People with mental illnesses and their loved ones can find fellowship, support and a reminder that they are not alone with the help of parish mental health ministries. Such ministries offer spiritual accompaniment for those suffering from mental health challenges and their families, including the stigma and isolation that persist. Several archdiocesan parishes provide such ministries, which offer fellowship and prayer, but not treatment. Mental health is getting more attention recently, said Deacon Tom Lambert. Lambert, who ministers at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish on Belmont Avenue, has been working in the field for 35 years and is chairman of the Chicago chapter of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers and the Chicago Archdiocese Commission on Mental Illness. People are talking more about mental health in general after the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; the top-grossing movie of the year so far, “Inside Out 2,” is an extended look at the struggle of a 13-year-old girl dealing with anxiety; and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops last year started a mental health campaign. It’s a big issue, because it affects many people. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about one in five adults experienced some form of mental illness in 2021, and more than one in 20 experienced severe mental illness. “This isn’t people in isolation,” Lambert said. “This is people who have family. They are affected as well. My daughter has a mental illness, and my wife and I worry each day about what’s going to happen to her.” There is an archdiocese-wide prayer service hosted by the commission online every month, in addition to the meetings and prayer services held by parish mental health ministries, which offer resources and accompaniment as people try to navigate getting help, whether for themselves or for someone they love. “The biggest concern is, where do you get help? The lack of services — to get an appointment with a psychiatrist is three months or more out,” Lambert said. “That’s a big concern. The second biggest is dealing with the stigma. It’s very hard to share that story. You might feel guilty, you might feel shame. … You’re made to feel ‘less than.’ We have to accept people for who they are, and not who we think they should be. This is where the church can do a great job, by welcoming people.” Kelly Martinez helped start one of the newest mental health ministries, at St. Michael Parish in Orland Park, in the fall of 2023. Martinez, the coordinator of religious education at the parish, said she felt she had to do something for people who were struggling. Her youngest brother died by suicide after a long struggle with mental illness more than a decade ago. Then, within a year, she learned that both a religious education parent and a former parishioner had died by suicide. “God just put it on my heart that so many people are suffering,” she said. She brought it to the pastor and discussed it at a parish staff meeting. The pastor referred her to another parishioner who wanted to do the same thing, and shared that many parishioners who seek counsel from the priests at the parish are dealing with mental illness. Martinez connected with Maria Connolly, who helped start the mental health ministry at St. Damian Parish in Oak Forest about seven years ago, still thinking she wanted to do something — not necessarily start a ministry — for people affected by mental illness. Connolly, she said, told her that St. Michael needed to start such a ministry, and helped walk her through it. Now St. Michael hosts a prayer service for people with mental illness once a month. The service includes prayer for the intercession of St. Dymphna, the patron saint of people with mental illness, candle-lighting and an opportunity for participants to pray for loved ones by name, Scripture and a reflection, and then time for sharing. So far, about 20 people come most months, Martinez said. At St. Damian, Connolly said, the mental health ministry takes the form of a support group. While the roster has included as many as 35 people, most meetings have about eight participants, mostly members of a core group who have come to know each other well. The group starts with a prayer, and there is often a speaker or theme, and time for sharing. “We primarily do ‘holy listening,’” Connolly said. “It’s a good label for what most support groups do, a place where people can just speak in confidence.” The three parishes in Arlington Heights, St. Edna, Our Lady of the Wayside and St. James, collaborate on a mental health ministry, according to Tracy Sherva. The team includes about a dozen people, all with different experience and expertise. The ministry has a web page listing resources ranging from phone numbers to call for help in a crisis to lists of Catholic and Christian mental health counselors, hosts a monthly prayer service and organizes presentations on mental health topics for audiences ranging from senior citizens to teenagers and their parents. Sherva said she felt alone when helping a family member deal with a mental illness. People didn’t know what to say, she said. “It’s a ‘no casserole’ illness,” she said. “Stigma is hard. It’s a really tough thing. … They’re almost putting stigma on themselves. We’re here to say, ‘No, you’re not alone. You have God.’ “That’s what we’re called to do, love God, love each other, be there for everyone. I didn’t realize until one of my family members got ill how vital my faith life was to helping me cope and feel whole, feel cared for by God. I was so wrapped up in the problem.” For more information, visit catholicmhm.org/chicago, or email Lambert at [email protected].
Catholic high schools focusing on students’ mental health Reports of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues among teenagers are rising across the United States, and Catholic schools are responding with a variety of strategies, including having therapy dogs visit schools, increasing counseling resources and letting students themselves take the lead in the mental health discussion.
How faith can help with stress caused by pandemic On Aug. 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study showing that more than four in 10 Americans are struggling with mental health issues related to the pandemic. For many Catholics, faith can be a way to help them cope with such challenges, especially during trying times.
Deacon offers ways to cope during COVID-19 shutdown For more than a month, everyone in Illinois has been ordered to stay at home to prevent further spread of COVID-19. While essential workers still engage with others during work hours, most people are at home, isolated, often watching news reports about troubling times and uncertain futures.