What about “Rev.” ?
Amen. I ask people to use Brother; not Reverend. Of course, I don’t want to be irreverent.
Wait, what?
My experience is that those priests who avoid the externals of the priesthood—such as being called Father, or wearing clerical clothing—are actually the most authoritarian. This is just a false modesty, a form of virtue signaling.
What good does it do to complain about anything unless you have something better to replace it. I saw no alternative mentioned in the article. Personally, this smells of window dressing to me.
I’ve always liked pastor
Calling Elsie... made for you
As a kid who attended Catholic schools, we always called the priests “Father this”, or “Father that”. I think we would have gotten in trouble with our teachers if we didn’t.
Watch out for any that prefer “Ai Papi!”
He says the passage “Do not call anyone on Earth father, for you have but one Father in Heaven” is difficult to understand.
No it isn’t.
And his claim that calling priests ‘father’ needs to stop is something the Protestants were arguing for centuries ago.
What took Cardinal John Dew and others so long to figure this out and catch up?
Most Holy Father; Your Holiness
Archbishop of Wellington: His Eminence Cardinal John Atcherley Dew DD
Guess they haven't quite made the changes "John" advises. How will this affect what the fellow in the white cassock is called?
Even when I was a Protestant, I never took the use of "father" to refer to Catholic, Orthodox, and some Anglican and Lutheran clergyman to be a violation of Jesus' teachings. I saw it based in what Paul wrote:
“I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
I don't have to listen to a cardinal anyway, so I will gladly refer to my Orthodox priest as "father," out of respect for his office, and acknowledging him as my "father through the gospel."
Here in California, “Padre” is a kind of hip way in getting around the awkwardness.
I see. So the sexual abuse scandal happened because we call priests father? Anything to shift the blame I guess.
Remarkable! First time I’ve heard of a Roman Catholic taking this position. I agree fully. There’s a reason Jesus specifically commanded us not to use the title “Father,” for leaders in the Church.
Will it be Ze or Zir?
Well, just duh... Christ obviously knew what would come to pass... He did lay down the law ... but, some are just so much more holy than the rest.
Peter did say the priest/preacher class would have ‘judgment’ first... every one is going to get to account for their own deeds or lack thereof ...
Christ also warned about those coming in His name spewing deception...
Gosh - a Cardinal taking advice from the Bible - refreshing....
When did the Cardinal start reading the Bible? We’ve always believed that was wrong.
Most ministers I know hate being called, “Reverend”, too. Preferred is, “Pastor”.