I do not need to desperately believe it. On the contrary, it is the protestant who must desperately reject it.
Jesus does not acknowledge WHO Peter is, rather He acknowledges WHAT Peter is and that is the small rock, with the authority of the big Rock who is God.
There is no question that the Rock is God. Peter is the rock upon which God built His church.
>>I do not need to desperately believe it.<<
I think you need to go see what is contained at this site.
Important Christian Dogma You Must Believe to be Saved
http://www.catholic-saints.net/dogma/
Here is just one paragraph of a host of demands.
There is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ, and the Catholic Church is His Mystical Body. Since there is no entering into the Catholic Church of Christ without the Sacrament of Baptism, this means that only baptized Catholics who die in the state of grace (and those who become baptized Catholics and die in the state of grace) can hope to be saved.
The RCC is scary off track from what Jesus said.