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These Eastern Rite churches are Catholic and do not belong to the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] that split from the Catholic Church during the Great Schism of 1054.

These Eastern Rite churches are Catholic and do not belong to the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] that split from the Catholic Church during the Great Schism of 1054.

"Catholic" can be opposed to "Protestant." Protestants regard themselves as Christians, but Catholics do not regard Protestants as authentically within the church established by Peter, and do not regard Protestant ministers as being validly ordained. Protestants would of course challenge this, but nevertheless agree that there is a wide separation between Protestant denominations and the churches that refer to themselves as "Catholic."

The Roman Catholic Church historically regarded Protestant Christianity as heretical, that is, being against Church doctrine. However, this changed in the 1960's when Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council, where the doors of the Church were opened wide, and Protestants referred to as "our separated brethren". This was an exciting period for Catholics and Protestants alike as moves were made to bring the separated churches back together.

The Anglican Church (Episcopalian in the United States) occupies an odd situation, because it encompasses within it factions ("Low Church") that emphasize its Protestant aspects and factions ("High Church") that emphasize its Catholic aspects. Anglo-Catholics regard the Anglican church as part of the Catholic Church, and in the unbroken line of the Apostolic Succession. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern branches take a position that could be described as saying that the Anglican Church is almost but not quite Catholic. There have long been unification overtures, and Anglican priests who wish to adopt Catholic Holy Orders are often provided with an abbreviated path to that goal.

The Anglican Church (Episcopalian in the United States) occupies an odd situation, because it encompasses within it factions ("Low Church") that emphasize its Protestant aspects and factions ("High Church") that emphasize its Catholic aspects. Anglo-Catholics regard the Anglican church as part of the Catholic Church, and in the unbroken line of the Apostolic Succession. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern branches take a position that could be described as saying that the Anglican Church is almost but not quite Catholic. There have long been unification overtures, and Anglican priests who wish to adopt Catholic Holy Orders are often provided with an abbreviated path to that goal.