Why are Catholic priests called "father"?

[bbbbbbb]

Panevino said: ↑
Jut bear in mind in several places the NT authors are comfortable to call their flock children

1 John 2:1-2
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 Peter 5:13
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

Philippians 2:22
But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

Does it not seem more than a bit absurd that a gentleman forty or more years my junior would be calling me his son?

 

[bbbbbbb]

Abraham is our father by faith in Christ, as our Lord Jesus is the Seed of Abraham, and in Christ both Jew and Gentile are Abraham's offspring.

-CryptoLutheran

Yet, in Catholic circles Sarah is rarely, if ever, mentioned, much less venerated, as Holy Mother, even though scripture does make it clear that Abraham is the spiritual father of believers. Nor is Abraham venerated as father. There is far less biblical evidence that Mary was venerated as Mother. In fact, Jesus did just the opposite when a woman in the crowd praised Mary.

 

[Panevino]

Does it not seem more than a bit absurd that a gentleman forty or more years my junior would be calling me his son?

No, not in the context of those NT quotes

 

[Roseonathorn]

I once met a catholic priest that said - I am called Father, and sometimes I wish I were a real earthly Father with wife and family, my familytree ends with me. I will have no son nor daughter. It was a big decision, Other than that the work is great.
I think He saw the church as His responsibility. In that sence He was a Father.

 

[bbbbbbb]

No, not in the context of those NT quotes

However, my world is not one lived in the context of those NT quotes such that if I were in a restaurant and a young server were to address me as Sonny, rather than Sir, I would be offended, not to mention astounded.

 

[Panevino]

However, my world is not one lived in the context of those NT quotes such that if I were in a restaurant and a young server were to address me as Sonny, rather than Sir, I would be offended, not to mention astounded.

That's not the context of Shepard / laity

 

[bbbbbbb]

That's not the context of Shepard / laity

True, but if a newly-minted seminary graduate were to address me as "son" I would lend him my glasses.