Mental health and the Catholic Church: Can we have better conversations?

This week on Jesuitical, Zac and Ashley welcome Meg Kissinger, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence. Meg’s memoir employs her journalistic skills to tell a tale of a Catholic family navigating mental illness. It serves as a great foundation for a profound, personal conversation about faith, tragedy, and trusting in an institution even when people in it have failed you.

They discuss:

• Meg’s family’s experience with mental illness and suicide
• The evolution of the church’s pastoral care for those impacted by suicide
• How community life can help us to have better conversations about mental health

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the recent news that the prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives, Archbishop Sergio Pagano, is retiring—and dishing Vatican secrets on the way out. They then cover the recent controversy over the funeral of activist Cecilia Gentili, which was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York last week.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

What’s on tap?

Coffee—it’s still Lent!

Jesuitical is going on the road in 2024! We hope you’ll join us. And if you’d like Zac and Ashley to come to your city, send us an email at jesuitical@americamedia.org

Feb. 28: Crystal City Marriott Hotel in Arlington, VA Live interview with Cardinal Wilton Gregory on “A Listening Church in a Divided Nation” from 7-8 p.m. Reception to follow from 8-9 p.m. Please RSVP here.

March 18: Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. Live interview with American TV Newscaster Carol Costello. Time and venue TBD.

Links from the show:

• When my siblings died by suicide, the church failed us. Now, it’s finally listening.
• The keeper of the Vatican’s secrets is retiring. Here’s what he wants you to know.
• Cardinal Dolan on St. Pat’s funeral for transgender activist: ‘I think our cathedral acted extraordinarily well’

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