Roman Catholic Church

American  

noun

1. the Christian church of which the pope, or bishop of Rome, is the supreme head.

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Roman Catholic Church British  

noun

1. Also called: Catholic Church.   Church of Rome.  the Christian Church over which the pope presides, with administrative headquarters in the Vatican

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Roman Catholic Church Cultural  

1. The branch of Christianity headed by the pope. The Roman Catholic Church is governed by a hierarchy with the pope at the top and, at the lower levels, bishops and priests. The sacraments of Communion and confession are especially important in the Roman Catholic Church; Catholics also differ from most Protestants in emphasizing veneration of the saints, especially Mary, the mother of Jesus, and seeking the intercession of the saints (praying to them so that they will in turn pray to God). The Roman Catholic Church leadership strongly opposes abortion (see also abortion) and artificial means of birth control.

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Roman Catholicism is the dominant faith in Europe around the Mediterranean Sea, in much of eastern Europe, in Ireland, and in Latin America.

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How does roman-catholic-church compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Eastern Orthodox Church vs. Roman Catholic Church

Example Sentences

Joyce’s works had never been placed on the Vatican’s Index of Forbidden Books, but for decades after independence in 1922 they and countless others met opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

But even if you don’t believe any of that, Leo is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest organization on Earth spreading that message of absolution through belief.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

The Church of England became the country's state establishment church following King Henry VIII's split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

The late Pope Francis, who died last year after leading the Roman Catholic Church for more than a decade, chose his name and modelled his papacy after the radical humility of Saint Francis.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

A priest I once heard in a white middle-class parish defended the reformed liturgy by saying that it had become necessary to ‘de-Europeanize’ the Roman Catholic Church.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez