"Holy Father"

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Robert_Michael

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I’m a bit confused on the title “Holy Father” which is used to describe the Pope. Isn’t this a divine name that only should be used for God the Father? Why do Catholics call the Pope “Holy Father” and God the Father just “Father”?

I know Catholics don’t believe that the Pope is holier than God or anything (though, it certainly is implied). I’m just wondering why such a title is use to describe the man who is said to be the successor of Peter.

Thank you.
 
Robert_Michael said:
I’m a bit confused on the title “Holy Father” which is used to describe the Pope. Isn’t this a divine name that only should be used for God the Father? Why do Catholics call the Pope “Holy Father” and God the Father just “Father”?

I know Catholics don’t believe that the Pope is holier than God or anything **(though, it certainly is implied). **I’m just wondering why such a title is use to describe the man who is said to be the successor of Peter.

Thank you.
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How is it implied? The Pope is a successor of St. Peter the Apostle. Just as we call out priest father, he to is our Holy Father because he too is a priest and a bishop. As the pope is the main father and the one we look to to lead us. We DON’T worship him or put him above our Holy God the Father, for only He receives our glory. I am not exactly sure the real reason for the title and hope to get a better answer from somone else who might know.
 
Robert_Michael said:
I’m a bit confused on the title “Holy Father” which is used to describe the Pope. Isn’t this a divine name that only should be used for God the Father? Why do Catholics call the Pope “Holy Father” and God the Father just “Father”?

I know Catholics don’t believe that the Pope is holier than God or anything (though, it certainly is implied). I’m just wondering why such a title is use to describe the man who is said to be the successor of Peter.

Thank you.
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If you’re skirting the edge of “call no man father”, have you ever read the next verse? That means (according to the KJV as originally written) we can’t use the honorifics Mr. and Mrs. either, as they simply variants of “master”. Or if you render it “teacher”, what do you call your Sunday School teachers?

St. Paul and St. Stephen did not hesitate to address the men in the synagogues as “fathers”.

St. John addressed a group of men known as “fathers” in one of his letters.

What do you make of this?

You’re welcome.
 
archangel04 said:
How is it implied? The Pope is a successor of St. Peter the Apostle. Just as we call out priest father, he to is our Holy Father because he too is a priest and a bishop. As the pope is the main father and the one we look to to lead us. We DON’T worship him or put him above our Holy God the Father, for only He receives our glory. I am not exactly sure the real reason for the title and hope to get a better answer from somone else who might know.
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I think you should read what I said in context instead of focusing on one part. Read what I put before the bold. The title is simply misleading, and gives Catholics a bad reputation. I already know you don’t worship him or put him above. Like I said, read what I put instead of focusing on one little thing which is out of context. You need to start realizing that not all non-Catholics are looking to attack you. Learn about communication.
 
bpbasilphx said:
If you’re skirting the edge of “call no man father”, have you ever read the next verse? That means (according to the KJV as originally written) we can’t use the honorifics Mr. and Mrs. either, as they simply variants of “master”. Or if you render it “teacher”, what do you call your Sunday School teachers?

St. Paul and St. Stephen did not hesitate to address the men in the synagogues as “fathers”.

St. John addressed a group of men known as “fathers” in one of his letters.

What do you make of this?

You’re welcome.
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Did I say anything about the “Call no man father” verse? Did I put that in my question? No. Seriously, I know you just want to make every non-Catholic to look stupid. Try reading my question without reading things into it. It’s not a loaded question. I’m not looking for a debate. I’m looking for an answer. Like I said above, learn what communication means. I can’t communicate if you’re talking at me, and not with me.
 
The word “pope” is latin for “Papa.” The pope is considered the “father” of the church
In the Bible, spiritual leaders such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and even the Apostle Paul, are called fathers in a spiritual sense.

“Holy” refers to the fact that the pope has been given a job to do by God, and set apart (which is what holy means) for this purpose.

Jesus’ prohibition on using the terms “father” and “teacher” refer to a matter of pride, not a prohibition on the use of certain words. Otherwise the Bible wouldn’t use the terms for humans, and we couldn’t call our male parent “father”.
 
Robert_Michael said:
I’m a bit confused on the title “Holy Father” which is used to describe the Pope. Isn’t this a divine name that only should be used for God the Father? Why do Catholics call the Pope “Holy Father” and God the Father just “Father”?

I know Catholics don’t believe that the Pope is holier than God or anything (though, it certainly is implied). I’m just wondering why such a title is use to describe the man who is said to be the successor of Peter.

Thank you.
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He’s called ‘the holy father’ because he is holy, and he is a father, and he is the most prominent and important of holy fathers on earth by his office of pope. And since all holiness and fatherhood are truly of God, it is all the more important to say ‘holy father’ and acknowledge the work of God therein.

Calling the Pope ‘Holy Father’ is an acknowledgement of the work of God, not a ‘putting above’. No one ever finds that implied or jumps to that conclusion. 🙂

I think Protestants from democratic and republican societies nowadays generally come from a tradition where there is less ritual, honor, reverence, etc. culturally, but a more American, egalatarian, casual society.

So some might react to ‘holy father’ the way the way some early American patriots would react to being introduced to ‘his majesty’. 😉 🤷

But Heaven is a hierarchy full of reverence and titles, crowns and honors, and so is the Church.
 
