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[Iroscato]

Honest question: what is the etymology of "Catholic"? Does it have anything to do with worshiping Cathol?

Acts 9:31 (Greek)

ἡ μεν ουν εκκλησια καθ᾽ ὁλης της ιουδαιας και γαλιλαιας και σαμαρειας ειχεν ειρηνην οικοδομουμενη και πορευομενη τω φοβω του κυριου, και τη παρακλησει του ἁγιου πνευματος επληθυνοντο.
 
Act 9:31 (Transliteration)
aye men oon ekklaysiaye kath olays tays ioodayeas kaye galilayeas kaye samarayas aycon ayraynayn oikodomoomenaye kaye poryoomenaye tow fobow too kurioo kaye tay paraklaysay too agioo pnyoomatos eplaythunonto (http://www.russ.org/gtb/luke.html#a9)

Acts 9:31 (English)
So the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.


From this text, we can see the Greek word “kath olays” which is rendered “Catholic” in modern English and the word “ekklaysiaye” which becomes “ecclesia” in English and is commonly translated as “church”.
 
εκκλησια καθ᾽ ὁλης = ekklaysiaye kath olays = “the church throughout all” = Catholic Church.

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A (Practicing Catholic) friend of my family said she and her husband decided to start using contraception after the birth of their third child. When I  asked, "Isn't the Vatican against that?",  she said, "Yes but they don't have to live with the consequences, I do". I've found this with most religious people I know, they are much more sensible than their 'rules' would suggest. I just wanted to know is this common?

Sadly, this is true.

And, for the record, my wife and I were misinformed about ABC when we were first married, but we switched to NFP once we learned that contraception is intrinsically evil. Since many forms of birth control are actually abortifacients, this is a really grave situation. 

God may have mercy due to their ignorance...but many are not so ignorant. They just do what they want regardless of the consequences.

It's really a marvel of life that you can function every day without your brain bluescreening from all the crazy.