Archdiocese of Baltimore launches next phase of Mental Health Ministry with upcoming retreat

When Archbishop William E. Lori launched a ministry to address the mental health needs of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2021, he emphasized how important it is for individuals to reach out for help if they are struggling or need someone to talk to.

The next phase in that effort launches May 15 with a free retreat focused on mental health.

Citing the impact of “depression, anxiety, unresolved grief, isolation, marital pressures, substance abuse or just the unaccustomed stress of living in such close quarters with one other” during the pandemic, in 2021 Archbishop Lori convened a steering group of mental health practitioners from parishes and communities to take action. 

The Archdiocese of Baltimore Mental Health Initiative has since provided an array of training opportunities and online resources for parishes and individuals. 

In its first phase, nearly 1,000 people took part in the Archdiocese’s mental health first aid trainings. There were 60 trainings held, with nine in Spanish. More than 150 Catholic school educators were among those certified. Mental health resources were also shared online (www.archbalt.org/help-is-here).

Melissa Freymann, a licensed graduate professional counselor, was an instructor at the mental health first aid trainings and is a leader in the next phase of the archbishop’s initiative. 

“It was a really amazing experience, especially virtually,” she said. “You’d have people from all across the state of Maryland, all with a common concern and desire – priests and religious and laypeople and staff members and teachers – all in the same class.” 

The experience helped Freymann better understand how many needs there are in the community for getting good Catholic mental health care.

The next phase of the campaign launches May 15 with the St. Dymphna Mental Wellness Retreat, an opportunity to learn more about mental health, connect with others and build the foundation for parish ministries focused on mental health. 

“It’s also for people who are looking for support,” Freymann noted. “Maybe they have a loved one with a mental health challenge or they themselves are along the journey and have a mental health challenge. We want to offer support and healing … and let them know that the church is here.” 

Auxiliary Bishop Bruce Lewandowski, C.Ss.R, will celebrate Mass during the retreat.

The free event takes place May 15, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg. Limited transportation for those with advance registration will be provided from Baltimore City and Severna Park. Due to a strong response, spots are limited. The registration deadline is May 1. 

Session tracks for the retreat include a focus on those who have lost loved ones to suicide, those supporting those with mental illness, those with lived experiences with mental illness, and those who want to start a mental health ministry in their parish. The Shrine’s “Seeds of Hope” ministry is a cosponsor of the event.

Yvonne Wenger, director of public relations for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, notes that this work is an opportunity for spiritual accompaniment in the mental health space that will enable up to 200 attendees to “feel a sense of community and support and hopefully find the opportunity for healing.” 

Fighting the Stigma

“Mental health challenges are part of life and we can openly deal with them,” said Deacon Ed Shoener, president of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers and the keynote speaker for the retreat.

After his daughter, Kathleen (“Katie”), died by suicide and her obituary addressing mental health went viral, Deacon Shoener heard from tens of thousands of people whose journeys with mental illnesses made them feel excluded and misunderstood. The stigma around mental illness was an obstacle to their healing and their faith. 

“All too often they thought they weren’t praying enough or getting to Mass enough – that there was something wrong religiously,” he said.

Deacon Shoener joined as a founding member of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. The organization supports mental health ministries across the U.S. and around the world and describes its members as “called to be a healing presence in the lives of people with mental illness and their families.”  

“Almost everyone realizes we need this ministry in the church,” Deacon Shoener said. “It is time to provide this kind of open help and open support – to get rid of the fear and stigma and misunderstanding around mental illness and just live and support each other,” 

With the right support and training, parishioners can be equipped to be fully present with those with mental health challenges. Providing that presence, Deacon Shoener said, is “a way to evangelize. It’s a way to bring Christ into a part of people’s lives they were fully willing to disclose in their parish community. It’s a way to say Christ understands you. … Christ wants to be with you and accompany you as you struggle with these things.” 

The mental health ministries do not take the place of professional diagnostic or treatment plans. Instead they are opportunities for people to connect, feel supported and find room to share their whole selves within their church community. 

Global concern

In remarks to the Second National Conference for Mental Health, Pope Francis encouraged “a renewed sensitivity to those suffering from mental health problems” and overcoming “the stigma with which mental illness has often been branded,” remembering that “those who suffer allow the irrepressible beauty of human dignity to shine forth in their wounded lives.” 

In November 2021, Pope Francis prayed for people with depression. 

“Let us try to be close to those who are exhausted, to those who are desperate, without hope,” he said. “Often, we should just listen in silence, because we cannot go and tell someone, ‘No, life’s not like that. Listen to me, I’ll give you the solution.’” 

In January 2024, a groundbreaking gathering at the Vatican focused on mental health. As reported by Vatican News, the event drew members from across the Catholic faith community to discuss the pressing needs of mental wellbeing, seeking to establish a new ministry in the church. Deacon Shoener took part in that gathering, and his organization has provided pastoral ideas on mental health to support the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. Through the partnership with the network and Click to Pray, the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers directly connects the pope’s prayer intention for the month with mental health needs, offering prayers and blog posts.

In the U.S., other archdioceses and dioceses are also making mental health a priority. Among them is a robust response in the Diocese of Phoenix, led by Bishop John Dolan who himself has experienced the impact of mental illness in his family. 

The support for those facing mental health challenges and for those who care for them is part of the archdiocese’s call to community. 

“In order for us to create thriving parish communities, we need to be meeting the needs of those who come to the parish,” Wenger said. “One way to do that is through a mental health ministry, recognizing it is an acute challenge always, but especially of our day.”

Deacon Shoener noted that  many saints and martyrs struggled with mental health challenges. “That was clearly no impediment to God in helping people live lives of holiness,” he said.  

Registration

St. Dymphna Mental Wellness Retreat
May 15, 2024
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
339 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD, 21727
https://setonshrine.org/

Register by May 1 to guarantee meals and retreat packet 

To register: https://archbalt.regfox.com/st-dymphna-mental-wellness-retreat

(Note: Due to a strong response, spaces are now limited.)

Limited bus service available to transport participants with advanced registration from St. John the Evangelist, 689 Ritchie Hwy., Severna Park, MD 21146; and St. Matthew, 5401 Loch Raven Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21239.

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