in tongues whilst others produce different presents alongside with interpretation. oftentimes, the Charismatics are actually not usual "fondly" in the Roman Catholic church yet, their faith is powerful sufficient to stand up to any tongue lashings that could ensue. i'm hoping my very own know-how can help you to comprehend. God Bless

Answer 10

Generally, Catholic is just a short form for Roman Catholic, but there are also Graeco Catholics and Melkite Catholics. The word "catholic" basically just means "universal", meaning that this church is supposedly the only true one.