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>Where did Jesus give this authority directly to the Catholic Church?

Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.<

Actually, it says the exact the opposite of what you have been led to believe. “Peter” (petros) means little stone, or piece of a rock. The Greek word for “rock” (petra) here means a massive, immovable rock. Jesus was saying that the Church would not be built on a little stone like Peter, but on “this (massive, immovable) rock” who is Christ. Of course, Christ and Peter probably spoke to each other in Aramaic, the common language of the time. Christ may have used specific Aramaic wording to differentiate His meanings, or perhaps He pointed to Peter and then to Himself as He spoke. Matthew in turn makes the case for the contrast between the two rocks by his selection of the Greek. There is no doubt, Christ said that He would build the Church upon Himself, not upon Peter.

You are wrong, I have studied enough Greek at the Graduate level to know you are incorrect.

If Christ had meant to call Peter a small stone there was a perfectly good word to use "Lithos" which is the root word of Lithograph, Lithography, etc....

I am pretty certain that there is nothing I can say that will alter your misperception, so feel free to have the last word.

I thought you gave me the “last word” last time. Maybe this time...

He didn’t call Peter “Lithos” because Petros was his name. Petros means a piece of a rock. Petra means massive, immovable rock.

Besides being called Petra in Mt.16.18, Christ is also referred to as Petra in Ro.9.33, 1Co.10.4 and 1Pe.2.8.

Petra is also used for the foundation in the parables of Mt.7.24-25 and Lk.6.48.

Nowhere is Christ referred to as petros. And nowhere is Peter referred to as petra. Sorry, your whole Church is based on a misinterpretation of Scripture.

Jesus was saying that the Church would not be built on a little stone like Peter

In the context of the full statement, it does not make sense that Jesus would say that the Church would not be built on a little stone like Peter. Jesus said to Peter: “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Why would Jesus give ‘a little stone’ this level of authority?