[Between the Lines]

If you don’t believe me you can look this up in the Oxford English Dictionary.

Though I have no reason to doubt you, I did look it up.

The use of this composite term in place of the simple Roman, Romanist, or Romish; which had acquired an invidious sense, appears to have arisen in the early years of the seventeenth century. For conciliatory reasons it was employed in the negotiations connected with the Spanish Match (1618-1624) and appears in formal documents relating to this printed by Rushworth (I, 85-89). After that date it was generally adopted as a non-controversial term and has long been the recognized legal and official designation, though in ordinary use Catholic alone is very frequently employed. (New Oxford Dict., VIII, 766)

[vladimir998]

It was easy for the Protestants writing the OED to call it “non-controversial term and has long been the recognized legal and official designation” but that is not how many Catholics actually felt or believed nor is it how many Catholics feel or believe now.