This brings so much confusion to some of the Catholic members and was used by the protestants to condemn Catholic teaching, for they seen this practice as unbiblical
This question refers to Jesus’s teaching found in the Gospel of St. Matthew, when He said, “Do not call anyone on earth your father. Only One is your Father, the One in heaven” (Mt 23:9). Taken literally, we would have to wonder why we do use this title “Father” when Jesus seems to forbid it.
First, we must remember the context of the passage
Jesus is addressing the hypocrisy of the scribes and the PHARISEES— the learned religious leaders of Judaism. Our Lord castigates them for not providing a good example; for creating onerous spiritual burdens for others with their various rules and regulations; for being haughty in exercising their office; and for promoting themselves by looking for places of honor, seeking marks of respect and wearing ostentatious symbols. Basically, the scribes and the Pharisees had forgotten that they were called to serve the Lord and those entrusted to their care with humility and a generous spirit.
Given that context, Jesus says not to call anyone on earth by the title “Rabbi,” “Father,” or “teacher,” in the sense of arrogating to oneself an authority that rests with God and of forgetting the responsibility of the title. No one must ever take the place, or usurp the privileges and respect that belong to the heavenly Father.
This hyperbolic (exaggerated) language is used to emphasize how far the Jewish authorities had fallen astray from their faith by arrogating to themselves paramount power, forgetting that God was their true teacher and father figure. This is reinforced when Jesus says: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness.” (Matthew 23:23)
As Jesus said, only the heavenly Father is the true Father, and only the Messiah is the true teacher and rabbi. In a similar vein, Jesus said, “Whoever loves father or mother, son or daughter, more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Mt 10:37). Because of the authority of the heavenly Father and the respect due to Him, Jesus freely referred to His heavenly Father as “Father,” and taught us to pray the “Our Father” (Mt 6:9-13).
Moreover, our Lord Himself used the title “father” for several characters in His parables the parable of the rich man and the beggar, Lazarus, the rich man, cries out from the depths of Hell, “Father Abraham, have pity on me,” and the usage of the title “father” occurs three times (cf. Lk 16:19-31).
The same is true in the parable of the Prodigal Son: The young prodigal son, upon his return, says, “Father, I have sinned against God and against you” (cf. Lk 15:11-32).
One has to wonder: If Jesus prohibited the use of the title “father,” why does He instruct the people with a parable in which the characters use the title?
Given the way our Lord used the title “father” in so many teaching, including when repeating the fourth commandment.
Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, bear not false witness, do no fraud, HONOUR thy FATHER and mother. (Mark 10:19)
Furthermore, there’s also a precedent in the Bible for those with a special relationship with God being described as father.
Genesis, the first book of the Bible, for example, states that man leaves his father and his mother to be united with his wife, indicating that biological references using the word are permissible.
Likewise, Abraham is referred to as ‘our father’ in the Acts of the Apostles. (Lk. 1:73)
It is very clear that our Lord did not intend to prohibit calling a father by the title “father”; rather, He prohibited misusing the title.
A brief history of why Priests are called as “Father”
Consequently, ST. PETER may well have been addressed as “Father Peter,” in that sense of spiritual father. The likelihood of this address is supported by ST. PAUL who identifies himself as a spiritual father. In writing to the Corinthians, he said, “I am writing you in this way not to shame you but to admonish you as my beloved children. Granted you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you have only one father. It was I who begot you in Christ Jesus through my preaching of the Gospel. I beg you, then, be imitators of me. This is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful son in the Lord” (1 Cor 4:14-17).
Until about the year 400, a bishop was called “father” (“papa”); this title was then restricted solely to addressing the Bishop of Rome, the SUCCESSOR of ST. PETER, and in English was rendered “POPE.”
In an early form of his rule, St. Benedict (d. c. 547) designated the title to spiritual confessors, since they were the guardians of souls. Moreover, the word “ABBOT,” denoting the leader in the faith of the monastic community, is derived from the word ABBA, the Aramaic Hebrew word ‘FATHER’, but in the very familiar sense of “DADDY.”
Later, in the Middle Ages, the term “father” was used to address the mendicant friars — like the Franciscans and Dominicans — since by their preaching, teaching, and charitable works they cared for the spiritual and physical needs of all of God’s children.
In more modern times, the heads of male religious communities or even those who participate in ecumenical councils, such as Vatican II, are given the title “father.” In more modern times, the heads of male religious communities or even those who participate in ecumenical councils, such as Vatican II, are given the title “father.” In the English-speaking world, addressing all priests as “fathers” has become customary
.Priests may be celibate, the words of our Lord to His Apostles ring true: “I give you my word, there is not one who has given up home, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children or property, for me and for the Gospel who will not receive in this present age a hundred times as many homes, brothers and sisters, mothers, children and property — and persecution besides — and in the age to come, everlasting life” (Mk 10:29-30)
Calling Priests ‘fathers’, should have no qualms as through ordination, they establish a special relationship with God.
Sources: FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH