Holy Father

[MelanieM]

Why is the Pope given this title?

[DavidObeid]

In St. John's Gospel we read:


15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”16 A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep...." John 21:15-17

The feeding of lambs and tending and feeding of sheep means that St. Peter is given charge of all "lambs" and "sheep" in Our Lord's flock, in other words, big and small, all are under the care of the Pope. He is over the Bishops, who are our spiritual fathers:


For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (1 Corinthians 4:15)

Being over the Bishops, he is a father of the fathers (this is what the word "pope" means - father of fathers), and since this office was given by Christ, it is a holy one.

[Stephen Spiteri]

The word "pope" is a derivative of the Greek word "pappas" ("papa" in Italian) which means "father" or "daddy". The Pope is called the "Holy Father" not because he is necessarily holier than anyone else, but because his role is a mission of spiritual fatherhood over the Church.

Protestants object to the title as they believe they we should "call no man father" (Matthew 23:9) as we read in scripture. But we find in other instances in scripture that there is nothing wrong with calling someone "father". What Christ referred to in Matthew 23:9 was the hypocrisy of the Pharisees for their pride in not looking humbly to God as the source of authority, fatherhood and teaching, but instead setting themselves up as ultimate authorities, father figures and teachers. Jesus used the "call no man father" hyperbole to highlight this. If we were to take his word on face value, then we could not even call our biological and earthly fathers "father", and there's no sense in that!

Matthew 3:9 - Jesus calls Abraham "father"
Acts 7:2 - St. Stephen calls Jewish leaders "fathers"
Acts 21:40, 22:1 - St. Paul calls Jerusalem Jews "fathers"
Romans 4:16-17 - Abraham called "the father of us all"
1 Corinthians 4:14-15 - "I become your father in Christ through the gospel..."
1 Timothy 1:2 - St. Paul refers to Timothy as his sin (that would make St. Paul a father figure of sorts)
Hebrews 12:7-9 - we have earthly fathers to discipline us
1 John 2:13, 14 - "I write to you, fathers, because you know him..."

[MelanieM]

My main reason for asking was for the use of word "Holy"

To me this means pure, perfect, sinless. The Pope is still a sinner so how could he be Holy?

Thanks for the clarification though

[DavidObeid]

Read this:


When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Ephesians 3:4-6)

What sort of Apostles?

[MelanieM]

holy :)

Can you please explain what is meant by holy apostles in this verse?

[DavidObeid]

It is a reference to the Apostles who received the fullness of truth taught by Christ and communicated through the Holy Spirit (in other words, all except Judas, who bailed before the Resurrection, Ascension and the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost).