The Church holds special role in helping those with mental illness
June 6, 2025 at 12:20 p.m.
In the effort to assist those with mental illness, there is value in supporting treatment through ministry, recognizing that those who suffer possess a dignity rooted in their creation in the image and likeness of God.
That was the message recently shared by Deacon Ed Shoener of the Diocese of Scranton, Pa., who is the founder and president of the International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. Deacon Shoener was keynote speaker May 7 at a daylong retreat for those who minister to individuals and families in pastoral settings. Hosted by the diocesan Office of Pastoral Life and Mission, the gathering drew about 100 priests, deacons and laypersons who work or volunteer in Church social ministries.
“Ministering to people with mental illness is an integral part of the Church,” he said.
The retreat included a Mass celebrated by Father William Lago, pastor of St. Denis Parish, Manasquan, who encouraged attendees to take their cause to God.
He said in his homily, “God gives us the grace we need as we continue to learn more about those different areas of ministry, particularly in mental health. We pray we become the instruments through the power of the Holy Spirit and continue that mission as God calls us.”
Treatment vs. Ministry
Deacon Shoener explained the difference between mental health ministry and mental health treatment.
“Treatment takes care of the mind and body by dealing with diagnosis; looks at symptoms, medical and physical conditions; prescribes medications, therapy; and helps people live better lives,” he said.
“Mental health ministry fills in the gap,” he said. “We provide accompaniment, spiritual and social support, and recommend spiritual support groups, where people can talk about their mental health challenges with people who understand what they are going through.”
“It’s faith-based spiritual,” he said. “Doctors try to take symptoms away; this ministry tries to infuse in people with mental health challenges the love of God and the support you can only find from God.”
Fighting the stigma
Deacon Ed Shoener was the keynote speaker of a retreat for persons ministering to individuals and families in pastoral settings in the Diocese. His topic was "Holding Onto Hope: Supporting Mental Health with Pastoral Care. Mary Stadnyk photo
Deacon Shoener’s own daughter, Katie, committed suicide in 2016. Her death was attributed to bipolar disorder and, while talking about Katie’s death is something he never gets used to, Deacon Shoener said he believes that the Holy Spirit has created something good out of a tragic situation. He founded the CMHM in 2019 and has traveled the world sharing messages and information on how faith can lead to healing for those who suffer from mental illness or mental health problems. The association offers parishes training, resources and connections to provide meaningful support to people with mental illness.
His work has included co-authoring two books with Bishop John P. Dolan of Phoenix: “When a Loved One Dies by Suicide” and “Responding to Suicide: A Pastoral Handbook for Catholic Leaders.” Bishop Dolan has lost four family members to suicide.
Deacon Shoener spoke of the need to combat the stigma of mental illness and mentioned prominent Church leaders who openly shared the difficulties they experienced with their own mental health, including anxiety, depression and alcoholism. The late Pope Francis, for example, had spoken about dealing with bouts of anxiety.
“Mental health issues can affect just about anyone,” he said. “No one is immune.”
PARISH CONNECTIONS
Carol Jamieson of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Farmingdale, said the retreat was a reminder that mental well-being is crucial to holistic health and affects all areas of parish life and ministry.
“Engaging in a gathering like this deepens our awareness, strengthens our compassion and better prepares us to accompany others through mental health difficulties with both spiritual and practical tools,” Jamieson said.
She added that being able to identify signs of emotional and mental strain, respond with compassion and appropriately refer individuals to professional care “strengthens my ability to minister with confidence and sensitivity, especially when someone shares their inner struggle.”
Deacon Joe Sbarra of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown, appreciated the affirmation that every human person has dignity and that “a person is NOT their disease.”
“That deeply resonated with me, because it challenges a common, yet harmful way of labeling individuals by their mental health conditions,” he said. “In society, we often reduce people to their diagnoses, saying things like ‘he’s schizophrenic” or ‘she’s bipolar.’ But we don’t do the same with physical illnesses. We don’t say, ‘she is cancer’ or ‘he is diabetes.”
