It was first used to distinguish the early Christian Church from Heretical Groups , seen as associated with particular regions or groups only.
Due to the dominant history and current influence of the Catholic Church, "Catholicism" is often used to mean the belief system of that Church.
In informal usage the term may be further restricted to mean the members, traditions, or theology of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church .
In other usage it may refer to all Christian bodies which assert that they are ''Catholic in nature,'' which declare they uphold the Catholic faith, and claim .
