According to the CDC, more than one in five U.S. adults lives with a mental illness and more than one in five U.S. youths has had a seriously debilitating mental illness at some point.
Mental health issues are on the rise, particularly among children and youth who have been greatly affected by severe loneliness exacerbated by the isolation of the pandemic and prevalence of social media.
Prayer and mental health resources for parishes and dioceses
In response to this growing mental health crisis, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched the National Catholic Mental Health Campaign on October 10, 2023, World Mental Health Day.
The campaign seeks to raise awareness and remove stigma around mental health and began with a Novena for Mental Health. The novena can be prayed at any time during the year. Each day focuses on a certain aspect of mental health or a population that is particularly affected by mental health challenges.
The novena includes a daily prayer related to mental health, educational material and suggestions for how each of us can act to meet mental health challenges and support those who experience them.
The USCCB is also working with the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD), which offers resources to help parishes pastorally respond to those with mental illness. These address mental illness and addiction, treatments and support services, resources to find a local Catholic Charities, suicide prevention, and information about areas where advocacy is needed.
Find local help for mental health challenges
Here in Maryland, the Archdiocese of Baltimore has been very active in promoting mental health awareness and providing resources to support those experiencing a mental health challenge.
In a message to parishioners, Archbishop Lori said, “There should be no stigma in seeking professional counseling in order to obtain assistance with the issues so many of us are facing these days.”
To combat that stigma and to support people experiencing mental health challenges, the archbishop created a workgroup of mental health professionals who have developed a variety of resources. These include a helpline, counseling centers and articles, as well as parish resources and county-specific resources.
The Archdiocese of Washington also provides mental health resources for parishes and individuals. The archdiocesan mental health webpage recognizes that mental illness is unique because it “usually is dependent upon some type of human relationship.”
The resources include a webinar series that covers counseling services, resources and strategies for parishes to develop mental wellness ministries, and how the Catholic faith can be a source of strength for those experiencing mental illness. Also online are pew cards and links to the NCPD and the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers.
A peer support group, The Upper Room PTSD Support Group, is for survivors of trauma, with meetings at St. Patrick Parish Center in Rockville on the final Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m.
Finally, the Diocese of Wilmington has a behavioral health services webpage with resources and services for those with emotional, behavioral or mental health concerns.
Among the options: outpatient counseling services provided by Catholic Charities (with referrals if outpatient counseling will not meet your needs), Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor training and pregnancy counseling.
You make the difference for mental health
By working together, we are able to create a Church that is more aware of and supportive of mental health challenges. Using the resources provided by the USCCB and the dioceses in Maryland is a great way to learn more about the issue and be close to those struggling with mental health challenges.
As Pope Francis reminds us: “Let us try to be close to those who are exhausted, to those who are desperate, without hope.”
By Ryan Gale, a senior at The Catholic University of America, who is interning with the Maryland Catholic Conference this year.