[Lilllabettt]

My only immediate response is annoyance at the use of the phrase 'Portuguese Church'. Why do people insist on calling it the American Church, the French Church, etc. For goodness sakes, is it too much to write 'the Church in Portugal', 'the Church in America', 'the Church in France'? Of course, people will respond "thats just semantics" but it really is an important distinction.

[Land of the Irish]

"Why do people insist on calling it the American Church, the French Church, etc."

It’s a little more than semantics. Amchurch has its USCCB, which voted overwhelmingly to leave it up to the individual bishops to violate canon law and give Holy Communion to public facilitators of abortion, to turn Ascension Thursday into Ascension Sunday, etc.

Canada has it’s own CCCB, which makes its own rules, etc.

Prior to VC II, Catholic meant “universal”. New Church, however, defines Catholic as “diversified”.

Heck, nowadays you can even be “catholic” while remaining outside the Catholic Church.

[saradippity]

Yes,there is a subtle and beautiful distinction between the Church in the United States,or America etc.,and the American Church or the Canadian Church.

The one connotes a unified,universal Church wherever it is located,it conforms with our creed,one can recognize that the Church is One,Holy,Catholic and Apostolic.

The other defines the church by its location,not good nor does it seem true.