San Diego Auxiliary Bishop John Dolan has co-edited a pastoral handbook, "Responding to Suicide," to assist Catholic ministry leaders.
Bishop Dolan's own life story includes the suicide of two siblings, the suicide of one of the spouses of one of his siblings, and an attempted suicide by a third sibling.
"Our goal is to communicate to Catholic leaders that tending to people with a mental illness is not a program a parish can offer, it's an approach, an attitude," said Bishop Dolan in this interview with The Southern Cross. "If pastors have an appreciation for the science of psychology, and not dismiss it in favor of judgement, the way we address people with mental disorders will be better."
The California Conference of Bishops released a pastoral statement on mental health in 2018, calling the "ministering to those who suffer from mental illness is an essential part of the pastoral care of the Church."
A companion workbook for survivors of suicide will be published in January. “Responding to Suicide” is available from Ave Maria Press.
