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WHY DO CATHOLICS...?
Each week, we update this page with a new question to be answered about our Catholic faith. Questions are archived after they have been posted. If you have a question about the Catholic faith that you would like to submit, email Faith Formation chair, Joyce Hansen, at faithform@abecket.org, Adult Faith Formation Director Laura Broyles at laura.broyles@abecket.org, or leave a note in the Faith Formation box in the Parish Office.

Why do Catholics use the term father when speaking to a priest? After all, the Bible says, “Call no man Father." (Mt. 23:9)

Just as your earthly father cares for your physical needs and wants throughout your life, a priest also cares for his flock, but in a spiritual sense. A priest is there for parishioners at rebirth (baptism) and throughout life. When one of his flock is in the hospital, he is there. He is there even when the spirit departs the body at death. To what then is Christ referring when he makes the statement, “Call no man father.” To understand one must read what comes before and what comes after. In the verses before 9, Jesus is making a point about the scribes and the Pharisees. He states to the crowds that they should observe them (Pharisees and scribes) but not do as they do. He states that the Pharisees and the scribes want their works to be "seen" by men and that they love to be called Rabbi, or Father, or Master. Jesus wanted the crowds to see that the Pharisees and scribes did not deserve the titles given to them; they were not worthy of them.

Laura Broyles, Adult Faith Formation Director
laura.broyles@abecket.org

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