You Matter | Your Mental Health Matters | You Are Never Alone
Overview
Our Mental Health Ministry is for everyone. Emotional health and an overall sense of well-being are something we all need, strive for, and work toward. As human beings, we are composed of body, mind, and spirit/soul. “Like Christ, we are called to tend to the whole person – body, mind, and spirit.” (Hope & Healing, A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of California May 2018, pg 7) Therefore, as a parish community, we are called to minister to one another’s physical, spiritual, and mental/emotional needs.
We have launched our Mental Health Ministry with a generous grant from the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. See programs below.
Our ministry is growing in our parish from a call from our California Bishops. Together with the Diocese of San Jose, we are working together to bring you programs that can allow others to accompany you on your mental health and wellness journey.
If you are interested in being part of the Mental Health Ministry team, please contact Catherine Campbell.
Understanding what Mental Health Ministry provides for you
Our parish offers a faith-based Mental Health Ministry (MHM). These ministries are growing throughout our Diocese of San Jose.
We understand all of us have mental health needs and at times it helps to have a companion, a listening and compassionate ear, or someone to guide us to some of the available resources for professional help.
Our parish mental health ministry team consists of trained volunteers who participate in regular informational meetings designed to strengthen their ministry skills. Regardless of our ministers’ backgrounds or professional training, they will not be providing any professional services.
Ministry team members are able to offer:
- A prayerful listening ear. They listen actively and empathetically to confirm they heard the experience of those reaching out for help. They are able to reassure them that they are not alone. They are able to, within the context of the Catholic faith, provide a non-judgmental, safe place for sharing.
- A listing of mental health service agencies and some individual mental health professionals whose services are located geographically near the parish can be provided. In some cases, however, parishes are removed geographically from services, and the offerings may be located outside the parish geographic area. See the resources tab under programs.
- Our MHM team will continue to provide various educational events and group sessions. We are just getting started with this ministry.
We will confidentially (within legal boundaries) and respectfully assist you and/or members of your family within the ministry limits by listening, providing lists of professional resources, and offering classes and/or events to help you.
May God bless you as we journey together to bring Christ’s love and light to families – deepening hope and wellness in this process.
Programs
The Sanctuary Course for Catholics
The Sanctuary Course for Catholics is an eight-session class designed for Catholics, but all are welcome! It includes a rich background and witness from Catholic theologians, pastors, ministers, therapists, families, and individuals. There are videos to watch and a planned lesson for each week which includes readings and discussion questions. Workbooks will be provided. Together we will walk through these topics to help our understanding of mental health, that we are not alone, and that there is a healing path for all.The Mental Health Ministry team is offering The Sanctuary Course as follows:
- 8 Sessions in February to May 2023
- Via Zoom ~ 2nd & 4th Tuesdays from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm – or –
- In-person ~ 2nd & 4th Fridays from 10:15 am to 11:45 am
- Registration has closed for this spring program
- Please email Catherine Campbell if you are interested in a fall Sanctuary Course for Catholics program.
Sanctuary Course Outline
Watch the trailer for The Sanctuary Course for Catholics here.
Sanctuary Session
Number and
DescriptionSt. Nicholas Hall
2nd & 4th Fridays
10:15 – 11:45 amOn Zoom
2nd & 4th Tuesdays
7 – 8:30 pm1 – Introduction
February 10
February 14
2 – Mental Health
February 24
February 28
3 – Mental Illness
March 10
March 14
4 – Stigma
March 24
March 28
5 – Recovery
April 14
April 11
6 – Companionship
April 28
April 25
7 – Self-care
May 12
May 9
8 – The Church
May 26
May 23
Film Contributors:
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- Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB – Archbishop of Vancouver, BC
- Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, STL – Archbishop of Denver, CO
- Helena Orellana, PsyD, LCP – Clinical Psychologist, Director of IPS Center for Psychological Services, Divine Mercy University
- Harvey Payne, PsyD, Academic Dean, Divine Mercy University
- Father David Songy, OFM Cap., STD, PsyD – President and CO, Saint Luke Institute
- Scott Hefelinger, STL, PhD – Assistant Professor of Theology, Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology
- Dr. Chi-Chi Obuaya, MRCPsych, MBA, MBBS – Consultant Psychiatrist, CO-Director of the Mind and Soul Foundation
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While the Sanctuary Course is recommended for group settings, you can do this program on your own as well. Sanctuary is offered on Formed.org and directly through Sanctuary, Mental Health Ministries.
The Sanctuary Course for Catholics includes a rich background, ministry, and witness from Catholic theologians, pastors, ministers, families & individuals and is designed to help me learn about and understand mental health. I acknowledge that neither the Diocese of San Jose nor Sanctuary provides medical, counseling, or crisis services and that participants are electing to participate in a purely educational program. If you experience a mental health crisis, please contact the local emergency services by calling (911) emergency or (988) the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or other similar services.
While all are invited to voluntarily share their own journey and listen to others, there is no expectation that participants answer any questions during the sessions. The program is expected to be a confidential setting for the participants and what is said during the program sessions is not to be, and will not be, shared or repeated with non-participants. The program is presented by volunteer and staff mental health ministers all of whom are there to help accompany and educate participants; the ministers are not acting in any professional mental health capacity.
Participants in the Sanctuary program hold harmless, release and discharge The Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose, a corporation sole, The Roman Catholic Welfare Corporation of San Jose, a non-profit religious corporation sole, the Parish/School, and their respective agents, employees and any parent/volunteer/chaperone, from any and all liability, loss or claims for personal injuries, wrongful death or property damage they may incur as a result of participation in the activity described above.
Hope & Wellness Circle
Our neighboring parish, St. Simon, has a Mental Health Ministry that hosts a drop-in monthly discussion group via Zoom on the 3rd Monday of the month from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm. RSVP here to get the zoom link. All are welcome!
We invite you to be in community with others facing mental health challenges or caring for loved ones who are. Be in a safe, stigma-free, supportive space where you can share your story and struggles. If you have questions, please email hopeandwellness@stsimon.org.
- Film Screenings
- We are currently working to schedule a new screening for Spring 2023
- Past films screened with discussion panels include:
- Workshops
- Art/Visual Journaling Retreat
- Sat, Feb 4th @ 9am-12pm, Simon Room, St. Simon Church
- Offered by St. Simon’s Mental Health Ministry
- Register Here
- Art/Visual Journaling Retreat
- Film Screenings
- Here is a list of resources and help lines for our areas.
- Diocese of San Jose – Mental Health Ministries
- NAMI Santa Clara County
- Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers
- Reflection: I’m Fine, February 2022
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) offers 24/7 call, text, and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. These trained counselors will listen, understand how the person’s problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. The previous Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis.