The Year of the Priest: June 2009 – June 2010

In recent years, studies have shown how happy priests are. The Presbyterian sociologist Dean Hoge:

“the level of happiness among Catholic priests is fairly high”.

In 2001, 88% said they would choose priesthood again. The Catholic sociologist Fr Greeley wrote in 2004

“priests score higher on measures of satisfaction than do doctors, lawyers, faculty members and Protestant ministers”.

92% said they would choose priesthood again.

These professional studies show that priests are not ‘unfulfilled emotional wrecks’ as sometimes portrayed.
Hoge listed three top personal problems for priests: low authority exercised in the church, too much work and thirdly unrealistic expectations by lay people.

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