I asked a previous question about calling Catholic Priests "Father". Many answers seemed to suggest that he was warning against the pharisees. While I understand that our Priests and Papacy can be traced back to Peter and the apostles, do not the recent scandals in our church prove that our Priests can also been imperfect humans that should not be looked upon as "fathers".
2007-10-23 06:55:32 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Midge;
Many of us "Catholics" have had personal contact with the "Priests" which I mention, and have been affected by such. I realize that the men are not the faith (nor do they define the Roman Catholic Church) but judgemental people like yourself do nothing to restore our faith.
2007-10-23 08:42:15 · update #1
LOL...
recent...
2007-10-23 07:21:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wait until you are 80, and you are calling a 35 year old priest "Father". Hey chickie, sometimes this person is all a kid has.
Ever read the paper lately? Most fathers these days are dead-beats. (No offense to the good ones out there) But they are still called "Dad".
2007-10-23 07:04:19 · answer #2 · answered by Somewhat Enlightened, the Parrot of Truth 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The priests and papacy didn't come from Peter. There's your mistake right there. Peter wasn't a pope.
Calling a mere man "Holy Father" is blasphemy. Only God is worthy of that title.
2007-10-23 06:59:04 · answer #3 · answered by Blue Eyed Christian 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Jesus did not create the Church for perfect people. He created it for sinners.
The Catholic Church:
+ has always been filled with recovering sinners
+ Is filled with recovering sinners
+ Will always be filled with recovering sinners until Christ comes in glory
Some of these recovering sinners with fail. Some of them will be priests.
+ "Call no man your 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.
2007-10-23 18:14:59 · answer #4 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read "Vatican Assassins", by Eric Jon Phelps
2007-10-23 07:04:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you are not in Communion with the Roman Catholic Church. I do not care what you CALL yourself.---More like Benedict Arnold.
2007-10-23 07:00:03 · answer #6 · answered by Midge 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