“I’m Byzantine Catholic. Where do I, or any other person from one of the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, fit into your “daisy chain”?
Just asking.”
Sorry you interpreted it that way. I should have made myself more clear. I was ranking the terms that Dr. Eckleburg mentioned in her post. I was saying that using the term “Catholic” is better than “Roman Catholic,” and one reason for that is that “Roman Catholic” doesn’t include Eastern Catholics such as yourself. Just for the record, I agree that every rite in the Catholic Church is equal.
By the way, I recently read that, technically speaking, it is only correct to refer to Catholics in the Diocese of Rome as Roman Catholics. For example, I would actually be a Pittsburgh Catholic, not a Roman Catholic, although I am from the Latin Rite. Do you or Mark know what I am talking about or if I am correct?
"I am pleasantly surprised that you referred to Catholics as Roman Catholics."
And now you would have us believe...
"I was saying that using the term “Catholic” is better than “Roman Catholic”
That is not what your post said or implied.
“By the way, I recently read that, technically speaking, it is only correct to refer to Catholics in the Diocese of Rome as Roman Catholics. For example, I would actually be a Pittsburgh Catholic, not a Roman Catholic, although I am from the Latin Rite. Do you or Mark know what I am talking about or if I am correct?”
In a manner of speaking it is correct.
Catholics look on diocesan bishops (Catholic and Orthodox) as the successors of the apostles who founded the particular church of their locale.
In this manner a person could be a member of the Church of Corinth, Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Tucson or Pittsburgh.
Those of us who prefer Roman Catholic (actually Latin Catholic) are emphasizing our connection with the Roman Pontiff rather than the (e.g.) Maronite or the Melkite Patriarch.
Emphasizing the connection with the particular church rather than the Roman Church is IME common among very liberal Catholics and liberal bishops, many of whom actually see Roman Catholic as a derogatory term.
'Roman' was pushed by the British during their break with the Church for obvious reasons. 'Romanist', 'Papist, et al' followed up on that. From an historical standpoint, the existence and history of the Eastern Rites (as well as the Orthodox and others in the East), tends to throw a monkey wrench into some of the, ah, analysis of alleged doctrinal "inventions" that shows up in "Western" Christian religious arguments amonst Catholics vs Protestants such as in internet forums and elsewhere in society.
Yes, in official Church documents and language, 'The Roman Church' refers specifically to the Church in Rome, with St. John Lateran as the Cathedral.
Certainly, by this time, the term 'Roman Catholic', while technically incorrect, is oftentimes used to refer to the Latin Rite of the Church - if not the whole Catholic Church - by many, including Catholics at times.
'Mormon' started as a nick for 'Latter Day Saints', but most of them refer to themselves as Mormons now. I know a couple who get offended by it though. LDS it is for them.