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May 10, 2018
California Catholic Conference
In a new pastoral letter, California’s Catholic bishops lament the “heartbreaking prevalence of mental illness in our society and the dire need to move past stigmatization toward ministry and care” and for closer ties between faith and medicine.
The document “Hope and Healing: A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of California on Caring for those who Suffer from Mental Illness Addressed to All Catholics and People of Goodwill,” was released May 2, marking Mental Health Awareness Month.
“Persons with mental illness often suffer in silence, hidden and unrecognized by others,” the bishops said. “Consider this stark contrast: A person with a medical illness – such as cancer – will usually receive an outpouring of sympathy and support from their parish and community; a person diagnosed with a mental illness – such as depression, crippling anxiety, or bipolar disorder – frequently experiences isolation and inadequate support, often because of the unjust social stigma of mental illness. This should not be so in our civic communities, and cannot be so in our Catholic communities.”
The statement examines several facets of mental health including the current opioid crisis, suicide and addiction, and embraces the bond between science and religion.
“It is time now to build bridges between science and religion, health care and pastoral care. Clergy and health care professionals, families and mental health advocates should work together to encourage a “both-and,” rather than “either-or” approach to psychological and spiritual healing. We welcome and encourage advances in science and medicine,” the bishops said.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five adults in the U.S. suffered from a mental disorder over the past year and nearly 10 million American adults (one in 25) have a mental illness that is severe enough to cause serious functional impairment. Fully 20 percent of adolescents currently have, or previously had, a seriously debilitating mental disorder.
In “Hope and Healing,” the California bishops seek to get past the stigmas associated with mental health and eradicate the fear of engaging and interacting with those with a mental illness.
“We Christians have to get to know people, to befriend them, to listen generously to them, to walk with them,” the bishops said. “This is not because we have all the answers to their problems or can cure all of their afflictions, but simply because these encounters – these small acts of love and compassion, understanding, and friendship – are precisely what people need most.”
UC Irvine psychiatry professor Dr. Aaron Kheriaty reflected on the document in an extended interview with Valerie Schmalz, director of the Office of Human Life and Dignity at the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
“I believe this document is a unique contribution toward overcoming unjust stigma around mental health,” he said. “It’s the first document from American bishops, that I am aware of, that addresses this issue directly. I anticipate this statement from the bishops will provide consolation to many Catholics who suffer from mental illness, as well as their families who struggle to care for them. It is important that these members of the church feel that their experiences are understood by our pastors, that their unique forms of suffering matter, and that Catholics are committed to walking in solidarity with them.”
For those who are interested in seeking guidance, the document includes a list of mental health resources available in every archdiocese and diocese in California. The complete document is available at www.cacatholic.org/resources/mental-health. Visit www.sfarch.org/mental-health for a list of mental health resources including a link to the full text of the interview with Dr. Kheriaty, which may be downloaded as a PDF.
Catholic San Francisco contributed.