Why does Rome call itself a "Church" but other churches "ecclesial communities"?
The short answer
Church documents use "church" for the Catholic Church and for bodies that have kept valid apostolic succession, such as the Eastern Orthodox, and "ecclesial communities" for those that have not. It is a distinction, not an insult.
Magisterial documents use the term church for the Catholic Church and for Christian bodies that have kept valid lines of apostolic succession, such as Eastern Orthodoxy. Christian denominations that have not kept valid apostolic succession are called ecclesial communities.
The purpose is to distinguish groups that have kept historic ties to the apostles through apostolic succession from those that have not. It is not meant to be derogatory toward non-apostolic denominations.
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