Dear Friends of the Fraternity,
Most faithful Catholics have faced this situation at least once: a Protestant friend, perhaps out of genuine concern, asks, “Why do you Catholics call your priests Father, even though it is forbidden in the Bible?”
They are referring, of course, to Matthew 23:9: “And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.”
Thanks be to God, we Catholics have the Magisterium to guide us in proper interpretation of Scripture. We can be sure that the Apostle simply meant to warn us not to follow any leader who would steer us away from Our Father in Heaven. Indeed, St. Paul advised the Corinthians to be selective about whom they referred to as “father.” (1 Cor. 4:15)
From this we can surmise that it is certainly proper to call certain men “father.” Even our Protestant friends do as much! We Catholics are blessed with two kinds of fathers: those who offer sacrifices at the altar, and those who, through their hard work and self-sacrifices, make our lives possible.
We will offer a special High Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary on Father’s Day, June 21st, 2020. Would you give us the privilege of honoring your earthly father in this Mass? You can use the form below to enroll him—and any other fathers who are special to you, living or deceased—in this Mass. You can click the beautiful image of St. Joseph and the Christ Child above to download and print a card to send to those you enroll.
We would be very grateful if, along with your intentions, you could include a donation to help us form more hardworking Fathers for the Church. There is no obligation to send a gift, but it would certainly help us meet the significant expenses of providing an intensive, rigorous formation at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary.
Please join us in praying for all fathers on June 21st—and know that you remain in our constant prayers. Thank you for your generosity towards the FSSP.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Michael Stinson, FSSP
North American Superior