The difficulty about term "catholic" (universal) is that since 1054 and especially 1517 each Church [denomination] takes pleasure in calling the other Churches "heretics"

The term "Roman" is the "rite" celebrated in the Catholic church located in Rome (Western Church). There are different "rites" (uniates) in union with the west. [ie: Ukranian [rite] Catholic; Byzantine [rite] Catholic; Rutheniane [rite] Catholic. The rite indicates the type of liturgy the churches use to celebrate Mass.

The word Catholic designates a denomination. ie: Roman Catholic

The word catholic means "universal"

Prior to the schism of 1054 there was only one catholic Church. After the schism the church divided into what is now called the Roman Catholic Church (the Western Church) and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

After the Reformation of 1517 The word Catholic was looked upon as a denominational title as Luther's Church did, and still claims to be catholic. Most other denominations hold the same position.

The CATHOLIC ANSWER:

The term "Roman Catholic" is historically a distinction created by non-Catholic Christians -- around the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 15th Century AD -- who view themselves as catholic (small "c"). The Catholic Church, however, does not now, nor has She ever, identified Herself as "Roman Catholic" because such a distinction would be technically false. The term: "Roman Catholic" implies that the Latin/Western Rite of The Catholic Church constitutes The Catholic Church/community when in fact the Catholic Church includes several other Rites/sects as well, i.e., Eastern Rite, Byzantine Rite, Maronite and several others. The Latin/Western Rite, however, is, by far, the largest Rite/sect within The Catholic Church. All Catholic Church Rites agree on all matters of faith & morals. They differ, primarily and essentially, in their cultural practices. In addition, the term "Roman Catholic" implies, or may imply, falsely that Rome Italy or the Italian Government somehow has authority over the Catholic Church when in fact, it does not.

For an extensively documented and authoritative Catholic explanation of the term: "Roman Catholic", please see: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13121a.htm For an extensively documented & authoritative Catholic explanation of the term "catholic" please see: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03449a.htm

Historical background/semi-brief overview:

Rome is merely the physical location of the teaching authority of The Catholic Church (which includes pope/Bishop of Rome and magisterium). And, Rome Italy (now specifically Vatican City) has been the physical and/or authoritative location of the pope & magesterium for pretty much the past 2000 years. In part, Rome was selected as the "seat of authority" in The Catholic Church because both St. Peter & St. Paul were martyred in Rome and I believe it was on the same day. St. Peter's remains -- along with the remains of many other popes -- are enshrined directly below the alter in St. Peter's Bacillica in Vatican City which is located inside Rome, Italy. Vatican City, however, is it's own "nation-state" -- separate from the nation-state of Italy. St. Paul's remains are enshrined below the alter of St. Paul's Outside the Wall Basillica in Rome. Analogy: Rome is to The Catholic Church what Washington DC is to the US.

When Christianity was born, in the 1st Century AD, Rome Italy was also the "seat of authority" of the entire secular Roman Empire until the Roman Emperor Constantine moved that "seat of authority" (Roman Govt) to Constantinople (modern-day Turkey). Until approximately the mid-1400s AD, it would be known as the Byzantine Empire.

In part, Rome was chosen as the location of the visible "central authority" (location of the visible CEO -- Peter & his successor Bishops of Rome) of the Catholic Church as an act of Christian defiance directed at the secular, and Pagan, Roman Empire. We Christians were going to go "toe to toe" with Pagan Rome and fight, spiritually, in order to "win" souls for Christ, increasing His flock the world over. If that meant dying for The Faith, so be it. . .and it definitely did mean dying for Christ frequently.

The Roman Emperor Constantine moved the "seat of government" the Roman Empire to Constantinople because Rome (the western empire) was besieged by constant invasion, civil war, plague, etc. beginning in the mid to late 200s AD/CE. Constantine's decision was practical. ANALOGY: After the British burned Washington DC to the ground in 1812+/-, the US Govt considered moving the nation's capital to Philadelphia (and some other places). Ultimately we did not do that. Constantine did.

Over time, many of the Eastern Bishops of the Catholic Church -- 1st defined as the Catholic Church in the 100s AD -- decided that their authority was essentially superior to the Bishop of Rome (the pope). Many, though not all, of the Eastern Catholic Bishops broke with the Catholic Church around 1054 AD and are today The Eastern Orthodox Church (which includes, among others, the Russian Orthodox, the Greek Orthodox, etc.) Those Eastern Catholic Bishops who refused to break with The Catholic Church remain today as the Eastern Rite Catholics. The Orthodox, however, continued to hold and I believe still hold, theologically, that "the bishop of Rome is 1st among equals." Efforts to reunite the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church are ongoing and hopeful.

