Why do Catholics call people on Earth "Father"?

Favorite Answer

I call the Father in heaven Father. I also called my dad father and my fellow priests. Allow me to show you what happens when one uses eisegesis to understand Scriptures or take them out of context with this from my blog:

From the early Church we find that clergy were addressed as father. There are those with little knowledge of history or hermeneutical discipline such as understanding Scriptures within context, who believe that the Bible prohibits one from calling a priest father. The words they rely on come directly from Christ:

(Mat 23:9 DRB) And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.

Keeping the verse in context let us look at the verse preceding this verse:

(Mat 23:8 DRB) But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master: and all you are brethren.

Rabbi means teacher and the Latin word for teacher is doctor so anyone using these terms as well are violating the literal interpretation of the text.

Let us look at the verse after verse 9:

(Mat 23:10 DRB) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, Christ.

There is no way that the interpretation could be correct if one reads and understands the Matthew passage in context. He is clearly teaching that one should not look to any human authority as our teacher, father, master, doctor or other titles of respect but instead give to God those things that are reserved for Him. Do you also refuse to call people doctor, teacher, professor, mister, or master? All of these are forbidden as well if we are to accept a literal understanding.

Context also requires that we investigate what the other Scriptures say as well as the understanding of these words by those who followed Christ. There are many instances where the writers of the New Testament contradict a literal understanding of not calling a man father, teacher or master. Consider the following verses:

(Act 5:34 DRB) But one in the council rising up, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, commanded the men to be put forth a little while.

(Col 4:1 DRB) Masters, do to your servants that which is just and equal: knowing that you also have a master in heaven.

(2Ti 1:11 DRB) Wherein I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and teacher of the Gentiles.

Let us examine the statements of St. Stephen to see if he understood Christ to be speaking literally….In is soliloquy (Acts Chapter 7) before the Sanhedrin before his stoning to martyrdom he used the term father in referring to Abraham Isaac and Jacob as fathers and also to his Israelite ancestors as fathers.

St. John the beloved disciple also did not understand Christ to be teaching literally as we can see in the following verses:

(1Jn 2:13 DRB) I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.

(1Jn 2:14 DRB) I write unto you, babes, because you have known the Father. I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

(1Jn 2:15 DRB) Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.

(1Jn 2:16 DRB) For all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life, which is not of the Father but is of the world.

St. Paul also had a different understanding of Christ’s words than the literalists:

(1Co 4:14 DRB) I write not these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest children.

(1Co 4:15 DRB) For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.

(1Co 4:16 DRB) Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ.

St. Paul was speaking of the fact that he is called to shepherd the flock as are all priests. We not only give birth to the Christian through Baptism but also nourish the faithful with the Holy Eucharist and God’s Word. We care for them and bind their spiritual wounds through the delivery of the Sacraments. It is no wonder that we are called father as we care for our Church family as a father cares for his own family.

God bless!

In Christ
Fr. Joseph...Show more

The same passage also forbids calling your teacher Teacher or your doctor Doctor; should we even mention Dr. Billy Graham?

The Bible notes that scripture cannot be understood without the Church. Your post is a great example of what happens when a person tries to make doctrine from an isolated verse.

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;...Show more

This verse is taken out of context to fit another agenda. If the bible prohibited calling any person on earth father that would also mean a prohibition on calling our own physical father "father". Doesn't make much sense, does it? Just as we have physical fathers, we have spiritual fathers of men. Indeed, elsewhere in the New Testament, the Hebrew term meaning "father" is used by Paul to describe a person of great spiritual authority and wisdom. Taken in context, the prohibition of the word "father" is found in the prohibition of the words "teacher" and "master". Christ's words are not meant to be taken literally as much as they are meant to show the point that no man can come to the entirety of God through but one other man. We have one true eternal Father in heaven....Show more

The priests that make them call them "father's have Never told the members that are making them disobey the Bible! They are too power hungry. Too full of pride!
A few months ago a Catholic priest was discovered stealing from his church. The DA was asked to Not press charges by the ones above him in rank. So the charges were dropped. Just a few months later, in the news , is a report claiming their/this priest is so wonderful for doing ________ trying to get everyone to forget his crimes/Sins! Using more lies/sins to cover his crimes!

Too many are calling their male parent "father" also....Show more

In honor of the gift of spiritual fatherhood that Jesus left us with and as discussed by Paul in 1 Cor. 4:14-15:

"For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel"

Matt. 23:9 does not prohibit calling people "Fathed". If it why did Stephen refers to "our father Abraham," in Acts 7:2 and Paul speaks of "our father Isaac" in Rom. 9:10? If that passage were to be literal we couldn't call anyone Mr. or Dr either.

In the passage Jesus isn't saying not to use titles, he chastising the Pharisees for their pride in not looking humbly to God as the source of their authority....Show more