Catholic Diocesan and Religious Priests’ Perceptions of Social Support from Their Fellow Priests, Bishops, and Religious Superiors

Abstract

In the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis in 2002, the Catholic Church underwent a tectonic shift that affected the well-being of priests and the relationship between bishops and priests. The present study aims to understand how Catholic priests perceive social support from both their fellow priests and their episcopal leaders nearly 20 years after the crisis’ wake as it could potentially have significant implications for the well-being of priests. The data gathered for this article is from in-depth interviews with U.S. Catholic priests ( N = 104) including both diocesan ( n = 70) and religious priests ( n = 34). This article explores the question “How do Catholic diocesan and religious priests perceive support, or lack thereof, from their fellow priests and their bishop or superior?” Our analysis examines the presence as well as absence of vertical and horizontal support among diocesan and religious priests. By further understanding how priests experience social support from those in their organization, we can cultivate better avenues of support for Catholic priests that are specific to their needs and desires which could potentially improve their overall well-being. Some practical implications of this study are discussed which could help aid Catholic leaders and formators in nurturing these kinds of support structures.