Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I pray that you and your loved ones are experiencing joy and peace during this Easter season.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we invite you to join us in praying two powerful novenas to St. Dymphna, patron saint of persons with mental illness:
Let us pray for healing, strength, and peace for all those with mental health challenges.
In Christ,
Natalie Morales, M. Ed
Director
Natalie Morales, M. Ed
Director
Each month you will receive a "mental health minute" which will include facts surrounding mental health, as well as, insights from the Catholic Church. You are encouraged to share the information with your parish communities via Narthex monitors, parish Flocknotes, bulletins or simply in conversation.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
There are many misconceptions about disability and awareness months provide us an opportunity to correct misconceptions, to educate our community, and to celebrate persons with disabilities and their God-given gifts.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a great starting point focusing on the language we use:
The National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) also has resources to help, including:
Quotations by Pope Francis about mental illness
Are you interested in bringing a mental health ministry to your parish?
Watch this video trailer to learn more and visit the Association for Catholic Mental Health Ministers website.
For Catholic mental health support, visit the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Be Encouraged website.
Retreats
Opportunity to join Caregivers Retreat via Zoom!
Workshops & Other Opportunities
Teens in grades 5-12, their parents, and adults from the community are welcome to hear talks by Janice Ugarriza, LPC, and Deacon Tim Lynch, MS, on Depression and Anxiety in Youth. Dinner is provided for all attendees.
Location: St. Jude Catholic School, 323 W. Butler Ave. Chalfont, PA 18914
Registration is required by submitting the form at bit.ly/SJYMPTCS . Please contact Ashley Bennett with any questions at abennett@stjudechalfont.org
NAMI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support, education, and advocacy for individuals affected by mental health conditions and their loved ones. They raise awareness, offer resources for individuals and families, provide education, and offer both crisis hotlines and help lines for anyone in need.
Testimonials of local parishioners who have found support through NAMI:
“The NAMI family support groups saved me.” - Lisa, St. Eugene, Primos, PA
"I feel so blessed to have found the Havertown NAMI Family Support Group. The facilitators are excellent and it is a great group of compassionate and caring people. My initial experience with NAMI Mainline was through the Family- to- Family classes in the Spring of 2015, and from there began attending the monthly support group meetings.
Our son was experiencing unusual behavior, had several hospitalizations and we were at a loss at how to help him. These meetings allowed me to talk freely about my feelings without fear of judgement. As a group we share our experiences and I’ve been able to find resources that otherwise I wouldn’t have known are available.
My son is doing very well now and I am so grateful for this group at NAMI who have supported me throughout this journey. It is a wonderful resource for those in need."
- Karen, St. Cornelius Church, Chadds Ford, PA
Connect with your local NAMI:
These events and resources offer valuable support however, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia does not guarantee the effectiveness or appropriateness for any individual's specific needs. These events and resources are not intended to replace professional mental health treatment.