Are Catholic Christians?

I was having lunch with a Brazilian friend when she asked me the following question: "What do you say in New Zealand if someone asks if you are a Christian?" Ironically, I knew the person who had asked her and he is a former Catholic who has a Christian ministry, probably doing his best to "save" Catholics from what he believes are wrong beliefs.

My friend did not have doubts, she just wanted to understand correctly the way to answer that particular question.

When we had worked together we were two lone Catholics surrounded by non-Catholic Christians. Our employer was a Christian who had been anti-Catholic when I first knew him. I explained this to her and told her it was the main reason that I had taken to studying the Bible, in order to be able to ground Catholic teachings and beliefs in Sacred Scripture.

Through this man I had come to know several people of different denominations and, over the years, had many conversations regarding my beliefs. One, a Seventh Day Adventist, went from believing that Catholics are not Christians and definitely not "saved", to expressing his opinion that I am a Christian and quite possibly "saved" despite my being a Catholic. He thought that my explanation of my Catholic beliefs were not in accord with the Church because they were entirely reasonable and completely different from what he had been told regarding Catholic teachings.

As I told my friend, whenever I am asked if I am a Christian, or if I am "saved", or if I have accepted Jesus Christ as my "personal Lord and Saviour", I simply answer "Yes". Then it is up to the Holy Spirit to determine what is to follow.

I once had a lovely lady almost in tears as she said to me, "Can't you at least be a Baptist?" I didn't take offence because I knew she cared about me and my eternal salvation and didn't think I had a hope as a Catholic. She was elderly and I didn't argue with her, just prayed for her. She died last year, in a chair with her open Bible on the table next to her, so I am sure we will meet again.

Christian is my name, Catholic my surname
"There is no need of adding any qualifying terms to the profession of Catholicism: it is quite enough for each one to proclaim "Christian is my name and Catholic my surname," only let him endeavour to be in reality what he calls himself." - Pope Benedict XV: Encyclical Letter Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum 24, 1 November, 1914. 

I am a Catholic because I am a Christian. If I ever stopped believing that the Catholic Church is the One True Church founded by Jesus and given His Authority, I would no longer believe in Christianity. That is what I told one well-meaning non-Catholic friend who was horrified but backed off. It all comes down to Authority.