- Discipleship Letter – March 2023
Dear Fellow-Parishioner,
“Cura personalis” is Latin for “care for the whole person.” Jesus modeled this kind of love by feeding and healing his followers physically, spiritually, emotionally and psychologically. As missionary disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to respond to the needs of the entire person. The California Bishops and Catholic healthcare systems have thus developed a state-wide initiative entitled, Caring for the Whole Person, encouraging each parish to provide community support and meaningful resources to individuals and families. “The objective of Caring for the Whole Person is to educate, equip and empower each person to make informed decisions for their health and well-being.”
Holy Family’s response to this initiative includes forming a “Mental Wellness Ministry” (made up of volunteers from our parish with a professional background in mental health) as a response to the psychological needs of our parishioners. Statistics have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many of us to suffer from increased anxiety, fear, loneliness, depression, perhaps even grief and sadness (especially if we’ve lost a loved one). While it is true that we are “all in this together,” everyone’s experience of the ongoing pandemic and its consequences is unique. As the Body of Christ, it is our mission to help each other during this difficult time and all of the time. One of our first acts as a Ministry was to put together a survey to our parish, asking what you needed from your church in this regard. Based on your response, we have offered several “Mental Wellness Workshops” which addressed such topics as anxiety, trauma, the definition of mental illness and coping strategies. As well as developing resources and regular information for the Holy Family bulletin and website – https://holyfamily.org/mental-wellness-ministry-and-resources/
Our next event will be a series of workshops this Spring, geared especially toward Young Adults. Please stay tuned for more information about this and other events/resources. For questions about this workshop/ ministry or if you are interested in becoming part of this ministry, please contact Mary Schimmoller at mschimmoller@holyfamily.org or call 626-403-6115. Please note, as of July, 2022 there is a new nationwide suicide prevention hotline- dial 988.
Sincerely,
Holy Family’s Mental Wellness Ministry