“The keynote helped me to realize how much we need to shift our language and mindset,” he said.
Father Bill Lago, pastor of St. Denis Parish, Manasquan, celebrated Mass for retreat participants. Mary Stadnyk photoAs a father of six and grandfather of 21, Deacon Robert Pladek of St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, has dealt with a wide range of mental health issues within his family. Those issues, he said, have affected parenting, marriage, relationships, and other social pressures to try drugs or spend countless hours on social media platforms that separate the next generation from traditional social development.
He referred to a Gallup research study released May 8 that reported 75% of “Gen Z” – those born between 1997-2012 – are more anxious, depressed and feel burnout, compared with previous generations. The study reported teens spend an average of 4.8 hours a day glued to social media to shape their identity.
He said each parish should discuss how to incorporate available resources into their ministries.
“Each ministry presents its own mental health-related challenges, and I invite all people of faith to pray that God blesses this important work,” he said.
Terry Ginther, diocesan chancellor and executive director of pastoral life and mission, said the point of the retreat was to begin the process of building understanding of mental health and shaping the attitudes regarding mental illness among ministers
“I believe we will see the impact first in the level of awareness,” such as parishes addressing through prayers of the faithful, bulletin announcements and further interest in training like “mental health first aid,” sensitivity to mental health struggles across the ministries.
“My expectation is that only later we will see parishes work toward establishing dedicated mental health ministries,” she said.
RELATED INFORMATION: How parishes can get started
Deacon Shoener offers the following tips for parishes who want to start a mental health ministry.
Form a mental health ministry team (of at least three team members)
Prepare a simple mental health ministry plan for approval by the pastor
Introduce the Mental Health Ministry to the parish (through pulpit announcements, bulletin announcements)
Offer Parish Mental Health Education programs
Routinely include references to mental health in liturgies (i.e., Prayers of the Faithful)
Make home and psychiatric hospital visits
More information may be found on the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers’ website at catholicmhm.org.
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In the effort to assist those with mental illness, there is value in supporting treatment through ministry, recognizing that those who suffer possess a dignity rooted in their creation in the image and likeness of God.
That was the message recently shared by Deacon Ed Shoener of the Diocese of Scranton, Pa., who is the founder and president of the International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. Deacon Shoener was keynote speaker May 7 at a daylong retreat for those who minister to individuals and families in pastoral settings. Hosted by the diocesan Office of Pastoral Life and Mission, the gathering drew about 100 priests, deacons and laypersons who work or volunteer in Church social ministries.
“Ministering to people with mental illness is an integral part of the Church,” he said.
The retreat included a Mass celebrated by Father William Lago, pastor of St. Denis Parish, Manasquan, who encouraged attendees to take their cause to God.
He said in his homily, “God gives us the grace we need as we continue to learn more about those different areas of ministry, particularly in mental health. We pray we become the instruments through the power of the Holy Spirit and continue that mission as God calls us.”
Treatment vs. Ministry
Deacon Shoener explained the difference between mental health ministry and mental health treatment.
“Treatment takes care of the mind and body by dealing with diagnosis; looks at symptoms, medical and physical conditions; prescribes medications, therapy; and helps people live better lives,” he said.
“Mental health ministry fills in the gap,” he said. “We provide accompaniment, spiritual and social support, and recommend spiritual support groups, where people can talk about their mental health challenges with people who understand what they are going through.”
“It’s faith-based spiritual,” he said. “Doctors try to take symptoms away; this ministry tries to infuse in people with mental health challenges the love of God and the support you can only find from God.”
