OK Catholics, Who is the Holy Father? The pope or God?

Question

True, priests are called "Father", but the pope is called "Holy Father". Why? Only God can be the Holy Father? I am curious if the Catholics see the pope as God?

Answer 1

I'm not catholic but I'll give you a Scripture that'll answer your question.

God alone is the Holy Father. The pope is just a sinful man!

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

Answer 2

Catholics also refer to priests as Father. It doesn't mean they think priests are God any more than they believe the pope is.
You are obviously not a Catholic, so even if they wanted to believe their pope was God (which they don't), what possible difference could it make in your life?

Answer 3

Who do you say it is? Jesus refers to God as "Father". Catholics refer to the Pope as "His Holiness," and "Father." Let's open it up to Hebrew and Greek scholars and find out what the early translations actually said ...

Answer 4

They believe God is God. The pope is respected, not worshiped.
From your comments, it seems you do not want a true answer. I really don't understand why the protestant church spends so much time and energy slandering and lying to try to discredit the Catholic church. I'm with Pangloss, why do you care what other religions believe in unless you are planning to convert.
Great answer I'maCatholic2- but I bet she gives the answer to someone who just agrees with her since she doesn't want the truth.
From your other questions, I'm glad to see your bigotry doesn't just include Catholics-
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aqzq0RjvZtZheERshPrKjgrsy6IX?qid=20070712183409AAI6Ccf
Nice compassion!

Answer 5

God.

Answer 6

Addressing the Pope as Holy Father in no way denigrates the role of God the Father.

+ Holy +

The Bible states that anyone who possesses the Holy Spirit is holy. The Bible speaks of a holy man of God, holy ones, a holy people, a holy nation, and holy brothers.

That is why Mary is blessed (holy). The angel Gabriel called her, "Full of grace" and, "The Lord is with you."

+ 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)

With love in Christ.