Robert_Michael said:
I’m a bit confused on the title “Holy Father” which is used to describe the Pope. Isn’t this a divine name that only should be used for God the Father? Why do Catholics call the Pope “Holy Father” and God the Father just “Father”?

I know Catholics don’t believe that the Pope is holier than God or anything (though, it certainly is implied). I’m just wondering why such a title is use to describe the man who is said to be the successor of Peter.

Thank you.
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Where does the word ‘patriarch’ come from? It comes from a Greekword: *family head, *equivilent to patri(á) family, derived also from Latin pater meaning ‘father’. In the Eastern church, they would be any one of the bishops of the sees of Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, Moscow, and Jerusalem who has authority over other bishops.

In keeping with that tradition, the pope is also the spiritual “Father” to all the Catholic churches while alive. We Catholics call their spiritual leaders “father.” In doing so we follow Paul’s example: “I became your father in Jesus Christ through the gospel” (1 Cor. 4:15).

“Holy” underlines the spiritual dimension of this fatherhood exercised in the name of God; though is does not imply a moral judgment on the person of the Pope. The expression “Holy Father” was born in the time of the controversy over lay investiture, and it seemed normal that in its becoming common usage in the acts of the chancery, the Roman Curia had then wished to underscore the spiritual and supernatural level of the mission of the Pope by adding the adjective “holy” - to defend implicitly the superiority of papal power over imperial power.

The Pope is referred to as “the Holy Father” by Catholics not because he is any holier than anyone else on earth but because of his mission of spiritual fatherhood over the whole Catholic Church. The “Holy” part emphasizes that this is a spiritual relationship.
Protestant Christians do not follow this tradition. They miss out on a lot. 😉
 
To the latest posters, thank you. I appreciate your answers.
 
peary1 said:
…In keeping with that tradition, the pope is also the spiritual “Father” to all the Catholic churches while alive. We Catholics call their spiritual leaders “father.” In doing so we follow Paul’s example: “I became your father in Jesus Christ through the gospel” (1 Cor. 4:15).
…
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The spiritual “Fatherhood” peary1 is referring to here, Robert Michael, isn’t just a title or term of endearment. In a general sense it applies to all of our priests. We call priests “Father” because they beget children in the spiritual order . The power to do this (in and through God - as His ministers) becomes more fully actualized through priestly celibacy.

Pope Pius XII said it clearly in his Apostolic Exhortation MENTI NOSTRAE (1950).
Here’s an excerpt taken from that document , which can be read in full at this link ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P12CLERG.HTM :

" Celibacy
  1. The priest has as the proper field of his activity everything that pertains to the supernatural life, since it is he who promotes the increase of this supernatural life and communicates it to the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. Consequently, it is necessary that he renounce “the things of the world,” in order to have care only for “the things of the Lord”.[30] And it is precisely because he should be free from preoccupation with worldly things to dedicate himself entirely to the divine service, that the Church has established the law of celibacy, thus making it ever more manifest to all peoples that the priest is a minister of God and the father of souls. By his law of celibacy, the priest, so far from losing the gift and duties of fatherhood, rather increases them immeasurably, for, although he does not beget progeny for this passing life of earth, he begets children for that life which is heavenly and eternal. "
Pope Paul VI also alludes to it in his encyclical *SACERDOTALIS CAELIBATUS * (1967) vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_24061967_sacerdotalis_en.html

If you ever have the opportunity to listen to or view Father John Corapi’s “The Father’s Love” Compilation , it will explain in a most compelling manner the answer to your question, and a whole lot more. Some of his gyst on the subject can even be gleaned from the description of the compilation given at this link fathercorapi.com/The-Fathers-Love-Compilation-CD-Set-P314C3.aspx

God Bless 🙂
 
Holy Father is a very common title, not only used for the pope. It is also used for certain founders of religious orders such as: our Holy Father Dominic, our Holy Father Francis, our Holy Father Benedict, etc. It is also used by some Orthodox Churches, either Holy Father or His Holiness. The term has an ancient root that comes from the early Christians who referred to the Fathers of the Church and to the Dessert Fathers.

The title makes reference to two realities:


  1. *]The father is the patriarch. This can be the patriarch of the Church or a religious family.

    *]Holy refers to the work that the father does. The father is charged with the work of leading others in holiness or leading them to holiness.

    Christ commanded Peter to strengthen his brothers, feed his sheep, to bind and unbind. The Father’s role is to lead men to Christ. His function is a holy one. The pope is a patriarch with a holy mission. As you can see, the title, Holy Father, predates Protestantism.

    In Franciscan writings we often use Lord Pope instead of Holy Father to avoid confusion between the Pope and our Holy Father Francis. But Holy Father expresses more clearly the mission of the pope. The title “pope” came from an Italian affectionate way of referring to the Holy Father. The Italian word is Papa, which means Dad. Many of the Romance languages uise Papa for Dad.

    Fraternally,

    Br. JR, OSF
 
Apryl said:
Um… the way I read this… it suggests that the original writing was the King James Translation. :eek:

Is that what you were trying to say? :confused:
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No I’m sure he was saying that according to the original translation of the King James version… assuming that protestants (at least a lot of them) use the king james version…
 
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