This year’s World Mental Health Day, celebrated on October 10th, is on the theme: Dignity in Mental Health. One in four adults and one in ten children are likely to have a mental health problem in any year. The impact on tens of millions of people in the UK can be profound, and can affect relationships, work, or just getting through the day.

Richard Moth, lead bishop for the Catholic Bishops’ Mental Health Project, has said that “all our parish communities are places where people with mental health difficulties seek support, pastoral care, and comfort. People can feel safe in parishes; feel at home, close to God.”

Please pray for those facing mental health challenges, their families and carers.

Mother of tranquillity, Mother of hope,
Our Lady of Mental Peace,
we reach out to you for what is needful in our weakness.
Teach a searching heart that God’s Love is unchanging,
that human love begins and grows by touching God’s Love.
Let your gentle peace be always with us and
help us to bring this same peace into the lives of others.
Our Lady of Mental Peace - Pray for us.

Mental Health and the Christian response: personal reflections from a Catholic layperson

Additional resources can be found at:

http://www.mentalhealthproject.co.uk/ The Mental Health Project has been developed to support the Catholic community further develop pastoral support for mental health. It includes links to many resources including the Mental Health Access Pack.

http://www.mentalhealthaccesspack.org/ Phase 2 of the Mental Health Access Pack will be launched on 10th October.

http://www.mindandsoul.info/ Explores Christianity and Mental Health and has links to many resources on different mental health topics.