Why do Catholics put the Pope on a Pedestal?

What does Catholic Doctrine teach us about the Pope? or What does the pope teach us about the pope?

Why do they (we) make him so important and create such a fan club around him? -which he himself may not even want.



Maybe it is our need. Our need to look up to some one, to follow someone, to love a celebrity. Is he our Catholic Celebrity?

Titles such as "Christ's Vicar on Earth" are very hard to beat and only someone as big-headed as John Lennon (another American Idol, by the way) would dare to consider himself that important.

Isn't there a danger of getting off track and forgetting that Jesus Christ is the center of our Faith.

Ah, but to be honest, isn't the Pope more tangible than Jesus Christ! Many devote Catholics believe that the Pope is Jesus Christ on this earth. And that is very consoling and exciting. So for them the pope is like a sacrament, visible and outward sign, of Jesus. This is too big a leap for the "man on the street." 

What is the real Catholic Doctrine in this regard?

As Catholics our faith is centered in God and Jesus of Nazareth whom we call and believe to be Our Redeemer. Vatican II teaches us that the Church is the "sacrament", or visible and efficacious presence, of Jesus Christ in the world.

So as Christians our lives are centered in God, Jesus Christ our Savior, and the Church he founded [it is the hardest thing in the world to believe in this imperfect and sinful institution!]. The Pope has to be placed in this context, in this "pecking order". The Pope is only important in so far as the Church is important. For now we can say that he is "The Boss" of the Church. Americans might think of him as the "Executive Director".



What do you think?
========

Another related question which would need another post would be: Why do Catholics think the Pope knows everything and controls everything that happens in the Catholic Church? More about this later.