[OLD REGGIE]

Sure, I think your point is a quite valid one. The name could well have preceded the confession. But that opens up another can of worms for your position, I think. Namely, if the name "Peter" was given to Simon *before* his confession, then how could it be that the name refers *only* to Peter's confession, which hadn't even happened when the name was given?

I dunno. I guess you'll have to ask the "Authorities" what they meant when they wrote the Catechism. :-)

Maybe it meant "Rocky" as Augustine said????

In any event it certainly is not a fact that Peter was the rock.

Well, there we have a problem. I've been doing little else but citing that Scriptural evidence. :)

If I cited Scriptural evidence that Jesus called Peter "Satan" in a much more direct manner than your "rock" evidence would you be ready to address Peter as Satan?

[Claud]

I am of course well aware of "Vade retro, Satanam!"---Get Thee behind me Satan! Simon was called Peter the rest of his life. He was called Satan once...and I think all of us once in a while--including Popes--deserve that admonition. :)