As I have continued my journey of growing in knowledge of psychology and mental health care, I have come across some unexpected resistance from Christians who do not see mental illness as a legitimate struggle, but rather as a weakness of character. This could not be farther from reality. Far from shaming or denigrating those who struggle with their mental health, the Church’s actual position on this issue is one of tender mercy and compassion.
It begins with the Church’s insistence on recognizing the dignity of a person who lives with mental illness. As Pope St. John Paul II so beautifully said, “Christ took all suffering on himself, even mental illness. [...] whoever suffers from mental illness always bears God’s image and likeness in himself, as does every human being. In addition, he always has the inalienable right not only to be considered as an image of God and therefore as a person, but also to be treated as such.”
Although a powerful stigma still persists around mental health care, with some people even believing it is incompatible with a life of faith or Church teaching, nothing could be further from the truth. Our last three popes have spoken openly and frequently about the good gift of mental health care for mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and substance use disorder.
In their recent pastoral letter “Hope and Healing”, the bishops of California address this particular barrier that people of faith sometimes encounter when considering and/or seeking mental health care: “Some Christians harbor suspicions about psychiatry or clinical psychology and question their compatibility with the Catholic faith. [...] However, good science that recognizes the life and dignity of people and the Catholic faith are never at odds. Medical science has discovered many useful treatments to help those with mental illness, and Catholics should welcome and make use of these— including medications, psychotherapy and other medical interventions.”
We are called, as Pope Francis frequently reminds us, to be a Church of accompaniment, walking alongside and engaging whole-heartedly with all who suffer, including those who live with mental health challenges. Speaking here about depression, Pope St. John Paul II calls us to be part of the compassionate care that is extended to our sisters and brothers: “The role of those who care for depressed persons and who do not have a specifically therapeutic task consists above all in helping them to rediscover their self-esteem, confidence in their own abilities, interest in the future, the desire to live. It is therefore important to stretch out a hand to the sick, to make them perceive the tenderness of God, to integrate them into a community of faith and life in which they can feel accepted, understood, supported, respected; in a word, in which they can love and be loved.” [3]
We can also look to the communion of saints to guide us. So many holy women and men have walked the road of mental health challenges before us. St. Benedict Labre struggled with scrupulosity (a religious form of OCD), St. Jane Frances de Chantal with depression, St. Mark Ji Tianxiang with addiction, and there are so many more intercessors who can shine a light for us. There is a devotional that I came across called, No Unlikely Saints: A Mental Health Pilgrimage with Sacred Company that explores the lives and writings of six saints within the context of both Scripture and Catholic theology. I checked online and it was out of stock, but if you can find it, the book is excellent.
In life we all have our crosses that we must bear on our journey towards heaven. Part of what assists us in carrying these crosses is encounter empathy and understanding from others. The Lord and the saints readily accompany us, but to have companionship among the members of our church community that surround us is often the game changer for those who are battling with mental health issues.