On March 17th and 24th 2024, Fr. Craig Best, pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish Family, commissioned the pilot Mental Wellness Ministry Team. There are a total of fourteen active members and 1 prayer team member. The mission statement for Our Lady of Hope (St. Francis de Sales, Lebanon and St. Philip, Morrow) is: Offering a bridge to hope, Our Lady of Hope’s Mental Wellness Ministry provides Christ-centered accompaniment for those experiencing mental health challenges, their families, and friends. Just as physical ailments and disabilities are part of the normal human experience, so is mental illness. Through God’s mercy, the Mental Wellness Ministry provides a safe space, free of stigma, where everyone can grow in abundant life through education, compassionate listening, and self-care focusing on the mind, body, and spirit.
St. Gregory the Great Family of Parishes (Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cincinnati, Guardian Angels, Cincinnati, and St. John Fisher, Cincinnati) will be commissioned by Fr. Steve Angi on April 7th, 14th, and 28th prior to kicking off their ministry. There are fifteen active members and four prayer team members. St. Gregory the Great Family of parishes is the pilot for Mental Wellness Ministry in the southern portion of the archdiocese.
The Mental Wellness Ministry team meets monthly to pray together, plan events, and discuss training. The teams are required to complete Safe Parish Training, Mental Health First Aid, and training offered through the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers who generously funded this ministry through a $30,000 grant.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and both teams are planning events for their parish family. On May 5th, Our Lady of Hope will celebrate a Mass for Suicide Survivors at St. Francis De Sales 9:00. All are welcome to attend. Flower donations and designation in memory of can be made on Our Lady of Hope website: www.olohparishfamily.org/donate go to “Other” to see the listing.
Mental Wellness Ministry will be expanding to three more parish families in July. The current pilot parish teams will support the new teams through resources and mentoring along with the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers abundant resources.
