If you’ve ever scratched your head during Mass and thought, “Wait, didn’t Jesus say, ‘Call no man Father’? But we call the Pope Holy Father?”

 

Fr. Simon is ready to untangle it with wit and wisdom. 😄📖

 

📜 It’s a Custom

 

Fr. Simon starts by clarifying:

 

“Holy Father” is a custom, rooted in our hope that the Pope is holy.

 

But more than that, the papacy itself is a divine institution, set up by God as part of the Church’s structure.

 

 

❗But Doesn’t Jesus Say, “Call No Man Father”?

 

Ah yes, the classic gotcha verse. Fr. Simon explains:

 

Yes, Jesus said that, but He also said, “Call no man teacher or rabbi,” and yet we still say things like Dr. Billy Graham, and "Reverend" is just a fancy version of "Rabbi."

 

In the Bible, St. Paul literally calls himself a father to the Corinthians and talks about spiritual fatherhood all the time (he clearly didn’t get the memo from Matthew… kidding! He wrote big chunks of the New Testament 😉).

 

 

Spiritual Fatherhood Has Deep Roots

 

This idea of calling priests Father really took off with the monastic movement:

 

-Monks had spiritual directors known as "fathers."

 

-Eventually, this extended to all priests in some places.

 

And when it comes to the Pope, the word Papa (Greek for “dad”) became his title:

 

-In the Eastern Church, all priests are called papa.

 

-But in the West, it became reserved just for the Bishop of Rome, aka the Pope.

 

 

🙏 The Role Is Holy (Even if the Man Isn’t Perfect)

 

Fr. Simon goes on to say:

 

-We call the Pope Holy Father not because he’s always a saint personally... but because his role is holy.

 

“We respect the office, even if the man in it, like me, is not that respectable.” – Fr. Simon (love that honesty)

 

 

💬 Bottom Line:

 

We call the Pope “Holy Father” because:

 

-He’s a spiritual father to the Diocese of Rome and to the whole Church.

 

-His office is sacred, even if he’s still a human being like the rest of us.

 

-And yes, it’s biblical... just ask St. Paul.

 

 

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

If you&rsquo;ve ever scratched your head during Mass and thought, &ldquo;Wait, didn&rsquo;t Jesus say, &lsquo;Call no man Father&rsquo;? But we call the Pope Holy Father?&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Fr. Simon is ready to untangle it with wit and wisdom. 😄📖
&nbsp;
📜 It&rsquo;s a Custom
&nbsp;
Fr. Simon starts by clarifying:
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Holy Father&rdquo; is a&nbsp;custom, rooted in our hope that the Pope is holy.
&nbsp;
But more than that, the papacy itself is a divine institution, set up by God as part of the Church&rsquo;s structure.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="874" data-end="877">
&nbsp;
❗But Doesn&rsquo;t Jesus Say, &ldquo;Call No Man Father&rdquo;?
&nbsp;
Ah yes, the classic gotcha verse.&nbsp;Fr. Simon explains:
&nbsp;
Yes, Jesus said that, but He also said, &ldquo;Call no man teacher or rabbi,&rdquo; and yet we still say things like Dr. Billy Graham, and "Reverend" is just a fancy version of "Rabbi."
&nbsp;
In the Bible, St. Paul literally calls himself a father to the Corinthians and talks about spiritual fatherhood all the time (he clearly didn&rsquo;t get the memo from Matthew&hellip; kidding! He wrote big chunks of the New Testament 😉).
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1414" data-end="1417">
&nbsp;
Spiritual Fatherhood Has Deep Roots
&nbsp;
This idea of calling priests Father really took off with the monastic movement:
&nbsp;
-Monks had spiritual directors known as "fathers."
&nbsp;
-Eventually, this extended to all priests in some places.
&nbsp;
And when it comes to the Pope, the word Papa (Greek for &ldquo;dad&rdquo;) became his title:
&nbsp;
-In the Eastern Church, all priests are called papa.
&nbsp;
-But in the West, it became reserved just for the Bishop of Rome, aka the Pope.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1909" data-end="1912">
&nbsp;
🙏 The Role Is Holy (Even if the Man Isn&rsquo;t Perfect)
&nbsp;
Fr. Simon goes on to say:
&nbsp;
-We call the Pope Holy Father not because he&rsquo;s always a saint personally... but because&nbsp;his role is holy.
&nbsp;
<blockquote data-start="2463" data-end="2583">
&ldquo;We respect the office, even if the man in it, like me, is not that respectable.&rdquo; &ndash; Fr. Simon (love that honesty)
&nbsp;
</blockquote>
<hr data-start="2585" data-end="2588">
&nbsp;
💬 Bottom Line:
&nbsp;
We call the Pope &ldquo;Holy Father&rdquo; because:
&nbsp;
-He&rsquo;s a spiritual father to the Diocese of Rome and to the whole Church.
&nbsp;
-His office is sacred, even if he&rsquo;s still a human being like the rest of us.
&nbsp;
-And yes, it&rsquo;s biblical... just ask St. Paul.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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