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By David Karas, Correspondent
Catholics in the Diocese of Trenton are invited to join faithful around the world in prayer next month in support and recognition of the Church’s mental health outreach.
Pope Leo XIV has designated the month of October as a time for Catholics to pray for mental health ministry, with the goal of helping to overcome stigmas and the discrimination faced by those struggling with mental health issues. On the heels of World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, parishes across the country will also observe National Mental Health Sunday on Oct. 11.
“Let us be mindful of our own mental health and conscious of the struggles experienced by those in our families, workplaces, and Catholic communities,” Bishop Edward J. Burns wrote in a letter inviting participation.
In addition to leading the Diocese of Dallas, Texas, Bishop Burns serves as the chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). “In the words of our Holy Father, may each one of us ‘discover that the love of God is truly healing, that it brings hope’.”
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., reflected on encounters he has had in his priestly ministry with individuals and families impacted by mental health struggles.
“I have listened to stories of depression, anxiety, addiction, and a wide range of mental health challenges,” Bishop O’Connell wrote in a message last September. “These burdens are often carried silently hidden behind smiles, masked by busy lives, and sometimes misunderstood, even by those closest to us.”
The Bishop continued, “These are profoundly human experiences – complex, painful, and real. But they are never beyond the reach of God’s healing love. In fact, such moments call us to become vessels of that love for one another.”
According to the USCCB, Mental Health Sunday “is a way that Catholics in their local parish communities can engage this important issue that impacts millions of people worldwide. From depression and loneliness to behavioral and developmental disabilities, mental health is part of so many families and friendships.”
Parishes are encouraged to participate through activities like integrating mental health into petitions shared during Masses; featuring mental health resources in church vestibules; considering parish-based mental health initiatives; and offering special blessings for caretakers and those involved in mental health work.
The USCCB has also organized its annual Novena for Mental Health, which will begin on Oct. 10 and run through the feast of Saint Luke the Physician on Oct. 18. Each day of the Novena will encourage participants to reflect on a theme related to mental health, or a population significantly affected – all while using a “Pray, Learn, Act” structure.
Together, these observances are all part of the USCCB’s National Catholic Mental Health Campaign – a year-round effort that encourages Catholics to do their part to respond to the nation’s mental health crisis.
To learn more about the Mental Health Sunday, the Novena for Mental Health and the USCCB’s National Catholic Mental Health Campaign, visit www.usccb.org/mental-health.