Fighting the stigma
Deacon Ed Shoener was the keynote speaker of a retreat for persons ministering to individuals and families in pastoral settings in the Diocese. His topic was "Holding Onto Hope: Supporting Mental Health with Pastoral Care. Mary Stadnyk photo
Deacon Shoener’s own daughter, Katie, committed suicide in 2016. Her death was attributed to bipolar disorder and, while talking about Katie’s death is something he never gets used to, Deacon Shoener said he believes that the Holy Spirit has created something good out of a tragic situation. He founded the CMHM in 2019 and has traveled the world sharing messages and information on how faith can lead to healing for those who suffer from mental illness or mental health problems. The association offers parishes training, resources and connections to provide meaningful support to people with mental illness.
His work has included co-authoring two books with Bishop John P. Dolan of Phoenix: “When a Loved One Dies by Suicide” and “Responding to Suicide: A Pastoral Handbook for Catholic Leaders.” Bishop Dolan has lost four family members to suicide.
Deacon Shoener spoke of the need to combat the stigma of mental illness and mentioned prominent Church leaders who openly shared the difficulties they experienced with their own mental health, including anxiety, depression and alcoholism. The late Pope Francis, for example, had spoken about dealing with bouts of anxiety.
“Mental health issues can affect just about anyone,” he said. “No one is immune.”
PARISH CONNECTIONS
Carol Jamieson of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Farmingdale, said the retreat was a reminder that mental well-being is crucial to holistic health and affects all areas of parish life and ministry.
“Engaging in a gathering like this deepens our awareness, strengthens our compassion and better prepares us to accompany others through mental health difficulties with both spiritual and practical tools,” Jamieson said.
She added that being able to identify signs of emotional and mental strain, respond with compassion and appropriately refer individuals to professional care “strengthens my ability to minister with confidence and sensitivity, especially when someone shares their inner struggle.”
Deacon Joe Sbarra of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown, appreciated the affirmation that every human person has dignity and that “a person is NOT their disease.”
“That deeply resonated with me, because it challenges a common, yet harmful way of labeling individuals by their mental health conditions,” he said. “In society, we often reduce people to their diagnoses, saying things like ‘he’s schizophrenic” or ‘she’s bipolar.’ But we don’t do the same with physical illnesses. We don’t say, ‘she is cancer’ or ‘he is diabetes.”
“The keynote helped me to realize how much we need to shift our language and mindset,” he said.
Father Bill Lago, pastor of St. Denis Parish, Manasquan, celebrated Mass for retreat participants. Mary Stadnyk photoAs a father of six and grandfather of 21, Deacon Robert Pladek of St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, has dealt with a wide range of mental health issues within his family. Those issues, he said, have affected parenting, marriage, relationships, and other social pressures to try drugs or spend countless hours on social media platforms that separate the next generation from traditional social development.
He referred to a Gallup research study released May 8 that reported 75% of “Gen Z” – those born between 1997-2012 – are more anxious, depressed and feel burnout, compared with previous generations. The study reported teens spend an average of 4.8 hours a day glued to social media to shape their identity.
He said each parish should discuss how to incorporate available resources into their ministries.
“Each ministry presents its own mental health-related challenges, and I invite all people of faith to pray that God blesses this important work,” he said.
Terry Ginther, diocesan chancellor and executive director of pastoral life and mission, said the point of the retreat was to begin the process of building understanding of mental health and shaping the attitudes regarding mental illness among ministers
“I believe we will see the impact first in the level of awareness,” such as parishes addressing through prayers of the faithful, bulletin announcements and further interest in training like “mental health first aid,” sensitivity to mental health struggles across the ministries.
“My expectation is that only later we will see parishes work toward establishing dedicated mental health ministries,” she said.
RELATED INFORMATION: How parishes can get started
Deacon Shoener offers the following tips for parishes who want to start a mental health ministry.
Form a mental health ministry team (of at least three team members)
Prepare a simple mental health ministry plan for approval by the pastor
Introduce the Mental Health Ministry to the parish (through pulpit announcements, bulletin announcements)
Offer Parish Mental Health Education programs
Routinely include references to mental health in liturgies (i.e., Prayers of the Faithful)
Make home and psychiatric hospital visits
More information may be found on the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers’ website at catholicmhm.org.