WHO ARE THESE EASTERN CATHOLICS?

WHO ARE THESE EASTERN CATHOLICS?
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Catholics are generally unaware that we have millions of brothers and sisters who are not themselves part of the Roman Catholic Church. Indeed, even the term "Roman Catholic" isn't quite right as it was actually a derogatory or mockery term assigned to us by Anglican Protestants, who were trying to legitimize their own use of the term "Catholic" over and against the Church loyal to the Pope of Rome.
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The Catholic Church directly under the jurisdiction of Rome is properly and canonically termed the "Latin Church". All official Church documents simply use the term, "Catholic Church." And contrary to popular belief, most of the day-to-day work performed by the Holy Father is not in his role as pope and pastor of the Universal Church but in his position in the Latin Church as the bishop of Rome and the patriarch of the West. We in the Roman Church (Latin Rites) is governed under the Code of Canon Law.
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Those other churches not part of the Latin Church have their own hierarchies and liturgies, as well as their own distinct apostolic lineages. They may look and act like Eastern Orthodox churches, but they recognize the pope of Rome as the head of the visible Church on earth and have suffered for the cause of that unity. They are simply called the Eastern Catholics, and is governed by the Code of Canon Law on Eastern Catholic Church.
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According to the Constitution of the Church "Lumen Gentium", the Catholic Church is understood to be "a corporate body of Churches," united with the bishop of Rome, who serves as the guardian of unity. The other Catholic Churches are not merely Catholics with papal permission to use different liturgies. They were also founded by the apostles and are particular, autonomous Churches of their own rightful existence (sui iuris).
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Any individual Roman Catholic may freely attend and receive the sacraments in any of those 4 other rites (i.e Byzantine, Alexandrian, Armenian, Syriac). Sacramental rites might have different languages and forms, but definitely the same substance. This is what makes us a Catholic or Universal Church.
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Currently, the Latin Rite makes up about 95% of the whole Catholic Church. And if we are, in fact, ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, and APOSTOLIC, how can there be 24 different churches?
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Well, when Jesus founded His church (Matthew 16:18), He commissioned the apostles to go out and preach and baptize (Matthew 28:19). We all know that St. Peter established the church in Rome and its primacy was affirmed by his blood. But Jesus commissioned ALL of His apostles to go forth and preach and baptize, not just Peter.
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Many of us do not realize that the other apostles also established churches in other places and ordained bishops to rule over them. Catholics in India were mostly established on 1st century by Apostle Thomas, while the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt was established by St. Mark - the disciple of Peter. And in establishing different churches in different areas of the world, different customs and traditions were incorporated into the liturgies.
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So today, there are 24 Catholic Churches, and they are grouped into different rites. (A rite being defined as the liturgical, spiritual, theological, and disciplinary heritage of the people of that church). It follows that since languages and customs and history were different, customs from the areas manifested themselves.
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However, among the 24 Churches, Catholic dogma remained intact. Eastern Catholics (no matter what rite; Byzantine, Chaldean, Armenian, etc.), will not call themselves Roman Catholic. We know them as Ukrainian Catholics, Maronite Catholics, Greek Catholic, etc. One thing is obvious and cannot be denied: The Catholic Church is truly a Universal Church.