What is the justification for call the Bishop of Rome holy father?
115054
The Pope is nothing more than a Bishop (as are the Cardinals).  Just a highly elevated Bishop (much like the Archbishop is an elevated Bishop).\n\nHe is the Bishop of Rome, because that is his diocese.  There are other Bishops in Rome, to be sure.  I think the title comes from St. Peter, who was the first Bishop of Rome (before there was the Holy See and before there was a Vatican City-State), and the Pope is the 265th(?) successor to Peter, and they keep the title of Bishop of Rome.\n\nAm I 100% sure of that?  No, but it makes sense to me.\n\n** Edit **\n\nHe is the Holy Father because he is a Priest (and we call our priests Father).  Holy because he is the head of the Church.\n\nWe call our Priests "Father" because they are the representatives of Christ on Earth, and at the Mass and at Confession he is acting "In Persona Christi" (In the Body of Christ).  If you are Catholic and go to Mass you will hear it in the Eucharist.  He says eat my body and drink my blood (as Jesus said in the last supper), not "Jesus said. . ."\n\nAs to whether or not he is "holy", I believe him to be.  He was elected by his peers with guidance from the Holy Spirit.  Not from political campaigning or the like (at least I don't remember signs saying "Vote for Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger for Pope" when I was at the Vatican - just a little humor).\n\nHis title is a little hard for some to accept.  It is true that Jesus said "call no man father on Earth" but he was refering to those that would claim to be from Christs teaching, but really weren't.  I think there is a clear, and unbroken, chain from Jesus, to St. Peter to Benedict XVI.\n\nI hope I helped clear it up.
937010
Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:17-19)\n\nThe Catholic Church believes the Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.\n\nThe current Pope, Benedict XVI, is the senior pastor of 1.1 billion Catholics, the direct successor of Simon Peter.\n\nPope Benedict XVI was born Joseph Ratzinger in 1927. Here is his official Vatican biography: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/biography/documents/hf_ben-xvi_bio_20050419_short-biography_en.html\n\nWith love in Christ.
434691
does the pope believe in God?
313999
:}\nthe term is Latin and means "Vicar of the Son of God." the fact that it has numerological equivalent of 666 has been made much of.\nIt was apparently a title applied to Peter, but to no subsequent pope, who were referred to as vicars of peter.\n\nAnti catholic interest have made much of the numerical equivalent.
1159981
The Pope doesn't communicate with God, he speaks FOR God.\nHe is inspired by the holy spirit. God guides him and doesn't lead him into error. He can't speak with God, He is just the Universal Christian leader like Peter was, because he is the successor of Peter.
627653
Talk to one of his agents. Since the pope is gods respresentive on earth, and under his guidance the agents are shown. Provided that god is infalliable than the agents appointed by the pope are direct link to god.\n\nIf your protestant prayer works aswell
534050
Where to begin...the Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Patriarch of Rome has universal authority while the Orthodox Church teaches that no bishop has authority outside his diocese.\nThe Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Spirit proceeds in essence from both the Father and the Son and illegitimately changed the creed, while the Orthodox Church teaches that God the Father is the essential source of both the Son and the Holy Spirit.\nThe Roman Catholic Church teaches that we bear the actual guilt for the disobedience of Adam and Ever whereas the Orthodox Church teaches that we suffer the consequences of their disobedience but are ourselves not culpable for it.\nBecause of the RC's teachings on original sin they have made up the doctrine of the immaculate conception, which is not the same thing as the virgin birth, whereby she was born free of the guilt of original sin, or is somehow different than other humans to explain how Mary could be able to give birth to God. Of course they wouldn't need to make the Virgin Mary free of the consequences of Adam and Eve's disobedience if they hadn't construed it the way they had in the first place.\nThe Roman Catholic Church requires preistly celibacy whereas the Orthodox Church allows married priests, only bishops and monks are required to be celibate.\nThe differences go  on and on, these are just some of the essential ones.\nBy the way the difference between the Roman Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church is that the Ukrainian Catholic Church uses the liturgy of the Orthodox Church and has married priests while still being in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and accepting the authority of the Pope. It is an Eastern Rite, or Uniate, church.\nIf you have more questions feel free to ask me. I am Orthodox.
334255
This question is kind of like the one on the proper use of "can I" or "may I." \nJesus was a man, but not one with a sinful nature. Why? Because He was the God-man, God incarnate. He did not think about sin the way we generally do. He loathed it. He "could" have done whatever He wanted to, but He "would" not because it was not in His nature. If it were, He couldn't have saved us, because our sin nature is what necessitated His coming. Go to the source, the Bible:\n\n"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.\nFor we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin" (Hebrews 4:14-15).
