THE TERMS " CATHOLIC " AND "ROMAN CATHOLIC." [TO THE
EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIa,—As you are discussing the proper use of these terms, perhaps the enclosed copy of a Declaration on the subject recently made by the Archbishops and Bishops of the Irish Church to the members of their flocks may be of interest to "CHURCH OF IRELAND. Declaration by the Archbishops and Bishops.
The Archbishops and Bishops call the attention of members of the Church to the increasing misuse of the term Catholic,' to describe, without any qualifying designation, that body of Christians only who acknowledge the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome. Members of the Roman Catholic Church are now commonly designated as Catholics,' while members of our Church, and others who hold all the doctrines of the Holy Catholic Church as defined in the ancient creeds, are frequently described as non- Catholics.' This is not a mere question of names and words' The Catholic character of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of the Society which He founded is one great feature which distin- guishes Christianity from all other religious systems. Christ's Church is universal, or Catholic, in the fullest sense of the term ; its mission is to all ; its membership includes persons of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues.' If we surrender our title of membership in the Catholic Church, and concede it to those only who accept the authority of a particular Bishop, we give up an important point in that faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. So im- portant was it held to be in early Christian times that belief in the Holy Catholic Church' was made an article of faith by those who compiled our creeds. To be a non-Catholic' is to be outside the Body of Christ ; and to be described as ' not a Catholic' is equivalent to being described as not a Christian.' It is probable that in many cases these terms are used thoughtlessly, without considering their significance and importance ; but we cannot con- sent thus to narrow the Church of Christ, or to accept the position of aliens from the commonwealth of the Israel of God."
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