Aftermath

The other reason could be that the priest was blessed, broken and given up for all of us and so a hurricane, no matter how strong, is just not that big of a deal.

If I was an episcopal priest I would need counseling, too.

The ordination of Gene Robinson probably gave a lot of 'em PTSD.

Though I understand your meaning, I have to disagree with your choice of wording. To say that it wasn't a big deal is to lessen the valiant efforts and saintly charity expressed by the priests who stayed here during the storm. Both of the priests in my parish here in Kenner stayed and ministered to refugees at the airport as well as offering daily masses two days after Katrina struck. The auxiliary bishop, assisted by several seminarians and the rector of the seminary, guarded and affected stop-gap repairs to that facility before the floodwaters finally forced them to be evacuated by boat. The auxiliary bishops reward was to watch his residence and all his belongings burn to the ground. One priest I know, spent days in a boat rescuing people in his parish in downtown NO. Now, it's true, that our priests are consecrated to the service of the people of God, but to say that what they experienced wasn't a big deal is just plain wrong, after all, priests are human beings too. I thank the Lord every day for my priests, for their courage, their service, their humility. Please forgive me if I've offended.

And here I thought it was because the sacrament of confession covers 99% of counselling needs.

As a priest and as someone who specializes in this type of treatment and disorder I find some of the comments insulting. PTSD has nothing to do with what denomination you are or confession. I know of many RC priests that face the same issues. When you see dead bodies in the water and your church destroyed all the confession in the world will not make those images go away. I will ask your forgivness if you take offense from my words. But, please think about what you write and have some compassion!

My apologies.

With all due respect Father, and I certainly don't mean to insult any priest who does need counseling, but Carl Jung himself would strongly support the notion that confession helps with such things. He practiced in a 99% Catholic country, and only 1% of his patients were Catholic. While it can be insulting to dismiss the need of counseling for those who need it, it is even less becoming for a priest to downgrade the power of Confession and sacraments. Being in the one true Church and partaking in sacraments can and certainly do help maintain mental health.

My apologies for a naive, hasty, and insulting analysis of the situation, Fr Peter.

Does this mean that you agree with the sentiment that the reason that priests do not report unusual counseling needs is their lack of wife and children? Or do you have another explanation?

We don't know enough about the situation to speculate.

I wonder how the people who survived Hugo,Andrew, Rita, and Isabelle feel right now? They must wonder why they didn't get two years worth of overwrought news stories.... In other words, isn't it time to stop obsessing about Katrina?

"In other words, isn't it time to stop obsessing about Katrina?"
The damage done will outlive the media presentations by decades, most probably. I think it is good to keep this in the news. We, as a society, forget too quickly. The next disaster will wipe out a prior when when people are still in great need of assistance.

"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it..."
George Santayana

I wonder how the people who survived Hugo,Andrew, Rita, and Isabelle feel right now?

Dear Dymphna, maybe I can tell you. I am a survivor of Katrina, Rita, and Andrew. My brother survived Hugo. We have ridden out more hurricanes than we can remember, but Katrina is different. As has already been mentioned, its effects will linger for decades, well after I'm dead. You are tired of hearing about Katrina and ready to move on. I assure you, so are we -- but unlike you, we can't.