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Catholic as a name for a Church began to be used.
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When did the term "Catholic", as used for The Catholic Church, come about?
"Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall Buy Catholic T-Shirtsappear, there let the multitude[of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."

When did the term "Catholic" come about?
The oldest writing of the term is from St. Ignatius of Antioch.
I have heard as early as 107 AD or as late as 110 AD. Either way it happened before St. Ignatius died in 117 AD.
St. John died in 96 AD. The word Catholic was probably being used orally before it was written down. One can assume this due to the context of the letter. Ignatius doesn't explain what he means by "catholic", he just uses the term as though everyone knew what he is talking about.
It is conceivable that the term was being used by Christians while St. John was still alive.
The term was written down by St. Ignatius of Antioch. Antioch is where the term "Christian" was first used.
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St. Ignatius of Antioch
Also called Theophorus (ho Theophoros); born in Syria, around the year 50; died at Rome between 98 and 117.
from THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE SMYRAEANS
CHAPTER VIII.--LET NOTHING BE DONE WITHOUT THE BISHOP.
"See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is[administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude[of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid." (110 AD)
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Britannica - Online
Catholic
(from Greek katholikos, "universal"), the characteristic that, according to ecclesiastical writers since the 2nd century, distinguished the Christian Church at large from local communities or from heretical and schismatic sects.
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EnCarta Online
Catholic Church, The term catholic (Greek katholikos, universal, from katholou, in general) was first used in the letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans (about ad110). The term was later used by Clement of Alexandria in his Stromata (Miscellanies). The technical use of the word seems to have been established by the beginning of the 3rd century. The formal principle of the Catholic church was expressed by the French theologian Vincent of Lérins as follows: That which has been believed everywhere, always, and by all. This is what is truly and properly catholic.


What's in a name??
First the followers of Jesus were called Jews... then by the Jews - heretics... then they were followers of "the Way" -Acts 9:2  "and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to "the Way", men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem."
 Jewish
Jewish  
Followers of The Way
Followers of
"The Way"
Christian
Christian
Catholic Church
Catholic
Then in Antioch the term Christian
(Acts 11:26), at least a year
(maybe as late as 40 years later)
after the "Birthday of the Church"
on Pentecost. Then within two
generations of the "Birthday of
the Church" they were referred
 to as Catholic.

This was done for 2 reasons.
One: was to distinguish the true teachings from heretical teachings that were beginning to pop up.
Two: the call from God to mankind started with the Jews and was supposed to go from them (the Jews) to all mankind. When the call went from the Jews (the "Firstborn" sons of God) to the whole world, through Jesus, it became a "universal" call - or what we know as a "catholic=universal" call.

So, my point is that "Catholic" is known as the true church not because it was called "Catholic" by Christ. He didn't give a name to His group. They are called Catholic because they teach what He taught! They are called Catholic because the Catholic Church can trace in an unbroken line from our present day Pope all the way back to St. Peter! No other church can make and back up either of these claims!

Also, a common sense argument.
There is a road in the Bronx that goes all the way up to Boston. Where I lived it was known as the "Boston Post Road". So named because Ben Franklin himself laid out the route for the "postal" riders on horseback, from NY to Boston.
As one travels from NY to Boston the name of the road changes from Boston Post Road to Post Road to Main Street and back again to Post Road, but on a map it can be seen that it is all one and the same road irregardless of what it is called locally.

The "name" isn't the important point!!!
What is important, is whether we see the teachings of the present Catholic Church in the New Testament.
 Which we have ample evidence of!
Of further importance, is whether or not the Catholic Church  has an unbroken line of Bishops and Popes all the way back through the centuries to the Apostles.
 Which it does!


The "Church" started by Jesus exists regardless of the "names" it has been called throughout the centuries.

Buy Catholic


The Protestant way is a "free-for-all" with each individual or group doing what is "right in their own eyes" (Judges 19:1). This is a quote from Judges when the Israelites went in every direction of faith and morals which brought great calamities upon Israel.

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explain the Catholic faith