Roman Catholic or Latin Rite Catholic is only one of the rites of the Catholic Church (those under the See of Rome). So Catholic is more correct but Roman Catholic does not bother me, but it does leave out quite a few Catholics.
“Roman Catholic or Latin Rite Catholic is only one of the rites of the Catholic Church (those under the See of Rome). So Catholic is more correct but Roman Catholic does not bother me, but it does leave out quite a few Catholics.”
I ask because Protestants are criticized by many Catholics in that there are these divisions: Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational, etc.
I often state my observation from having lived in several Asian countries where there ar Catholics that the Catholic Church is not so Catholic as it seems to want to present itself.
Since Catholicism in various regions of the world, it would appear, adopt into it localisms and regionalisms in religious matters, structure, who may be admitted and who is restricted, etc.
Many Catholics in Asia, for example, also keep Buddhist practices, along with sympbols of Buddhist deities on the same “god shelves” with figurines of Mary and Joseph, etc., to which all at the same time have incense burned to them, prayers made to them, etc. Many Catholics in the Philippines and in China still call the Buddhist Fengshui practitioners to help them design their buildings or decorate their houses according to ancient deep-rooted superstitions. Many still call for the lion/dragon dancers to drive away evil spirits (they say) when they move in to a new house or open a new business location. Mant still use fireworks not merely for celebration but for cleansing a place from unclean sppirits.
So, why aren’t Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists, others, merely accepted as different “rites” of Protestantism as there are varying rites in Catholicism (some not even being under the See of Rome)?
Prior to WWII there was actually much more cooperation between the Protestant “denominations” in public evangelist crusades, and this even extended into somewhat later efforts such as the Billy Graham and other Crusades.
I am not an endorser of ecumenism, actually, as I don’t believe their should be human programs to pressure churches or denominations to unite, so I don’t want this post to express that I am suggesting this in the slightest.
I am not a NCC or WCC supporter or endorser at all.
I am merely making the point that whereas Protestants have their various denominations which have the capacitiy to work together, and often do (e.g. National Association of Evangelicals), as their are varying “rites” within “Catholicism,” where does the criticism against the Protestants (in this regard) stand?
So there are various sects within the Catholic church? Is it not true that the sect in America is "Roman Catholic"