September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and Father Dave welcomes back Deacon Ed Shoener to discuss how the Church can best accompany those with mental health issues. Deacon Ed is the president of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, and the co-author of two books with Bishop John Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix, called “When a Loved One Dies by Suicide” and “Responding to Suicide: A Pastoral Handbook for Catholic Leaders.”
Deacon Ed discusses his worldwide travels in support of this growing mental health ministry. “It’s clear that this ministry revolving around mental health is something that the country and the world is ready for. Maybe 20 years ago, this wouldn’t have been possible,” he says. “We’re recognizing the need to do something about [mental health] and the need for God to be in the midst of this.”
LISTEN: Grieving a Loved One’s Loss to Suicide With Bishop John Dolan and Deacon Ed Shoener
The Association seeks to equip parishes to create a mental health ministry for their community, and recently launched a new learning center to aid in this mission. “We’re engaging and talking about suicide, what leads to suicide, and trying to help people from getting to the point where they will die by suicide,” Deacon Ed says. “It’s also about encouraging parishes and dioceses to accompany those of us – and I include myself and pretty much every human being – that deal with a mental health issue of some kind. To invite the Lord into that struggle and invite Christ into this.”
The ministry seeks to let the Church become known as a place that understands and supports those with mental health issues. Deacon Ed says, “It’s about accompaniment and encouraging people to get good mental health care. You can be a good Catholic and still go and get therapy, counseling and [medication].”
They note how our society and the Church have made great progress in understanding these issues, but that there are still many misconceptions. “Part of the ministry is to break down that stigma,” Deacon Ed says. “To educate our parish communities, and encourage priests to preach about mental health and mental illness from the pulpit to try to break down that stigma and encourage people to get the care they need.”
RELATED: Keeping the Faith After Loss: Catholic Resources for Those Affected by Suicide
Earlier this year, the Vatican hosted its first mental health conference, and Deacon Ed shares his experience. He says, “We had a group of people from the various dicasteries or offices in the Vatican come to this conference, giving different reflections on mental health ministry, trying to get the Vatican aware of this ministry and to integrate it into what they do.” He recalls, “Cardinal Czerny called mental health ministry an essential human right, a right that we should have available to us…I think that was an important statement for him to make.”
Deacon Ed lost his daughter Katie to suicide, and reflects on sharing this story at the conference. “You never get used to talking about your daughter who died, but I truly believe God can turn everything to good. Katie was not made to die by suicide…We’re not made to die by suicide, but it happens, and it’s an evil thing that’s brought on by mental illnesses,” he says. “She was a wonderful young woman. You would not, on the surface, [have] ever even thought that she had a mental illness, let alone would die by suicide, but these illnesses are insidious and relentless.”
“She was with us until age 29. I think by talking about her story, it makes the ministry very personal, and many people can relate to Katie’s story,” Deacon Ed continues. “God’s using it to build this ministry, so that’s a wonderful thing. I would trade it all in a second to have Katie back, but it’s wonderful to see that God’s putting it to a good use in overcoming it.”
If you or a loved one is ever experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 988. And consult Suicide Prevention Hotline if you are concerned for yourself or another.