Why do Catholics call their priests “Father” when Jesus says in Matthew’s Gospel:
“Call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven.” (Matt 23:9)
This question can become a point of contention between Catholics and evangelical Christians. Not a few non-Catholics take this verse in its most literal sense, and so they contend that Catholics are acting in disobedience to Jesus by calling their priest named Jim, for example, “Father Jim”.
In objection to this Catholic discipline, Matthew 23:9 is quoted. Of course, Catholics recognize that Jesus is speaking with hyperbole here, and is making it clear that the Almighty Father is the eternal prototype of all fathers, the eternal Giver of Life (Consider also in this passage that Jesus also says to call no man “teacher”, so to be consistent…).
Whenever good-hearted theological debate ensues among my non-Catholic Christian friends and I, I’ve noticed that the topic of Purgatory inevitably seems to arise. It appears to be a crowd favorite — a topic of much wonder and equal controversy.
Interestingly, and despite the fact Purgatory is a prized topic of friendly ecumenical quarrel, very few Protestants actually seem to know what the doctrine actually is that they are saying “no” to. Full of assumptions they often object without pause only to find after careful correction that their true understanding of Purgatory was, in fact, lacking..
All too often, however, we Catholics are no better in understanding this same doctrine to which we say “yes”.
This is a problem that can easily be corrected.
Welcome! I like to ponder what St. John Paul II called "the fundamental questions which pervade human life." Sometimes I write my thoughts down. This blog is where you'll find them.
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