Mental health was the focus of Wednesday (April 15) morning’s school assemblies at Seton Catholic Preparatory in Chandler, Ariz., as over 600 students, faculty and staff gathered to hear Bishop John Dolan share his personal experiences of losing four family members to death by suicide — his brother, Tom, when Bishop Dolan was in eighth grade, his sister, Therese, and brother-in-law, Joe, when he was in seminary and his sister, Mary, in 2022 during his first year serving as Bishop of Phoenix.
The bishop emphasized that no one journeys alone and that the Church is here for all who experience mental health struggles. This has been a consistent message since Bishop Dolan established the diocesan Office of Mental Health Ministry in December 2022. He also elaborated on the three pillars of the Office of Mental Health Ministry: accompaniment, education and advocacy.
In addition to speaking at two assemblies, Bishop Dolan gave a blessing to the Hope Squad, Seton’s peer support suicide prevention program that focuses on outreach to increase belonging among the student body. He also met personally with members of the group following the assembly.
“Our goal is to emphasize that our faith and professional mental health care go hand in hand when we are struggling,” said Principal Victor Serna, Ph.D.
“We want students to understand the importance of seeking Jesus in our struggles, and also that our Lord provides community, accompaniment and the gift of clinical knowledge to support us when we are struggling.”
For more information about the Office of Mental Health Ministry, visit dphx.org/mentalhealth/
