Did Peter found the Church in Rome?

[Catholic_Cobb]

A Free-Church Evangelical friend of mine made a statement that there has never been any basis for claiming that Peter founded the local Catholic church in Rome. I know that Peter was the Bishop of Rome but does the Catholic Church teach that he is also to be credited with founding the Roman church community of which he was the bishop?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

While it is possible that Peter founded the local church in Rome, and while some early Church Fathers do credit its founding to him and to the apostle Paul (see the tract “Peter’s Roman Residency,” linked below, for quotations), the Catholic Church’s claims for Peter’s primacy as Bishop of Rome do not depend on whether or not Peter was the actual founder of the local Catholic church in Rome. All that the Church’s claims for Peter’s primacy is based on is Jesus’ own selection of Peter to be the earthly head of his universal Church (cf. Matt. 16:18-19). Because history records that Peter went to Rome, was the Bishop of Rome, and died there, the Bishop of Rome is the acknowledged successor to Peter as head of the universal Church.

Recommended reading:

Peter’s Roman Residency
Peter’s Primacy
Peter and the Papacy