“Last year’s conference focused on bringing a greater awareness about the mental health challenges in our community and building relationships between spiritual leaders and health care professionals,” said Sister Mary Chilee Okoko, DMMM, Director of Life Dignity and Justice for the Diocese and chair of the conference. “This year’s theme was to focus on the spiritual and medical dimensions of specific mental health illnesses and to provide practical help and resources.”
The conference was well received, with over 350 people attending. It covered topics such as depression, dementia, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide prevention and much more. Father Luke Dysinger, OSB, MD, PhD, offered his vast experience as a priest, medical doctor and moral theologian, giving insight on how to become a compassionate minister to those afflicted by dementia.
Fr. Dysinger offered a message that grace that can be found in the midst of suffering, not just for the person with the illness, but also for their caregiver. Susan, a mother of a child who suffered from depression, attended the workshop by Dr. Marisol de Jesus-Perez.
“I wish I had known then that early childhood trauma could have affected my daughter in this way, even much later in her life,” she said. “The speaker provided me with important school and county resources that I didn’t know existed.”
Sister Mary Frances Coleman, RSM, attended the presentation by Dr. Xavier Cagigas on different types of dementia and the challenges care-givers face. His emphasis was from a holistic and humanistic perspective offering purpose and meaning in the midst of the pain.
“I appreciated the greater awareness and sensitivity to those whom I know are suffering from a form of Alzheimer’s or dementia,” said Sr. Coleman. “It gave me a better understanding of the disease.”
Another area of great interest, particularly amongst clergy and psychologists was the conversation about demonic possession by Father Jeffrey Grob, JCD/Phd. The question posed in this workshop was “What is demonic possession and what is the theological and pastoral response in assessing the whole person to determine what is taking place in the person’s life? “ Father Ed Molumby, S.T., attended the workshop and thought the information was incredibly helpful. “Clergy need practical information in this area as well as a resource book that can be used in cases of possible satanic influences.”
This Behavioral Health Conference offered education to help remove the stigma about mental illness and to provide trained pastoral care to those in need. It’s about promoting wellness and health by empowering ministers with concrete help to assist families in our parishes and schools. As Bishop Gerald Barnes said in his message included in the Conference Program: “May our spiritual selves be touched in a way that we enter into a deeper encounter with the gift of mercy which has been bestowed on us by our Merciful Father.” The message throughout the conference was clear; God creates us out of love and as such we have the human need to be loved, the ability to grow in our humanity and to have a sense of belonging in our families and community. It is the Christian message of Hope. Following the insight of a great theologian and philosopher, St. Augustine of Hippo, “Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.” This conference affirmed the human despair of mental illness while providing tangible resources to help transform spiritual leaders into ministers of hope.
Mary Huber is Associate Director of Pro Life Catholic Ministries in the Diocese of San Bernardino.