…although that’s what the friend who sent it wrote as the header to her email.

Clergy’s weight issues "have more to do with their sense of isolation because there has been a loss of status for clerical professions," she said. "They are in a job without a great deal of respect, the pay is low, and there is a lot of depression among clergy. This is reflected in their bodies."

"Priests live alone and work around the clock," said Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, who sees Catholic priests’ hectic schedules as the force behind some of their weight gain. "They could be at a hospital in the middle of the night and do Mass first thing in the morning. Many of them don’t have time to cook at all."