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In the midst of thousands of Christian denominations started by various charismatic leaders, the question is inevitably asked, "Who started the Catholic Church?"
The Catholic Church traces itself directly to Jesus Christ.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains how this came about.
The specific passage from the Bible that signals this formal structure is in the Gospel of Matthew.
The successor of St. Peter is the pope and there exists an unbroken line that continues today under the leadership of Pope Francis.
In summary, the founder of the Catholic Church is Jesus and the leader he appointed was Peter.
