What is a “Father” of the Church?

This is a quote from the pertinent part a general forward by Roy J. Deferrari from a collection of pamphlets on the works of the fathers of the church. The Imprimatur for this particular pamphlet is from Henry J. O’Brien, archbishop of Hartford, October 15, 1958, as well as Richard Cardinal Cushing, archbishop of Boston, November 23, 1962.

What is a “Father” of the Church? If you consult the theologians, you will find that they name four requirements which may be summed up as follows:

1.  He must be and author whose works are still extant.  Fathers are important, because they are quoted as authorities in theology.  They are all people who wrote works that can be quoted.  St. Anthony the Hermit, St. Lawrence and St. Sebastian are not Fathers because they left no writings.
2. He must be a Catholic, who lived in communion with the Church, whose writings are correct and orthodox. It is difficult to apply this criterion always.  Exceptions are sometimes made in the case of ancient authors who were learned and prolific and who were in close contact with the Fathers in the Strict sense of the term, even though they have been judged to be heretics.  Among these are Apollinaris of Laodicea (died c. 390) and Tertullian (d. 240).
3. A Father is a person of eminent sanctity as well as learning.  The title “Father” includes and involves the title of saint, but in this respect also a few exceptions exist.  Thus Clement of Alexandria (d. 217) and Origen (d. 245) are not strictly Fathers, because they have not been named saints.  In all other respects, however, they are Fathers, and have made outstanding contributions to the early life of the Church.
4. Antiquity.  The Fathers are the great authorities for ancient tradition.  They are the witnesses of the faith in earlier times and are the great interpreters of Holy Writ.

The period of the Fathers begins at once after that of the Apostles.  It is commonly said that the age of the Fathers ends when the Middle Ages begins, although there is no clear line of demarcation here.  St. Martin of Bracara (d. 580) and St. Isidore of Seville (d. 600 or 601).