When Did Catholic Church Start ?

[EdWasHere]

Plain and simple (if possible)
When did the Catholic Church actually start?
When I tell non-Catholics that the Holy Mother Church goes back to the actual time of Jesus they say no…they mention the Church of Antioch. Is not Antioch now the Catholic Church ?
Thanks…

 

[Peggy_Frye]

“The one mediator, Christ, established and ever sustains here on earth his holy Church, the community of faith, hope, and charity, as a visible organization through which he communicates truth and grace to all men.” Catechism 771

In a nutshell:

The Catholic Church is the Church Jesus Christ established on earth. Jesus has given his authority to Peter and his successors, and carries out his promise to speak to us through the pope. The Church is the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Tim 3:15). Whoever hears it, hears Jesus himself (Luke 10:16), and it is the court of final appeals (Matt 18:17). Thus, only in the Catholic Church can you find the whole truth about Jesus, and all the means of grace he intends us to have.

Further reading:
article: Christ Established a Visible Church on Earth
ewtn.com/faith/teachings/churb1.htm

Many excellent articles on this subject:
catholic-pages.com/dir/church.asp

Early Church Fathers:
catholic.com/library/church_papacy.asp

What Catholic Means: catholic.com/library/What_Catholic_Means.asp

St. Ignatius of Antioch:
"Let no one do anything of concern to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop or by one whom he ordains . Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church" (Letter to the Smyrneans 8:2 [A.D. 110]).