The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1957-12-27
Roman, Roman, Roman Catholics
Church Isn't Just Some
Latin Sect, But Catholic
BY Erik Won KvehneIs-L eddihn

LANS LYROL, Austria = My friend the Presby-
terrain minister saw me again the other day. He had a
problem to solve about our Church, the Church which
never ceases to puzzle him. "NoW, If a Roman Catholic"
he started to say, II mean a devout son OF the Roman
"A Roman Catholic believer of the Roman Catho-
lie Church in Rone?" l interrupted him ironicallyA
whats wrong with the term Romeo the minister
retorted. isn't that the way you call yourself? And
isn't the Pope residing in Rome?"
THE Pope, as a matter of fact, does not reside in
the City Of Rome, but in Vatican City which admin.
strsfiveIy and politically forms no part OF the City OF
Rome. Just as Brookline does not belong to Boston. OF
course, the Pope is Bishop of Rome, although he does
not live in that eity-or, for that matter. in Italy.
Now, as to the term, Roman Catholic, all | can say
is that as the solemn official title of the Church, we use
the expression Catholic and Roman'-which is not the
same thing as Roman Catholic. Thus. by saying that
Mr.. Green is an Old Catholic, we imply that he belongs
to a sect which sprung up in 1870; if we say that he is
Catholic and Old we refer to his religion and his age.
The term Catholic is Greek and means as much as all
over the earth, everywhere, universal, or, if you like:
Cosmopolitan.
If we say: Mr.. Green is a Podunk Cosmopolitan we
have made either a Joke or declared a paradox. Yet if
we say that Mr.. Green is a Cosmopolitan who makes his
home in Podunk, or happens to live in Podunk, then
we've said something quite different"
"And you just happen to be a Roman type Catho-
TN . way-yes.. You see the expression Roman
Catholic is also used in Eastern Europe in q different
sense and, must say, with a different infonation as you
use this label over here in America. In Hungary, in Po-
land, in RUmania, Greece, or elsewhere we call Roman
Catholics the Catholics Of the Latin Rite and 10 mo
lily mig "a S0HuSuubi9 y y ~ QOU0 IT0uNr !
prefer much Of the fine liturgy Of the Greek or the SIav-
vonie or event Armenian Rite. The Rite is not essential,
but the doctrine is. So, if you'eaII me a Roman Catholic,
my reaction as . European is: Correct Just happen
TO belong to the Latin Rite Yet in this country, my re-
action is a bit different because the implication you put
admit that?"
81 do. l just simply won't concede that the Church
of Rome is the only Catholic Church. All Protestants
Catholic Church. You are just Of the many Catholic
churches and in order to distinguish you from the
others, we use the label Roman. Doesn't that satisfy
your
mo it doesn't. Because there Turks behind that
Roman label the assertion that we are merely a Latin
sect, which we are not. We really are not Just Latin.
dian, Semitic, Banfu. We are the biggest single Chris
tian faith in Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
In other words. we have true Catholicty which is
true universally. The other Christian regions have never
materially transcribed the framework of a national
community. The Greek Orthodox, apart from the Greek
themselves, have remained essentially a Slav group, the
LutheranS, a Gern1anic association extending to the
Scandinavians, the Anglicans are still b~asically a creed
of Enghsh-speaking nations and so are the MethodiSts Or
the Baptlsts. In time and space, in ancienty or extension,
we have never ceased to lead and to be universal"
And this should give you a monopoly on the term
Catholic? There are a few Lutherans in Hungary, Pen
tecostals in Italy, Anglicans in Nigeria, Baptist in Russia,
'Tknow, / know, but you could earn a lot of money
II you could give me the name of a single distinguished
Spanish Methodist, Italian Pentecostal or Russian Bap-
fist which is no reflection on their faith, but merely
on their status and historic role. Still, if anybody claims
a label in good faith, it should be accorded to him as a
matter of politeness. Imagine your reaction if people
would refuse to call your country the United States of
America reasoning that Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela
also are United States and also are situated in the
western Hemisphere. Would that not be ridiculous?"
Somewhat"
"Well, and how would you react if we suddenly
would start harping on the various names of Protestant
creeds, insisting that the Anglcans have no right to use
their appenation because millions of Catholics live in
England. If we would sheer at the Episcopalians because
we also have bishops, if we were to attack the EvangeIi-
na1C hncqJlCn yn a1Cn ov0 h GncnO1c m hnro%a -
Baptists because we also insist on Baptim? q
Such an attitude would be considered rather funny.
Reading the New York Times with its constant ref
erence to Roman, Roman, Roman Catholics, one inevi-
tably gains the impression, that it is the joint diocesan
daily Of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Patriarch
of Moscow which, we all agree, is totally contrary to fact.
Press, Dubuque, Iowa. $1.50. p;
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