Metro Manila, Philippines – Warning of a growing but often unspoken crisis, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula on Maundy Thursday, April 2, urged priests to confront mental and emotional struggles within the clergy.
Speaking at the Chrism Mass at Manila Cathedral, Advincula cited a recent study that showed a growing number of priests are experiencing psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, burnout, and loneliness.
“This is a concern we cannot ignore anymore, and we have to face it to resolve it,” he said.
He stressed that the first step to healing is recognition, warning that unacknowledged struggles can deepen into resentment and isolation.
“The danger is not that we grow tired, but that we refuse to recognize it,” Advincula said.
He noted that these struggles often show when ministry becomes burdensome, prayer turns routine, and compassion gives way to exhaustion.
“These are not signs that we are failing… they are signs that we are human,” he added.
He urged priests to reconnect with fellow clergy instead of isolating themselves, emphasizing that their vocation is lived in community.
He also called on them to renew their identity as “anointed” and not be defined solely by their workload or fatigue.
The cardinal appealed to the faithful to pray for priests, as the Chrism Mass marks the renewal of their priestly vows and the blessing of oils used in Church sacraments.
“Because what is unrecognized cannot be offered to God, and what is not offered to God cannot be healed,” Advincula said.
