the authority was given to the Catholic church by Christ. If it is not universally accepted then Christ is not universally accepted....and He, unfortunately, is not.
Jesus said all authority was given to HIM.
You do know that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow?
Not to the pope, but to Jesus.
The popes who are taking that kind of adoration are robbing God. They obviously never took any lessons from Herod in Acts 12.