Questioning ‘Spiritual’ Fatherhood

  • Thread starter Thread starter HiImBrittom
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
H

HiImBrittom

Guest
It really bugs me a lot that I have to call someone else father when I love my dad so much. I only like calling him and God father. It actually bothers my conscience, and I don’t know if I’m mistaken here or not. There’s also talk of ‘spiritual daughters.’ I don’t know if I’ll ever truly mean it when I call a priest Father. Am I missing anything? I just can’t bring myself to give myself over to that. It’s my Dad. I only will ever have one of em. Even when he’s gone I’ll still talk to him.

I actually run when I get a fatherly vibe from someone else but my Dad and avoid them until I can get the courage from God to overcome that. It’s a strong boundary I have.

https://www.ascjus.org/Our_Charism

“Mother Clelia entrusted this legacy to her spiritual daughters, the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
 
I’m not gonna stop calling the priests in my parish Father (Insert Name). That’s like so disrespectful, but I don’t understand it.
 
Hi again! 🙂

I’m not sure if my response will be the switch that flicks the light on for you, but the first thought that pops to mind is a good priest I know, who’s a convert from Anglicanism – and because he was already married when he converted, he was permitted to remain married while a priest (Anglican converts are eligible for a special exception when they become Catholic, but that’s a different rabbit hole).

Point being, he told us once how when he was in the process of becoming a Catholic priest, one of his young daughters got upset and told him she didn’t like that now everyone would be his spiritual ‘children’ and would get to call him ‘father’. His response to her, if I recall, was that while other people will call him ‘Father’, only she and her siblings would ever get to call him ‘Dad’.

So, I think there’s definitely a distinction. Nothing can ever ‘take away’ from the objective, biological, unique relationship you have with your Dad. It’s great that you love him so much! No priest is there to replace him or the special relationship he has with you. You are meant to continue to honour your biological father in a special way.

I think calling a priest ‘father’ is a distinct, different thing. Here are a couple Catholic Answers articles about it (I’ll probably be browsing them at the same time as you are):


 
Last edited:
Okay I can do that, he’s Dad and they’re Father (Insert Name).
 
Okay so they’re more like the protectors and shepherds of me and my Dad under Jesus when my Dad is almost everything to me. They’re playing a crucial role in me and my Dad’s relationship, keeping us safe.
 
Yup. A priest who asked you to call him ‘Dad’ would be getting into a weird space. 😉 I haven’t heard any priest suggest it before.

And your dad is still your father, you don’t have to drop the latter word when describing him. 🙂

Basic bottom line, referring to priests as ‘Father’ is a title used for reasons discussed in the links I provided from Catholic Answers, and doesn’t require there to be any conflict between your priest or dad. 🙂
 
HiImBrittom said:
It really bugs me a lot that I have to call someone else father when I love my dad so much. I only like calling him and God father.
Click to expand...
Jesus would agree with you. He called God the Father “Abba”, which means “Dad”. Jesus encourages a personal familiar relationship with God the Father.

We call priests “Father” only in the formal sense. They do not replace “Dad”.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top