It's not just clinical depression, its total burnout. The priest's greatest privilege is to celebrate Mass and reconcile people, journey with them through life's ups and downs, and become both sign and symbol of the continuing presence of Jesus on earth. But bishops are lighting candles at both ends, breathing down their necks to always do more, adopt this and that new program, serve on endless committees and worst of all, live alone and isolated in rectories built for a previous age. Then some bishops move them around every 5 or 6 years, just to keep them from becoming too attached to their community. How will this insane treatment help to make priests happy servants of the people? In our local deanery, the priests now have little in common and meet together infrequently. They have no social life and no friendship support through their ministerial lives. Just Lone Rangers, and out of silver bullets.