Catholic Church

American  

noun

Roman Catholic Church.

1. a visible society of baptized Christians professing the same faith under the authority of the invisible head (Christ) and the authority of the visible head (the pope and the bishops in communion with him).

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Catholic Church British  

noun

1. short for Roman Catholic Church

2. any of several Churches claiming to have maintained continuity with the ancient and undivided Church

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Catholic Church Cultural  

1. A common abbreviation for the name of the Roman Catholic Church.

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Etymology

Origin of Catholic Church

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

In 2016, the then Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, apologised for the "hurt caused" by adoption agencies acting in the name of the Catholic Church.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

"He had aura, the Pope had aura," says Harry Clark on meeting the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Leo XIV.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 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 Catholic Church in particular has a strong immigrant base. I think Pope Leo had to take a stand on that.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

During Sunday services at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Carl spotted an attractive young woman named Margaret Heinz sitting in a nearby pew.

From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser