Why do Catholics call the preist "Father"?

Question

Why do they confess to the preist when we can go straight to God and confess?

Answer 1

Very good question...
I'm thinking if the Priest can't even explain the Bible (they just say it's a divine mystery...What were they doing in school all of that time?) Then why would I trust him to convey my prayers. Jesus outlined how we are to Pray & it had nothing to do with a Priest.

Thank you for seeing it for what it is. Man trying to play God.

Answer 2

Hi Great Question, It is one of the most popular ones in questioning of the catholic church. I feel you have a mind set. But I will in turn try to give you some in site to this.

People (Protestant) love to use the verse Call no man your father?" (Mat 23:9-10)
But they do not have a grasp of the full complexity as to were they get this. The catholic church calls not just on the new testament as a following but the old. Yet in the same sentence Jesus says "Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah." Using this passage to claim that hey cannot call a priest "father" would in turn mean that others could not call professors at Bible college,other ministers, "instructors." If we were to take this passage literally, it would mean that I could not call my earthly dad "father" either.

If we take a look into the bible as a whole we can see that the use of the word father is used in other scriptures give plenty of examples to the use of the word 'Father"

Stay with me; be father and priest to me.Judges 17:10
"Come with us and be our father and priest." Judges 18:19 Indeed, the Bible finds priesthood and fatherhood inseparably united.
In Christ Jesus I became your father through the Gospel" 1st Cor. 4:15.

In forgiveness of sins;

What I have forgiven... in the presence of Christ..." Paul has forgiven people's sins in the name of Christ. 2 Cor 2:10-11
The priest is not the one who forgives. The forgiveness comes from Jesus. Before every confession the priest calls upon Jesus to come. He is simply performing a service for Jesus.

He says to confess to one another. But this posed a problem as well. The sister would tell another sister what she did to abolish her sins. But, they would turn around and gossip as well as did not have the blessing to do so. Peter was given the keys of heaven. The apposltes wanted to put a stop to the unholy manner. What you do as a sin is between you and God. The catholic church try's to carry on the traditions of the Apostles and of Jesus in the church today.

Just in case this comes up...Jesus was not against the priesthood, he honored and respected it.What he was referring to and Catholics an scholars believe he was against hypocritical priests (Pagans). Jesus was condemning the hypocrosy of unholy men who were in ruling during that time.

Answer 3

Jesus gave the Apostles the authority to forgive sins in John 20:23. When I confess to a priest Iam confessing to the One Priest Jesus. and when the priest absolves it is Jesus who absolves.
Sacramental confession is straight to God,thank you very much
5th Chapter,verses13-16of James tells us to confess to one another and get the presbyters'(priest is short for presbyter) absolving.Isn't that sayoing go to the priest for confession and absolution?

Acts7:2 Stephen calls Jewish elders "fathers"
St Paul calls the above "fathers' (Acts21&22) and Abraham "father" in Rms4:16-17 and himself spiritual father in Philemon10
John calls presbyters(priests) or Christian elders"fathers' in 1 John2:13-14

Do you call your male parent" father"?
Why don't you call a male spiritual guide father when the Apostles did?

Answer 4

Calling a priest Father is a sign of respect. They are the teachers and leaders of the church and provide leadership and direction for the members - a father figure of sorts.

Confession - here's a couple of biblical references for confession - Christ’s words to his apostles (John 20:2l–22), "Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven,"; In the epistle of James we are told "confess your faults to one another" (Jas. 5:16)

If you are actually interested in getting a good explanation, read the sites I've listed below - there are theologans that are paid to know and explain this stuff better than I can.

Answer 5

Catholics aren't the only denomination that call their priests Father. We call our female priests Mother. It's because he or she is the "head" of our church family. We don't go to confession.

Answer 6

Mat 23:9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

Mat 15:3 Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

We pray to Jehovah God through Jesus Christ and according to the scriptures this is the only channel we are to use to pray to Almighty God Jehovah. Religions have so many traditions and go beyond the things that are written in the Bible. Paul said do not go beyond the things that are written. When someone does that's where they go wrong.

Answer 7

Because they are likened to our fathers and we their children It is out of love admiration endearment. As for confessing our sins, It is because in John 20, verse 23 Jesus said to his disciples "For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven: for those whose sins you retain, they are retained" Jesus expressed his desire for the disciples and their successors the bishops and priest to continue his work That is to reach, to pray and to forgive our sins

Answer 8

I would think it;s father with a small f. which can be a title only like pastor or bishop

Answer 9

It's stupid....some should be called "Mother" instead. A lot of them are damn homos and pedophiles. Just look at all the lawsuits and settlements that's in the news. Confession is a ridiculous, man-made practice, that is mostly therapeutic.

Answer 10

+ Call no man father +

Matthew 23:6-9 reads, "They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven."

Are we also not to call anyone "teacher" or "doctor" which is how "rabbi' would translate? I think not.

This is call for humility for those in leadership roles. Not to be taken literally.

We are not to deny our male parent and cut the Commandment to honor our father and mother in half.

Some leaders in any church may fall into the same folly of a lack of humility as the pharisees of Jesus' day.

The Apostle Paul writes:

I am writing you this not to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (1 Corinthians 4:14-15)

And:

As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you conduct yourselves as worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

And:

I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment, who was once useless to you but is now useful to (both) you and me. (Philemon 10-11)

And finally, Peter calls himself the "father" of Mark:

The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son. (1 Peter 5:13)

+ Reconciliation (Confession) +

The Catholic Church believes that "Only God forgives sin."

When a penitent person asks God for forgiveness, his (or her) sins are immediately forgiven.

Catholics also believe that when someone sins they not only hurt their relationship with God, they also injure the entire church, the body of Christ.

Jesus said, "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19)

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,"Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (Luke 20:22-23)

Oral confessing of sins is recommended over and over in both the Old and New Testaments:
+ James 5:16
+ Acts 19:18
+ Matthew 3:5-6
+ Mark 1:5
+ 1 Timothy 6:12
+ 1 John 1:9
+ Numbers 5:6-7
+ Nehemiah 9:2
+ Sirach 4:26

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation with a priest ordained in the name of Jesus Christ not only reconciles the sinner to God but with the entire church, including you and me.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1422 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2.htm

+ With love in Christ.