Should a catholic priest be called father?

Question

There are two types of fathers in the bible your heavenly father
and your earthly father! since a catholic priest is not your earthly father so he must be calling him your heavenly father! then if that is so are you actually calling him god?

Answer 1

you should call no man father.
- Jesus

especially pedophiles!
- me

Answer 2

Since God was the father of everyone back in the day and according to Catholics priests are the closest thing to God, they are called fathers. That is what I learned in school. I don't know if this is right or not. I really do not believe that they should be called fathers. Or it could be that the heavenly father is God and the earthly father is the priest. Hope you get an answer to your question.

Answer 3

Pastor Billy says Yes priests can and should be addressed as father. I think the strongest evidence for this are the words of Christ himself who called Abraham, "father Abraham."

The context of priest being father is never as heavenly father for some to claim such a thing would very quickly lead me to view them as a propagandist, bigot or anti-catholic hate monger. Priests are called father like St. Paul who was a spiritual father.

Today there are many so-called "bible believer" communities claiming to follow the bible and teach it properly but with this one example you've provide we clearly see this isn't the case has they are taught to take chapter and verse out of context.

The bible verse used to say we must not call anyone on earth father does not keep the context intact for it also is written we must not call anyone doctor or teacher (rabbi) if that was truly the literal case than no more Dr. Billy Graham or Dr. Falwell or Dr. Creflo Dollar. No the correct context is we have many teachers and spiritual fathers earth but only One heavenly father also we should beware of gnostic leaders who comes as spiritual fathers but are false.

Answer 4

Where do you get that rule...there are only two types of fathers? There are many references in the Bible in which Paul refers to himself as a "father" in Corinthians:

Paul’s statement, "I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:14–15).

The literal translation of this passage as a way to make Catholics wrong is just plain silly. Catholics are asked this all the time and consistently prove that calling a priest father, is in no way against the Bible or God.

Anyone who has read the Bible, Old and New Testaments, can find multiple verses where Father is used not meaning biological father and not meaning our Father in heaven.

Please read and enrich your understanding with the links below.

Answer 5

Paging Father K. Paging Father K.

Seriously, Father K has given the Catholic response to this question many times.

Answer 6

Matthew 23:9 states the following
"And call no man your father upon the earth;for one is your father which is in heaven "
Therefore I would say no that it is wrong to call a priest father because the bible is the word of God and he has spoken. The catholics also kiss the popes ring?? What the heck is that all about? He is no holier than anyone else and deserves no special worship or treatment. If you ask me he is pretty self serving and pompus to expect special treatment.

Answer 7

Sorry but in fact there is another type of fatherhood described in the Bible - the spiritual fatherhood of preachers of the gospel. That is the fatherhood shared by priests. (1 Cor 4:15). Peter was also aware of this spiritual fatherhood (1 Peter 5:13).
.

Answer 8

There you go again, Catholic haters!
You just do not want to understand and come again and again with these absurd arguments
To those who quote Matthew 23:9 please read the previous verse (Mt. 23:8), where Jesus also says: "call no one teacher (rabbi)", yet I´m sure that´s what you have called your teachers in school, and I bet you have also referred to your biological father as "my father"
Jesus means do not call any man your "father" as "your creator",
We call the priests "father " because they are like an earthly father to us giving us spiritual advise and providing us with the bread of life, but we know they are not our creators

Answer 9

You also forget that Paul refered to himself as a father to the churches he established. The priest is a spiritual father to the parish, which is like a really big extended family.

Answer 10

I see it as a carry over of older traditions. The priest is my spiritual guide and counsoler. I think it is ok to call them father in that sense. It is a title of respect, which I believe people lack these days.

Answer 11

No. The bible says to call no one father except God. The priests and the Popes should never be called father. Those who are calling them father are wrong and are sinning.