Priest Father

Answers In-Depth to Questions about Christianity

Priests MAY Be Called Father

QUESTION: I have some evangelical friends who were with me when I met
our pastor at the shopping mall. I noticed that they were referring to him as
"Mr. Jones" instead of "Father Jones," even to his face. I felt they were being a
little disrespectful. Afterwards, I asked them, and they said that they were "just
being biblical." Did Jesus teach that we are NOT to call a priest “Father”?
Answered by Rev. Paul L. Rothermel

There is a Bible verse that fundamentalists like to quote against the Catholic and Orthodox practice of using “father” to
address a priest. Matthew 23:9 quotes Jesus as saying, “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your
Father, which is in heaven” (King James Version). Some “Bible Christians” or “Born-agains” even gloat whenever they
read this verse aloud to their Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox neighbors. This is because they believe that no
honest person can “get around” this verse. It so clearly exposes “the anti-Scriptural nature of Romanism,” they think.

Well, how can a thinking Catholic give an adequate response to this challenge?

Since fundamentalists often assume that Catholics actually dislike the Bible, you may want to start by demonstrating your
love and respect for the Bible in general, and for the Gospel of Matthew in particular. They may be surprised to learn that
Roman Catholics officially believe that there is no higher authority on earth than the Holy Scriptures rightly interpreted. All
the teachings of the Bible are God's teachings; no word in the entire universe can ever be higher than God's Word,
because there can never be an authority higher than God's authority! Careful thinking can lead to no other conclusion.

"Rightly interpreted" is the key, however. With God's help, the pope and the bishops in communion with him (we
Catholics call this "the magisterium") should be trusted to give the authentic meaning of the biblical record, and its proper
context, just as the U.S. Supreme Court can make the greatest claim to providing us with the authentic meaning of the U.
S. Constitution. While both groups serve their communities by doing their official duty of fundamental interpretation, the
pope and the bishops must obey all of God's Word just as much as the Supreme Court chief justice and the associate
justices must obey all of the U.S. Constitution.

While it is true that the magisterium has not provided us with an official interpretation of Matthew 23:9, this body has
never considered the use of the title "father" for clerics to be in conflict with the words or intentions of Jesus. The
magisterium promotes respect for the Bible as well as Tradition. Calling a priest "father" is not against the Bible and is in
full accord with Tradition.

Fundamentalists sense respect for the Bible when someone knows precise details about it and can handle them
intelligently, with a humble acceptance of their divine inspiration. A good response to the evangelicals' misinterpretation
of Matthew 23:9 depends upon a careful treatment of certain key details in Matthew.

It is not sufficient for a Catholic to focus on “call no man your father on earth,” and exclaim, “Even you celebrate Father’s
Day!” or to explain, "The common title, 'Mister,' comes from the word, 'Master,' and the very next verse seems to forbid
someone accepting this title as well." These approaches are too easy and falsely assume that fundamentalists always take
the Bible in a woodenly literal manner. We know that this is far from true, if we reflect upon what they say about “This is
My Body.” Informed “Bible Christians” argue that the context is talking about RELIGIOUS titles of fatherhood or
mastership, not secular ones. And they are right! But the same context is their own undoing, as I shall now show you.

Point out to them these facts in the context. Just eight verses later, Jesus calls his Jewish opponents “fools” (Matthew 23:
17). Earlier in the Gospel he seems to forbid the use of this address for a fellow Israelite. “Whosoever shall say, thou
fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:22c). Obviously, Jesus is not hung up by the word. He chooses to use it,
every bit as much as Catholics choose to use the word, “father.” Both words, “father” and “fool,” must be treated alike.
What Jesus is really condemning is the sinful attitude that exalts man at the expense of God (“father”), or proudly exalts
self at the expense of respect for human dignity (“fool”). Clearly Jesus is not forbidding the use of "father" or "master
(mister)" or "fool" in every form.

We know that this is true about "father" from the wider biblical context. Whatever the Holy Spirit approves Jesus
approves. Under the inspiration of the Spirit, St. Paul teaches that he is the spiritual father of some early Christians (First
Corinthians 4:14-17). A Roman Catholic priest is called “father” for the very same reason that St. Paul is willing to be
designated by this endearing term. Paul is not using "father" as a title to exalt himself at the expense of God's reputation
or someone else's human dignity. He freely acknowledges his dependence upon God for everything, and the dignity of
his "children," even in the present chapter (First Corinthians 4:6-13).

Our fundamentalist friends sometimes forget that a word can have more than one meaning. They not only frequently
miss this fact when discussing the word, "father," they also often make the same mistake when discussing the word,
"saint." One only has to open an English dictionary to discover that words usually have more than one meaning. The
various meanings are determined by the various ways in which each word is used.

When Catholics speak of a "saint," they usually are referring to "one who is holy to the HIGHEST degree (and therefore in
heaven)." This is not the only Catholic usage of the term, however. Whenever we Catholics recite the Apostles' Creed,
we profess belief in "the communion of saints," and clearly mean by saint "one who has holiness to ANY degree." (It
goes without saying that all holiness comes through Christ.) This biblical meaning seems to be the only meaning
evangelicals want the word to have, but their desire is wishful thinking. Our English dictionaries record several meanings
for the word.

Similarly, one can use the title "father" in the way that Jesus condemned (because the underlying attitude promoting
spiritual pride determined its meaning), or one can use the title in the way that St. Paul, and therefore Jesus Christ,
approved. This is the preferred Catholic meaning of the term. Feel free to promote this meaning without hesitation. THE
END.

acquire a basic and intermediate understanding of Christianity. There are many

"A little learning is a dangerous thing...."
--Alexander Pope