That's such a weird statement. We have a Bible study every Tuesday. When I was going through OCIA ,we were encouraged to bring our Bibles.

St. Peter was the first Pope of the Catholic Church. He is the rock on which Christ founded his Church, meaning it came into existence when Christ was incarnate on this Earth. Claiming that the Catholic Church began in 590 is not true.

That's good to hear. I was in a really good bible study with a priest who I got to be good friends with back in the day. He was an exception back then, though. If you are in a bible study, it sounds encouraging that there are more modern priests who realize the importance of studying the bible.

In all fairness , that's all I know , bud. So I've never experienced what you mentioned. Hence, why I called it a " weird statement ". Came off more disparaging than I intended.

I didn't take your comment as disparaging. I'm probably a lot older than you and that's how it was in my day.
I don't keep up much on things with the Catholic church these days. But, your comments are encouraging.

Merry Christmas, T7.

I literally said that in my post you quoted: "There was a catholic, as in universal, church and it wasn't Protestant."



Here's Pope Leo I over a century before your circa 590 AD Pope Gregory:



https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3604014.htm

Our family departed from the Catholic religion when I was in fifth grade. I was enrolled in a Catholic school, and my fifth grade teacher, Sister Bernard, told me my mother, who was Presbyterian, was going to hades because she was not catholic. Me and my sisters were taken out of that school and went to public school. I turned out to be an atheist for years because of that, and one of my sisters still is. In my opinion Catholicism is a cult to raise money for the Vatican. Nothing more.

The word catholic means universal and it didn't mean protestant or the catholic church as we know it today. It referred to the teachings of the apostles who meant the Christian church as a whole.
If Peter was the first pope, who was his successor? In Romans, Paul writes to the Christians in Rome, but never mentions Peter. Yet, he greets 27 individuals by name. Peter spent most of his time preaching in Jerusalem and Antioch. If he were the first pope he would have gone to Rome. Eventually he did go there and was martyred there.

Your John 14:6 tells it all. Jesus is the only way by believing in Him, not any church. Just being a Catholic or a member any church won't save you.

Merry Christmas to you as well.
I think it's sad when so many advertisements say Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings refusing to acknowledge the true meaning of this time of the year, Christmas.
When I was in business, every person who came through our door was greeted with Merry Christmas!

Pope Linus

According to early Christian historian Irenaeus, Linus was appointed BISHOP of Rome after Peter's death.

The pope is the bishop of Rome.

As a Catholic I believe love everyone the very best you can a let Jesus judge who goes to Heaven or H ll . God Bless America and Merry Christmas

There are bishops in Rome now as well as cardinals, but only one pope. History shows that Gregory was the first pope.

That's false, my friend. The Pope is The Bishop of Rome,which is considered the lead Bishop. In his letters to other Bishops ,he addresses them as" Br. Bishop".

I'm not sure where you got Gregory as three lead Bishops were mentioned in the Bible ; Peter,Linus, and Clement. He was the 64th Bishop of Rome.

What I was referring to was that the name "pope" never came to be until Gregory the first. He was the first to be called "pope". He was also referred to as Gregory the Great. He was pope from 590 to 604.
What bible verses listed Linus and Clement?

I think people forget that even the apostles were flawed people. Peter had some serious problems with falling into errors. It kinda makes me like him more, but he would not have wanted to be put on some pedestal, IMO.

Linus can be found in 2nd Timothy chapter four , Clement can be found in Philippians chapter four. They were still up and coming at the time of that writing. I believe , you can find additional references in The Complete Works of the Church Fathers.

You're arguing semantics, my friend. Again, a "Pope" is just the head bishop.