37420
Roman Catholics have  add works to there salvation.  The Holy Sacrements are required to do to get to heaven. Plus they believe in purgutary a place where they go to finish cleanses there sins, based on there works on earth the longer or least time there will spend in pur. then they will go to heaven. The pope goes straight to heaven bypassing purgutary. They have strange views about Mary, they lift her name up. She did have favor in God's eyes but thats it she still was a sinner just like all men. I disagree with there doctrine
458142
I don't know where you get your information from.  You have been misinformed.  There are some so called "Catholics" that are misguided, as well as many others.  I was raised and taught in Catholic schools.  Not once, did anyone ever suggest praising statues or worshiping anyone or anything other than (Jesus, Holy Spirit & the Father) Holy trinity = one God.  We believe in offering prayers for loved ones, and we believe that the Staints offer they're prayers for the living.  But if someone was to assume that Catholics are taught to worship anyone or anything other than God, they are sadly mistaken.  Statues, pictures, etc... are reminders of who are good examples of how to live as Christ did.  Just like having pictures of your children.  The pictures are NOT your children, but an image of your children.  you would feed, clothe or talk to the picture.  Being Cathoilic does not mean that you are out of touch with reality.
1085941
it doesn't matter whether peter went to rome or not.  Jesus told peter that he would be the rock that the church would be built upon.  peter then became the leader of the church (which was started before his death;some say the moment that Christ told peter this, others say at pentecost).  according to the roman catholic church and the easter orthodox church, peter is the first pope.\n\nthis argument has been going on for a long time and has to do more with "apostolic succession" which holds that the church is the direct spiritual successor of the beliefs of the apostles.  even more, the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian, Old Catholic, and some Independent Catholic Churches would say that apostolic succession is maintained through the consecration of their bishops in unbroken personal succession back to the apostles.  The problem arises when the great schism occured (when the Church split into the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church each saying that they are the true "One Holy and Apostolic Church).  Each church claimed/claims that their leaders were the true direct spiritual descendant of Peter(wish i could go into detail but time doesn't permit).
447418
Unless a priest has been defrocked, he remains a priest for life - even if he leaves to get married (in this case he would be severely limited in what he is allowed to do, but still a priest).\n\nIf he simply retires he would be addressed as Father.  If he leaves the priesthood (either on his own or is forced) he is simply refered to by his name.
300700
I am not Catholic or Christian but I have great respect for the man. I would argue that he was one of the finest Popes of all time and if all future Popes follow his example the world would be a better place.
1034710
I think it is holy because God approves.  However, it is man who interprets what God approves and disapproves of, so it may be better to say something is holy because man told me God approves.
739872
I never said Catholics aren't Christian, i said Roman Catholicism is not christian.\n\nhere's why: the "Pope" means "father", priests are called "father"\nJesus said "call no man father"\n\nThe bible says over and over and over "you shall have no graven images before me". Yet that church has idols EVERYWHERE.\n\nThe bible says to pray to God, that church says pray to saints.\n\nI could go on and on, but the point is, if you confess Jesus as Lord, and believe God raised him from the dead, you are a christian (romans 10:9)\n\nIf you forbid your priests to marry and command people to abstain from certain foods, your are preaching "doctrines of demons" (1st Timothy 4:1-3)\n\npeace\n\nEDIT: I forgot a biggie - that church teaches the Pope is the head of the body of believers - the bible says Jesus is the head of the church\n\nEDIT2: Nice language in your question by the way. I don't think you are gullible idiots, I think most of you were raised Catholic, and the fear of being excommunicated (another UNbiblical term) keeps some of you from leaving or even questioning. is it bigoted to say, "Your church does not teach what I believe is the truth about my religion, therefore it is not my religion?" No way.\n\nI will ask this: how can you support a church that allowed, even covered up the pedophile priest scandal? How can you support a church that sanctioned the crusades and the Inquisition? I like Catholics, and I think most of them ARE Christians, it's their church leadership and doctrine that I have a problem with.\n\nYOU asked the question, are you interested in my answer? By the thumbs down I have gotten, I think not.
820099
First of all, luminary, the Catholic Church **NEVER** doubted Christ Is the Son Of God. The Catholic Church is the oldest & largest denomination of the Christian faith.\n\n I think you must be mixing Catholicism up with either Judaism or Islam.\n\n Moreover, the Catholic Church--as does Christianity as a whole--teaches that we are all God's kids. Judaism also teaches this, as do most religions(with the exception of Islam). That is why we call God 'Father.'\n\n Christ Is the Son Of God, because He Is God's Only Begotten Son. Christ Pre-existed His Incarnation, & is the Second Person Of the Trinity(3 Persons in the One Godhead).\n\n Yes, I as a Catholic, believe Jesus Christ Is the Son Of God, & its not just because of His Numerous Healings. It is because Of His Virgin Birth, His Bodily Resurrection From the Dead, & because of the fact that Our Father Himself Declared Christ His Son, first during His Baptism by St. John in the wilderness(its in all 4 Gospels), & at the Transfiguration(in the Synoptic Gospels).
530702
Italians call the pope, papa, which also means father, catholic priests are called father, so I quess it does.