How Pastoral Leaders Can Respond to Suicide

September is National Suicide Awareness Month. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. By its nature, it is sudden, often violent, and frequently comes at the end of a long and difficult struggle with mental illness. Heaped on top of that is the social stigma that comes with both mental illness and suicide. As a result, families who lose a loved one to suicide are very often left in shock and intensely burdened with shame. This suffering cries out for the healing presence of Christ, his Church, and his ministers. Join Most. Rev. John Dolan, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of San Diego, and Deacon Ed Shoener of the Diocese of Scranton—founders of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers—as they reflect on the spiritual insights they have gained after losing loved ones to suicide and discuss the support that pastoral leaders can provide to individuals and communities who are affected by suicide.