Yes, I wrote that post.
And the 73-book canon was in place (if by "in place" one means "widely known and accepted in practice") before it was "declared" to be so. These declarations by Councils are not innovations or impositions, they are recognitions of what was already the practice of the Churches. "Confirm the brethren."
There's a little ambiguity about the term "Roman" Catholic Church, Anglicans who wished to refer to themselves as "Anglo Catholic" first coined the term "Roman Catholic" to distinguish those in union with Rome from themselves and to assert the propriety of applying the term "Catholic" to themselves.
But we trace the birth of the Catholic Church, not to Westminster or Rome but to Jerusalem, not to the Reformation but to Pentecost, and not to Peter as a quasi-monarchical figure at the Vatican but to Peter who was Christ's appointed Shepherd (John 21:15-17), selected as the one who was to "confirm the brethren," the first among the Twelve.
So what do you mean by "before there was a Roman Catholic Church"? Before Pentecost, before the Anglicans, or before --- what?
I don't have a problem...except the error promulgated by the Romanist organization that has enslaved many nice folks...like you.
"So what do you mean by "before there was a Roman Catholic Church"? Before Pentecost, before the Anglicans, or before --- what?"
I mean exactly what I wrote...the Roman Catholic Church shows up between 300 - 400AD. You perhaps believe their line about Peter being the first Roman pope, but this is not only absent in the Scriptures (yes, the Scriptures that were in place prior to Roman domination), but it does not comport with ordinary history records. Of course Rome has concocted several lists of "popes" along the way, some of which were in place at the same time, some of which had mistresses, etc. But, Rome's "proof" of its authority attempts to use the Scriptures (yes, 66 books/letters), but denies its story.
This is a myopic, self-proving argument that can be manufactured by anyone (read that, the Mormons use this, the Scientologists use this, even Ellen G White and the 7th Dayers use this). But, the true gathering of believers traces its beginnings not to 1st cent. Jerusalem, but to Abraham and includes all those rescued of God by grace, through faith (Heb. 11), and that not of ourselves (Eph 2)...it has always been a gift of God, not of works lest any man/woman boast. The blood of Jesus reached back to all the rescued and forward to this very day. So, I guess we predate your gang.
And, no, the Apocrypha, was not widely recognized as Scriptural (inspired like the 66).