We believe that Jesus laid a special charge on Peter. which is best expressed in the last Chapter of John. Feed my lambs. We believe that Peter later had a ministry in Rome and was martyred there, on Vatican Hill. We believe that he was first among the Apostles. This is called the Petrine primacy. The Church oif Rome was wrapped in the mantle of Peter from the earliest days, as the citadel of orthodoxy. His successors, the bishops of Rome, became know as
"popes", which is simply from the Greek meaning "Father" or Patriarch. Now this term "ruler" has to be qualified greatly. In our politically terms, he is much more like the Chief Justice rather than the President. In Church terms, he is king, priest and prophet. But despite his eminence, he is no more the "ruler" of our local Church than C.J. Rehnquist rules your local school board. In the end his power rests totally on persuasion.
Thanks for the info. Even though I'm an atheist I was always perplexed by those who denounced the pope as being worshipped or whatever. I always understood him as Jesus REPRESENTATIVE, not as a stand-in.
I have another non-Catholic question. Is there a specific reference regarding the teachings and beliefs of the Catholic Church written for those of us who are not familar with church doctrine?
IOW, a "Catholic Doctrine for Dummies" LOL!