On this spot, I note that Steelfish has not provided a single shred of evidence to support RC catechism 823 that the RC church is the bride of Christ.
He has been asked repeatedly to produce the official RC evidence for this doctrine and rebut the argument that Scripture only ever describes the Church as masculine.
He has not.
If there is an official RC position to support this RC church = bride of Christ doctrine, why doesn’t he publish it here to help other believers?
The answer must be that Steelfish has no proof to back up this 823 catechism. As such, it is just empty opinion. No more. No less.
“He has been asked repeatedly to produce the official RC evidence for this doctrine and rebut the argument that Scripture only ever describes the Church as masculine.”
Scriptural evidence as to why you are incorrect.
(CCC 796) The unity of Christ and the Church, head and members of one Body, also implies the distinction of the two within a personal relationship. This aspect is often expressed by the image of bridegroom and bride. The theme of Christ as Bridegroom of the Church was prepared for by the prophets and announced by John the Baptist (Jn 3:29). The Lord referred to himself as the “bridegroom” (Mk 2:19). The Apostle speaks of the whole Church and of each of the faithful, members of his Body, as a bride “betrothed” to Christ the Lord so as to become but one spirit with him (Cf. Mt 22:1-14; 25:1-13; 1 Cor 6:15-17; 2 Cor 11:2). The Church is the spotless bride of the spotless Lamb (Cf. Rev 22:17; Eph 1:4; 5:27). “Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her” (Eph 5:25-26). He has joined her with himself in an everlasting covenant and never stops caring for her as for his own body (Cf. Eph 5:29): This is the whole Christ, head and body, one formed from many… whether the head or members speak, it is Christ who speaks. He speaks in his role as the head (ex persona capitis) and in his role as body (ex persona corporis). What does this mean? “The two will become one flesh. This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the Church” (Eph 5:31-32). And the Lord himself says in the Gospel: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh” (Mt 19:6). They are, in fact, two different persons, yet they are one in the conjugal union,… as head, he calls himself the bridegroom, as body, he calls himself “bride” (St. Augustine, En. in Ps. 74:4: PL 36, 948-949).