Mary KennyParticipating in church activities provides a great coping mechanism for those with depression, writes Mary Kenny
Not for the first time, an academic study has found that the secret of happiness and cheerfulness for those over 50 is – go to church.
The study involved almost 10,000 people, interviewed over a span of four years, so it was very thorough. It was carried out by the usually left-leaning London School of Economics and subsequently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, so its findings are considered highly reliable and respectable – even if somewhat puzzling to some of the scientists who carried it out.
The outcome of the study was repeated and consistent: church-going combats depression.
Academics
Church-going helps mental health. One of the leading academics involved in the research, Maurice Avendano, concluded that: “The Church appears to play a very important social role in keeping depression at bay and also as a coping mechanism during periods of illness in later life.”
Wrestling with sociological jargon, the report’s authors were baffled as to why it was that church-going generally has a cheering effect.
What really stumped them was that other, secular activities, such as volunteering for charity work – which also involved social engagement – did not have the same impact at all. Indeed, many of those involved in voluntary activity were more stressed and worried.
Measuring whether people were depressed, had suicidal thoughts, problems with sleeping, or other symptoms associated with mental health issues, Avendano et al wondered if, perhaps, people who were cheerful by disposition were more likely to believe in God?
Their reports pondered about the value of “participation” in church activities, the Christian Churches’ ability to impart “belonging”, or other sociological explanations for their findings.
The only explanation that didn’t, it seems, occur to the boffins is St Augustine’s: “Thou hast created us for Thyself, O Lord, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.”
Knock gave hope in time of suffering
Knock is an inspirational place and it’s great to see photos of transatlantic pilgrims arriving at Msgr Horan’s airport. And it was significant to see the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, personally welcoming them. Enda, not the Catholic Church’s greatest friend, is still a Mayoman and obviously he will recognise the tremendous significance of Knock both as a place of Marian devotion and as an important part of Irish history – and thus in our collective awareness.
The apparition at Knock, in 1879, occurred just as a second wave of famine threatened to ripple through the entire west coast. I truly believe that Knock gave the people hope and fortitude at what could have been another terrible time of suffering. The worst was avoided – miraculously.
It’s admirable to note that Peter Sutherland will be on the speaking programme for the Knock Novena. In his public life, naturally, as a former Attorney General and chairman of Goldman Sachs, he has been subjected to criticism – all public servants who make policy decisions must be accountable, and must expect brickbats.
But Mr Sutherland, educated at Gonzaga, is essentially a good guy: he recently spoke out, in Britain, with passion and compassion, about the plight of the migrants and refugees in such dire straits in so many European countries. There is widespread fear, in England, about ‘swarms’ of poor migrants and refugees ‘flooding’ the country. Peter Sutherland reminded us that we are talking about human beings caught up in a pitiful situation, and that Europe has moral responsibilities in this matter.
Catholic schools’ duty to Catholic education
Forgive me if I seem a bit dim, but I just do not understand why some parents object to Catholic schools giving priority to children who are baptised Catholics.
It’s the very core notion of all Trades Descriptions Acts: or, as the famous Ronseal advert puts it, “it does exactly what it says on the tin”. A Catholic school is, primarily, for baptised Catholics. Like a Chinese restaurant serves, primarily, Chinese food. Or a sports club focuses mainly on sport. Or an electricity company’s job is to supply electricity. Or a bakery supplies bread. But, argue atheists or secularists, education is a human right. And a necessity. Well, electricity and bread are pretty much necessities too.
If education is a right, then, yes, choice in schools should be available. The Church authorities are willing to ‘divest’ themselves of some Church-run schools.
So let it happen. As much as is practicable, provide a variety of schools to meet parental choice.
But don’t deprive Catholic schools of their bounden duty to provide a Catholic education for those parents who wish their children to reflect their own values. And thus should give priority to baptised Catholics.
But, I suspect, there is a hidden element in the secular agenda and among those who are now talking about “forced baptisms”. Do they genuinely want more diversity in education, or do they just want to destroy Catholic education?
Perhaps I understand this subject better than I thought…