THE greatest source of stress in the lives of Dublin's Catholic priests is the "general church leadership", according to a new survey. The second most important cause of stress is "clergy scandals", while "taking up new appointments" and management of schools" follow.
Stress related to the image of the church and to the media ranked number five and six respectively, while celibacy ranked 11th.
The survey, which was conducted between February and June 1996, was carried out by the Dublin Diocesan Council of Priests, which advises the Archbishop of Dublin.
The council's chairman, Father Dermot Lane, described it as one of the most comprehensive surveys carried out by an Irish diocese. "The silence of the secular priest in Ireland has been broken," he said yesterday.
A questionnaire, with 143 questions and to be filled in anonymously, was sent to 578 priests in the Dublin archdiocese, of whom 323 replied.
Father Michael Breen, who analysed the returned questionnaires, said he felt the stress findings could be related to the time at which the survey was conducted, when publicity surrounding child sex abuse cases involving priests was at its height.
The survey also disclosed that the greatest sources of support that Dublin's priests have is their belief in God, as revealed through the Mass, and their "awareness of the presence of God".
The priests strongly believe there must be greater involvement by the laity in the church, particularly in the development of an adequate lay ministry.
Greater emphasis must also be placed on involving women "in all aspects of responsibility" in the church. Overall they want a much more collaborative church.
If priests are to be withdrawn from current functions because of declining numbers, then they favour dropping their roles in diocesan administration, schools management and teaching. They also favour the closure of Clonliffe College.
Priority should he given to hospital/school/university/prison chaplaincies, as well as to pastoral development renewal and adult catechesis.
One in six priests said life had not turned out as well as he had expected. Generally, the older the priest, the more likely he is to be happy with his lot, while personal stress levels are highest among the 35 to 44 age group.
Welcoming the survey findings, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, said he was "heartened" by what it revealed about the spiritual life of the priests. He felt it was "not easy to interpret what the survey said about stress created by leadership, but he wished to assure the priests that he shared "their stress as only a leader who himself knows the burden of stress is able to do". It was "an important bond between us". He would be "attending care fully" to what the priests see "as desirable in the shaping of diocesan policy".
Father Alan Hilliard, convenor of the subcommittee responsible for the survey, said the Council of Priests would review the effects of the survey findings on an ongoing basis, with June 1998 being seen as the deadline for implementation.
