Why do Catholics call the priest "father"? just wondering..?

Answer 1

The bible is clear not to call man on Earth Father.

Matthews 23:9
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Because the foundation is Anti-Christ. They have Peter as the "Rock" when its clear that Jesus is the Only Rock.

Peters name, mean pebble, little stone, not rock.

Matthews 16:
16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19And 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.

20Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

21From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.



AS YOU CAN SEE JESUS CALLS PETER SATAN! How can he be the ROCK?

Should we be building a foundation of Scriptures on Peter or Christ?

1 Corinthians 3:10
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

WATCH OUT FOR 1 CORINTHIANS 4:15 interpretations, they are trying to say the Priest is taken God's Place, some have even said it!

Answer 2

The title “father” does not confer upon priests the same status proper to Our Heavenly Father alone, nor does it diminish God’s absolute and universal fatherhood. However, it is incorrect to interpret Matthew 23:9 in an exclusively literal sense. In 1 Corinthians 4:15, St. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, says, “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.” St. Paul calls himself “father” because he recognizes his cooperation with God in begetting the spiritual life of the community entrusted to his care. There are several other passages, such as 1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 John 2:12; Acts 7:2, and Acts 22:1, which show that the title “father” was applied to others besides God in the New Testament.

Answer 3

Honestly, it's simple tradition.

The idea is that a priest is some sort of leader of his people, shepherd of the flock, yada yada yada... since traditionally the patriarch of the family was the one people looked to for stuff, we call the priests "father." It goes back to the earliest centuries of Christianity and was dropped by the Protestant denominations after the Reformation.

We only mean it as a title of respect. And I've actually had some priests ask me not to use the title unless it was at a mass or something. His logic was "I don't call you Mrs. Smith, so why should you call me Fr. Joseph?"

Answer 4

Good question. I am from a catholic background before I became a protestant and I never really thought why they would call him a father. Come to think of your question, I am not comfortable calling a priest a father. A father to me is my biological father and my God. I don't think it should be used as a title for someone else. I think its abomination for us to use it for someone else. Our God is a jealous God. He commanded us to Love Him alone and Love him above all. No one else should get the Title of our spiritual father than Our God. sorry no answer in here.

Answer 5

Don't know, but Father is the intimate name we christians call God. God is Our Father in Heaven, as the prayer starts out "Our Father who art in Heaven". I do not believe it has a place for the priest's title.

Answer 6

Catholics call their priests ``Father'' because in all matters pertaining to Christ's holy faith they perform the duties of a father, representing God. The priest is the agent of the Christian's supernatural birth and sustenance in the world. ``Father'' is a title which does not conflict in the slightest with Matthew 23:9. Christ forbids the Christian to acknowledge any fatherhood which conflicts with the Fatherhood of God--just as He commands the Christian to ``hate'' his father, mother, wife, and his own life, insofar as these conflict with the following of Christ. (Luke 14:26). But Christ does not forbid Christians to call His own representatives by the name of ``Father.'' Catholic priests share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ (not a human priesthood), and their sacred ministry partakes of the Fatherhood of God. Like St. Paul (himself a Catholic priest), every Catholic priest can refer to the souls he has spiritually begotten as his children in Christ. (1 Cor. 4:14). St. Paul considered himself to be the spiritual father, in Christ, of the Corinthians: ``For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.'' (I Cor. 4:15). The title of ``Father'' is entirely proper for an ordained priest of Jesus Christ. Why do Catholics practice fasting and abstinence from meat on certain days? Does not St. Paul call abstaining from meats a ``doctrine of devils''? (1 Tim. 4:1-3).

Answer 7

hi,
While a priest by a name other than father might be just as sweet to Catholics, as it is in countries where the priest is called Monsieur, it would not properly designate him. The priest is truely a father. Through him we are reborn in water and the Holy Spirit, changed horn a state of nature to a state of grace, thus becoming adopted sons of God, brothers of Jesus Christ. The priest feeds us with the "super-substantial bread" we pray for in the Our Father, which nourishes our spiritual being. When we fall from grace by sin, he, as ambassador of God, restores us repentant sinners to the friendship of God. He blesses our marriages; and when we are sick unto death, he anoints us, prepares us for either restoration to health or fitness to meet our God. Besides all that, during our life, and after our death, he offers up the Sacrifice of the Altar, and prays for our heavenly wellbeing. In a word, the priest is truly our spiritual father, an alter Christus, who functions by the will and in the name of Christ. For these reasons we delight to lovingly call him, father, and in so doing we add to instead of take away from our Father who is in heaven that primary honor that is due Him.
I hope this helped! :)

Answer 8

Because they are our spiritual fathers.

Concerning Saint Paul:

(a) He calls the Corinthians his spiritual children: "For although you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet you have not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, through the gospel, did I beget you." (1 Cor. 4:15)
(b) He calls Timothy his "beloved SON in the faith." (1 Tim. 1:2)
(c) He speaks of the Corinthians as his CHILDREN: ". . . but I admonish you as my dearest children...for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel" (1 Cor. 4:14-15)
(d) He tells the Philippians that the proof of Timothy's loyalty is to be found in the fact that he had served Paul in the Gospel as "a Son with the FATHER." (Phil. 2:22)
(e) See also: 1 Thes. 2:11.

In Matthew 23:1-12, when Jesus says to call no man "father" or "teacher" He is using figurative language to emphasize that all legitimate authority and truth ultimately come from God.

God bless,
Stanbo

Answer 9

I always wondered too, since the Bible is very specific in saying that you aren't supposed to call ANY earthly man 'father'. But, of course, they don't think the Pope sins, that he is infallible, so go figure their reasons for anything.

Answer 10

He is our spiritual father (guide, protector). Abraham the founder of the Abrhamic faith is called the father of us all. Like a father's (with God) job is to give you physical life a priests job (with God) is to give you spiritual life through the sacraments.

Sunny mornings above me Jesus call Abraham father of us all in your interpretation you are saying Jesus is wrong!

Jesus calls Peter satan????????? LMAO how did you get that one??

PS Kephas (Peter) does mean rock in Aramaic and Greek, Peter in Latin, French, english, Turkish all the versions in all the languages means rock, none mean pebble.

It is actually thought that he meant Peter's faith is the rock upon which the Church will be built.

Answer 11

im sure you have it all figured out phatcat and the answer to the question is that i personally call my priest father because he is the person that you can talk to like a father about your problems and he helps with questions about faith and whatnot