- Feb 5, 2002
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...and Suicide
The Diocese of Phoenix’s new ministry is part of a larger trend in the Church aimed at providing support for those experiencing mental illness and their families.
When Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix announced the creation of an office for mental-health ministries in his diocese on Sept. 2, the decision wasn’t just pastoral. It was personal.
Born the seventh of nine children in San Diego, Bishop Dolan experienced the tragedy of suicide in his own family several times.
He was only in the eighth grade when his older brother Tom committed suicide at the age of 19 in the mid-1970s. The grief that his family passed through was made worse by the fact that psychological counseling wasn’t common in those days.
“Psychology was considered suspect. People weren’t sure about it. You were supposed to work your own way through things in life, back then,” Bishop Dolan told the Register.
Continued below.
Catholic Response to Mental Health Crisis: Offering a Ray of Hope For Those Suffering in Depression and Suicide
The Diocese of Phoenix’s new ministry is part of a larger trend in the Church aimed at providing support for those experiencing mental illness and their families.
When Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix announced the creation of an office for mental-health ministries in his diocese on Sept. 2, the decision wasn’t just pastoral. It was personal.
Born the seventh of nine children in San Diego, Bishop Dolan experienced the tragedy of suicide in his own family several times.
He was only in the eighth grade when his older brother Tom committed suicide at the age of 19 in the mid-1970s. The grief that his family passed through was made worse by the fact that psychological counseling wasn’t common in those days.
“Psychology was considered suspect. People weren’t sure about it. You were supposed to work your own way through things in life, back then,” Bishop Dolan told the Register.
Continued below.
Catholic Response to Mental Health Crisis: Offering a Ray of Hope For Those Suffering in Depression and Suicide
