[vladimir998]

You wrote:

“Maybe it is like the Baptists dropping the word Baptist from the name of the church. They no longer want to use a word that has a negative connotation to many people.”

Actually Protestants invented the term “Roman Catholic Church” in the early modern era. We didn’t. Catholics merely referred to themselves as Catholics. If you don’t believe me you can look this up in the Oxford English Dictionary.

[Gamecock]

***Actually Protestants invented the term “Roman Catholic Church” in the early modern era. We didn’t. Catholics merely referred to themselves as Catholics.***

So back to the theme of my question, why do so many Catholic organizations have the title “Roman?” Why acquiesce to the to title given to them by Protestants?

[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)