Why do we call priests Father?

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Matthew 23:9 says:

And do not call anyone on earth “father”, for you have one Father, and He is in Heaven."

For that matter, why do we call our dads “father?”
 
Priests hold a fatherly relationship and responsibility to the faith of his flock (people of his parish). Peter demonstrated this when he refered to Mark as his son in his epistles. Just as the father of the home is the source of the physical, emotional, financial, educations, etc. wellbeing of the children, the Father in the parish, Cathedral and Rome is the source of our spiritual wellbeing as earthly parents in that aspect.
 
This may not answer your question but it might be clearer if you read the entire passage (with comment following)
{23:5} Omnia vero opera sua faciunt ut videantur ab hominibus: dilatant enim phylacteria sua, et magnificant fimbrias.
{23:5} Truly, they do all their works so that they may be seen by men. For they enlarge their phylacteries and glorify their hems.
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{23:6} Amant autem primos recubitus in cœnis, et primas cathedras in synagogis,
{23:6} And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues,
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{23:7} et salutationes in foro, et vocari ab hominibus Rabbi.
{23:7} and greetings in the marketplace, and to be called Master by men.
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{23:8} Vos autem nolite vocari Rabbi. Unus est enim Magister vester, omnes autem vos fratres estis.
{23:8} But you must not be called Master. For One is your Master, and you are all brothers.
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{23:9} Et patrem nolite vocare vobis super terram: unus est enim Pater vester, qui in cælis est.
{23:9} And do not choose to call anyone on earth your father. For One is your Father, who is in heaven.
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{23:10} Nec vocemini magistri: quia Magister vester unus est, Christus.
{23:10} Neither should you be called teachers. For One is your Teacher, the Christ.
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~ This passage refers to the Trinity, with the First Person as Father, the Second Person as Teacher (the Christ), and the Third Person as Master (or Leader or Guide).
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sacredbible.org/studybible/NT-01_Matthew.htm#23
 
I have not seen that explanation. I always fall back on that there is evidence that the Apostles used the title and we follow their tradition
 
It is best for us to remember the time, place, and setting in which the Scriptures were written. In the instant case, we know for certain that Jesus was not talking about Catholic Priests when He said call no man your father. That being the case, who was He referring to? Who were the Jews of that day calling Father and Rabbi?

In this passage what Jesus is doing is establishing His authority and the authority of His Father. Even in the Old Testament you see, over and over again, Jews referring to those who came before them as their Father, and it was to these men that they bowed to authority. If the ‘fathers’ said it then it was law according to tradition. Similarly, it was to the Rabbi’s teaching authority that they bowed to in regards to law and Scripture. If the Rabbi’s taught it then it was true. What Jesus is doing here is abolishing the authority of man in favor of the authority of God in both Tradition and Scripture.

Therefore, we as Catholics are not calling our Priests Fathers in the same manner in which Jesus condemned. Moreover, it is only in the Catholic Church where we acknowledge the authority of God in sacred Tradition and Scripture.

This is the only explanation that allows us to accepted Jesus’ command without ignoring the times where Paul calls himself a Father.

Yoseph Daviyd​

 
The target audience of Jesus in that passage is the Pharisees. Now, I’m not that well versed with Jewish history to know who the Pharisees call as father. Anyone care to share?
 
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