Saint Luke Institute President Part of USCCB Roundtable on Clergy Mental Health
May 17, 2024 – President & CEO of Saint Luke Institute (SLI), Rev. James Garvey, O.Praem., D.Min., spoke recently about the importance of addressing the many complex factors that influence mental health challenges facing today’s Catholic clergy. His remarks were part of a recorded roundtable discussion sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). In addition to Garvey, the panel included Bishop Edward J. Burns of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life & Youth, Patricia Donoghue, Ph.D. of St. John Vianney Center, and Anthony Isacco, Ph.D., from Chatham University.
Speaking of the need for Catholic clergy to exercise good self-care, Fr. Garvey recognized the importance for priests to be surrounded by supportive people in their lives. “Many priests are living in smaller-sized rectories, often alone. And the isolation that can bring isn’t the best environment for your own self-care,” he said.
In the wide-ranging roundtable conversation, Fr. Garvey also indicated that it is often the case when clergy are beginning mental health treatment, they may recognize a particular emotional or psychological need, but maintain that their spiritual life remains strong and unaffected, even though that is not the case. Garvey noted that a more holistic awareness emerges over the period of treatment which allows for a more grounded look at the way mental health challenges also have physical, emotional and spiritual impacts, intimating at the comprehensive outpatient care provided for clergy and members of religious communities through SLI.
Garvey highlighted the fact that priests and other clergy face many of the same mental health challenges as everyone else, and that they too need various forms of mental health support. “Ordination or consecration is not a vaccination,” he said. He also said that mental health challenges can sometimes emerge quickly in the newly ordained as they take on increasing pastoral demands in the early years of priesthood. They may have not been exposed to the idea of needing a support network, or have not had a structured mental health treatment experience. Such clergy may not realize that caring for their own mental health is like “putting on their own oxygen mask before they can help others” – a phrase used by flight attendants on airplanes, and understood more broadly that if people do not help themselves in a crisis, they will not be able to help others.
Many clergy – as well as the public at large – are still negatively influenced by the unfortunate stigma which surrounds mental health needs, he said. Garvey indicated that the work done caring for priests and religious at SLI goes a long way in helping those they care for overcome the effects of that stigma.
The USCCB roundtable discussion was the second in a series which is part of their National Catholic Mental Health Campaign and was launched in October 2023 as a response to mental health needs in the United States. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
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Saint Luke Institute is an independent, international Catholic education and treatment center dedicated to healthy life and ministry for priests, deacons, religious and all church ministers and leaders. The mission of SLI is to bring the healing ministry of Christ to those they serve through integrated psychological and spiritual treatment and education. SLI provides clinical evaluations to identify and recommend mental health treatment, and affordable comprehensive or traditional outpatient care. The Institute also offers education and spiritual wellness programs and provides candidate assessments for those preparing for seminary, diaconate or religious life. Clinicians and spiritual directors are available to provide on-ground or online workshops and consultations on leadership skill development, mental and spiritual formation for ministry, or navigating organizational change. They conduct wellness and related research and offer modest cost ongoing formation education through live and recorded online seminars through their learning website SLIconnect.org and free resources such as their quarterly newsletter, LukeNotes.
SLI conducts its ministry in harmony with the teachings of the Catholic Church. It is accredited by The Joint Commission, an independent, objective evaluator of health care organizations, and is licensed by the State of Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.