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Bishops from violence-stricken countries emphasize importance of mental health
During a press conference at the Vatican at the end of the gathering, “A Healing Presence: The Church’s Call to Mental Health Ministry,” several bishops from countries faced with war, violence and poverty insisted on the importance of ministering to those struggling with mental health, echoing also Pope Leo XIV’s October prayer intention.
By Isabella H. de Carvalho
As Pope Leo XIV encouraged everyone to pray for mental health ministry in the month of October, bishops, pastoral workers, academic experts and more gathered at the Vatican for the conference “A Healing Presence: The Church’s Call to Mental Health Ministry,” to discuss how the Church can support and be close to those struggling with their psychological well-being.
The event took place from October 9 to 10 and was organized by the International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (CMHM) in collaboration with the Don Luigi Di Liegro International Foundation – an Italian Catholic association focused on mental health support – and the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. The event was also under the patronage of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life.
“It’s very common for a Catholic parish to give a blanket or bowl of rice to someone in need, because that need is visible,” said Andrea Sarubbi, CMHM’s Director for Outreach, during a press conference held at the Vatican on Saturday, October 10, the last day of the gathering, which also coincides with World Mental Health Day.
“Sometimes needs are more invisible and well-hidden, because people fear stigma and are afraid of sharing. This is why Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month is important.”
The importance of mental health care in Ukraine
In a world torn apart by violence, hunger, poverty and other issues, mental health can be considered by some as less of a priority. However, several bishops from violence-stricken countries present at the press conference insisted on the importance of taking care of people’s psychological well-being and how the Church can help.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, said that 90% of people in Ukraine have witnessed a traumatic event, such as a bomb falling, and 26% of the population has lost someone in their close circle due to the war.
Many people are struggling with issues such as post-traumatic stress. He explained how the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church has encouraged its priests to take training programs on mental health and creating resilience. The archbishop also underlined how the Church works tirelessly to foster relationships, create community and build networks of love and solidarity to remind people they are not alone.
“In all of this death and destruction, there is incredible grace and strength,” he said. “God is at work, and we can be at work. We are not doomed. We are not victims whose fate is cancelled.”
Haiti and Ethiopia: People still need to be accompanied and listened to
Similarly, Auxiliary Bishop Jean-Charles Wismick of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, shared how the Church is training teachers and religious amidst the violence that is plaguing the country. He explained they are forming them in self-care in order for them to be able to also minister and support children, who are continuing to go to school in challenging circumstances.
“We understand that there are many urgent needs in terms of food, medicine, shelter, but this need is also important: to be seen, to be listened to, to be accompanied,” he stressed.
Bishop Tesfasellassie Medhin of Adigrat, in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, was also meant to be connected by video call but was not able to do so because of the conflict situation currently affecting the area.
However, in a video message played during the press conference, he underlined how “mental health ministry is a very crucial tool for Christ’s disciples, be they consecrated, religious, clergy, Christians, indeed human beings.”
“By caring for one another, by showing compassionate accompaniment, we can heal people who are affected by trauma, depression, hopelessness, and social disintegration in our disordered world,” he continued, adding that several youth leaders in his diocese had attended training sessions with the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministry.
Lastly, Father Santosh Dias, National Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India’s Office for Healthcare, also shared the experience of trying to encourage a mental health ministry in India. Although not a war-stricken country, he underlined that in India there is a different obstacle—the stigma and discrimination around mental health.
However, Father Dias explained how they were slowly able to organize regional and national conferences to draw awareness and also published guidelines that were distributed across dioceses and parishes. This, he explained, helped inspire initiatives at the local level.
A growing ministry
Permanent Deacon Ed Shoener, president of the International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (CMHM), who began working in this field after suffering the loss of his daughter Katie due to suicide in 2016, highlighted during the press conference how this ministry continues to gather interest across the world. They now have over 9,000 members in 70 countries.
“It’s clear to me that this is an issue of the times. People are drawn to this issue of mental health and mental illness because it’s amazing to me how quickly this ministry has grown in just several years.”
“A mental health ministry should be one extra aspect of feeding and caring for [others]. I think Jesus could easily have said in Matthew 25:35, when I was depressed, you visited me, you accompanied me,” added Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix, USA, who has lost several family members to suicide and is the chaplain of CMHM.
Andrea Sarubbi and Deacon Ed Shoener
Two formation videos to support mental health ministry
During the press conference, two new video courses were also presented that dioceses, parishes and Catholic organizations can download free of charge to help guide those who minister to people struggling with mental health.
Both were created by the International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. The first course is titled Basic Mental Health Literacy and aims to give people the ability “to speak the language of mental health,” as Deacon Shoener explained. It outlines basic definitions and concepts in this field such as what is stress, what is depression, etc.
The second course, Psychological First Aid, is modelled after physical first aid and thus aims to equip those ministering to people in need with the adequate responses and then offer guidance on how to accompany and direct them to professional care.
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