The Bishop of Rome (pope) is elected by, and from, the "College of Cardinals" who are bishops of the Catholic Church from every nation of the world. It is the pope (Bishop of Rome) who decides which bishops, from every nation of the world, will be admitted to the College of Cardinals and who, among priests world-wide will become Bishops of the Catholic Church. The pope receives the recommendations for Bishop from the Church in each nation, i.e., the Church in Spain will offer recommendations as to who, among its priests is "worthy" of elevation to the bishopric. ANALOGY: The President of the United States selects appellate and US Supreme Court judges/justices when there is a vacancy. Likewise, the pope selects Catholic Bishops. The President usually receives help in that decision through recommendations from various state congressional & senatorial representatives but ultimately the final choice belongs to the US President. There is then an investigation into the "worthiness" of that lawyer or judge to be elevated to the status of Appellate or SCOTUS justice. The President makes his decision and offers his selection for acceptance by the US Senate. How priests become bishops in the Catholic Church is analogous -- and really quite similar -- to our own US process of selecting lawyers to become justices of our appellate courts & the US Supreme Court. If making a comparative analogy, Cardinals = SCOTUS justices; bishops = appellate justices. Cardinals & Bishops of The Catholic Church, like US appellate & SCOTUS justices, are only elected/elevated to the College of Cardinals -- who elects the pope from it's members -- when there is a vacancy. Like US appellate & SCOTUS justices, Catholic Church bishops and cardinals serve for life.

The position of the Bishop of Rome (pope translated:"papa") in the Catholic Church is a singularly distinctive position. The Catholic Church asserts, definitively, that the position of Bishop of Rome is the only lawful successor of St. Peter (the first Bishop of Rome and 1st pope) and that that singularly distinctive and authoritative position was instituted directly by Christ himself when he declared to the Apostle Peter, in front of all the apostles: "I give you, Peter, the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, etc." Catholics believe that the Apostles and the early Christian Church understood, clearly, what Jesus meant which is why there exists an unbroken line of "popes" (Bishops of Rome) from Peter to the present. Non-Catholic Christians, however, would refute this contention/assertion. In my opinion, as a Catholic, they do not do as persuasively as the Catholic Church does. ANALOGY: In today's language, one might compare the Pope to a CEO -- Chief Executive Officer. Jesus Christ remains the Chairman of the Board -- the head of his Church on earth. But the Church must still be "administered" in the world/on the earth in order to function and survive.

Being chosen/elected Bishop of Rome (pope/papa) for at least the 1st 200 years of Christianity was often a death sentence. The Romans would seek out, and kill, many popes and bishops during those centuries. It did require great courage to accept that position -- pope/Bishop of Rome. Historical evidence from Roman records (Roman secular Govt) demonstrates that the Romans recognized the Bishop of Rome to be the "leader"/CEO of the Catholic-Christian Church. In one account -- Roman historian Sutonius I think -- the Romans commented, in frustration, that dealing with the Christian leader was a never-ending problem. As soon as we would dispose of one, another would stand up and take his place. For EXAMPLE: when Peter was martyred in Rome in 67 AD, Linus took his place. When Linus died in 76 AD, Cletus would take his place. When Cletus was martyred in 88 ad, Clement would become pope, and on and on. The papacy is as old as the Apostle Peter and the historical record does proves that. It is only the list of successors to Peter (the Bishops of Rome/popes) that were specifically recorded, in detail, for the sake of the historical record of authority in The Catholic Church. This record of papal succession is similar to the Gospel lists of ancestry demonstrating that, and how, Jesus was a direct descendent of David. The Catholic Church, for whatever reason, also chose to record the list of succession of all popes/Bishops of Rome beginning with St. Peter, to whom Jesus Himself gave the "Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven." Some non-Catholic Christian Churches, ie., the Orthodox and Anglican, maintain their own lists of succession.

The final question is: Who, if anyone, has the Divine Authority to reject, outright, the singularly distinctive -- and historically recorded/asserted -- position of the Bishop of Rome/the pope? The Catholic Church would assert that none do. Other Christian churches, i.e., the Orthodox and the Anglican Churches, would assert that they do. The ultimate answer to that question is beyond my pay-grade.