Yep, we have had this discussion since Ratzinger’s release of his assessment that we aren’t churches.
For my part I’m willing to accept the RC Church as one of the churches that make up the invisible Church, the Bride of Christ. While I think the RCC has some doctrines that I wouldn’t ever teach, I emphasize first that Jesus called for true unity of true Christians, and that He also directed that those who are not against us are for us.
But, then again, I’m a very strong believer in Christian Unity.
Therefore, I do think that the Christians within the RCC are as Christian anyone else, and that like any other church, they include their fair share of tares.
That wasn't "his assessment"; he was reiterating standard Catholic terminology. A "church" implies and requires validly ordained bishops in Apostolic succession. The Orthodox have'em; the Protestants don't.*
*There are certain Lutherans and Anglicans who would quibble about that, but not many.