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Man’s best friend – but not if you’re a priest IT seems
like a perfect match. Man’s best friend and man of the cloth.
However according to new research, dog-owning priests are prone to higher
levels of stress than their secular counterparts.
Dr Christopher Lewis from the Psychology School at the University of Ulster
explained: “Findings show that, although the stress levels of priests
who owned cats stayed the same, those who own a dog are more likely to
suffer from emotional exhaustion. It seems that priests have so much on
their plate already, that owning a dog is the final straw.”
Professor Leslie J Francis, of the University of Wales and co-author of
the study, believes dogs are not the cause of the problem but rather that
it speaks volumes about the stress priests endure in their vocation.
He says it’s time for research into the psychological state of Catholic
priests in Britain and Ireland.
Despite the findings, some priests dismiss the theory. Fr Ned Murphy said:
“Personally I find having a dog very relaxing because it gets you
out for walks and you get to meet other people out walking their dogs.”
He admits to needing a break sometimes however, saying: “At the
same time though, it’s useful to have good friends to take it off
you if you want to go away for a quiet break.”
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