Yes not "Roman" as in "a citizen of the city of Rome" . However "Roman" as in "Roman Catholic" .
"The Mystical Body of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church are one and the same thing . " ( Pope Pius XII in "Humani Generis"] .
Immediately I cease to be Roman Catholic , I cease to be in communion with the Roman See , with the Bishop of Rome , and so cease to be Catholic , and so also cease to be a complete member of the Mystical Body of Christ .
Once again, one need not be a ROMAN Catholic to be part of the Catholic Church.
I am NOT a Roman Catholic and I did not cease to be in communion with the Pope.
That is why I don't care for the use of "Roman" when one is describing the universal church - it is insulting to the 21 other Catholic rites that are not Roman and are part of the universal church.
I know where you are coming from . There was a time when Catholics not of the Latin rite were in some quarters looked upon as second class members . That was put to rights at the Second Vatican Council , especially through the forceful way an Eastern rite patriarch , sorry I can't remember his name , spoke out in the name of the Eastern rite Catholics .
I understand your being protective and proud of your rite , and I am all for it .
Throughout this thread I have written and quoted from Popes , and the main point I want to get across is that they used the word Roman to designate communion with the Roman See , with the Bishop of Rome . Rites , whether East or West , are not part of the issue in this matter . You are a Catholic in the Maronite rite . I am a Catholic in the Latin rite . We are both Catholics in communion with the Roman See , with the Bishop of Rome , and it is this fact , using the language Popes have used , which makes us members of the Roman Catholic Church .
The only way to understand what the Popes were saying , such as Pius XII in Mystici Corporis Christi where he wrote "The true Church of Jesus Christ is the One , Holy , Catholic , Apostolic and Roman Church", is to understand that they are designating the Church in communion with the Roman See , with the Bishop of Rome .
Now I have no problem with your not wanting to be referred to as a Roman Catholic , as long as you are not denying the use of the word Roman as the above quote from Pius XII intended it to be used .
When my father was alive , and he was a better Catholic than I will ever be , and he was asked what his religion was he would say Roman Catholic .
Sometimes I say I am Catholic , sometimes Roman Catholic . It's part of common parlance which I don't object to . If the adjective Roman was good enough for Popes from Pius XI to Benedict XVI , and for others if we look into the history of how the term was used , then it's good enough for me .
