I was recently involved in a facebook comment thread in which a Reformed Christian said he calls himself “catholic” (small “c”) and when someone else calls himself “Catholic”, meaning Roman Catholic, he corrects the Catholic and tells him he should be calling himself “Roman Catholic”, not “Catholic”. I am posting my response here because I feel this creates a real issue among Christians who try to talk to each other about religion.
Please don’t go around correcting people for using language in the common way everyone uses it. It’s arrogant and condescending. I apologize if I’m overreacting, but I grew up in a church that does that (“The preacher is NOT the pastor! We’re not sitting in a church, we’re sitting in a church BUILDING!” etc., etc., ad nauseum.) If you know what someone means, respond accordingly. If you don’t, ask for clarification. To do otherwise is just rude.
Besides the rudeness of this, it also assumes the doctrine of the invisible church, which not everyone accepts. Reformed Christians are “catholic” only under a paradigm of an invisible church. Absent that paradigm, we have the necessity of a visible church, and assuming that visible church, the only possible contender is the Catholic Church, which is not just Latin/Roman but also Maronite, Byzantine, etc. So telling someone who calls himself Catholic that he should call himself “Roman Catholic” disrespects his beliefs about his own religion and might even be technically incorrect because he might be Catholic without being Roman at all.
Please consider these points when you are tempted to tell a Catholic that he’s not really catholic, or to insist he call himself “Roman” rather than just “Catholic”. Or if you are a Catholic who has encountered someone who insists on calling you “Roman” rather than just Catholic, maybe this will help you answer your detractor.
Love Being Catholic 
I don’t mind if someone tries to correct me when I say, “I’m Catholic,” by saying that I should say, “I’m Roman Catholic.” It gives me an opportunity to explain that both are correct.
As well, if I allow others to try to correct me in this way, it allows me to make the distinction between “church of Christ” and “Church of Christ.” I apply “church of Christ” to the Stone Campbell movement, and “Church of Christ” to the Catholic Church, also known as the catholic Church, or simply just the Church.
I know exactly what you are saying. My Dad is a CofC minister and he corrects everything I say and do. If I go to daily Mass he says, “you’re supposed to go to church on the “Lord’s Day.” On Easter he says there is nothing special about that day and on and on. It is rude and condescending. I know he takes it as a rejection that I didn’t stay in the CofC but instead of trying to understand why I would convert, he just belittles me. It’s to the point that I don’t care to be around him any longer and I don’t like feeling that way about my Dad.
R.J., you’re more gracious than I.
Sharon, I think those of us who grew up in that atmosphere are maybe more sensitive to this than people who didn’t. I’m so sorry you have to deal with that from your own father.
Yes, I’m sure we are. This is the best one of my Dad’s criticism. He was lamenting something and I said, “Well, I’ll say a prayer for you Dad.” He said, “Sharon, Christians PRAY, Catholics SAY A PRAYER!”
Good one, don’t ya think???