University of San Diego Magazine 75th Anniversary 2024

FAITH IN ACTION

By Steven Covella W GRASSROOTS From to the Vatican endell Callahan, PhD, might have thought the image Photo shopped, if he hadn’t flown

halfway around the world himself. The photograph showed his colleague handing Pope Francis a book with Callahan’s name on it. The moment was surreal for Callahan — not just because of what it meant to him personally but also what it could signal for the future of the Church. Callahan was among those invited to the Vatican in January for a conference to discuss mental health and the role the Church can play in helping those who are struggling. That’s the subject of the book that was gifted to the pope – Catholic Mental Health Ministry: Guidelines for Implementation , 2nd edition, co-edited by Callahan and Priscilla Martinez ’23 (MA), a former graduate assistant and local school-based mental health counselor. The book had a number of other USD contributors, including Callahan’s former students Liberty Hebron ’07 (BA), ’14 (MA) and Alissa Willmerdinger ’19 (MA), and USD alumnus Bishop John Dolan ’85 (BA). Catholic Mental Health Ministry is a collection of research and

said. “Mental health ministry is meant to focus on reducing stigma around mental health and getting people to feel included in the parish or in their religious community.” Callahan, a clinical psychologist and practicing Catholic, studied and implemented mental health ministry, but he wanted to amplify the message. In 2021, he partnered with USD’s Professional and Continuing Education division to offer online courses to train people everywhere. While he says the movement is inherently grassroots, Callahan felt validated by his recent trip, where the Vatican hosted experts from around the world to discuss mental health ministry. Some of the attendees had even taken the online course. “I think there was an aspect of the meeting itself that it was the first time we brought people together on this topic. And the idea that the Vatican sponsored this, I think that’s significant and that really gave me pause,” Callahan said. “Because it wasn’t just us here at USD. There is now support for mental health ministry from the highest levels of the Church.” Callahan says the work being done on mental health ministry plays an important role at USD, a Catholic institution inspired by the Ladauto Si’ encyclical On Care for Our Common Home. While it’s often tied to addressing environmental issues, Callahan says mental health ministry plays a substantial role in strengthening and empowering the communities we call home. “It’s human development, not just on an intrapersonal level, it’s community and societal development. It’s care for our common home. It’s all of that,” Callahan said. “I think there’s some momentum here. And so I believe we’re going to see more of this.” •

resources that creates new guidelines for clergy members and parishioners to handle mental health discussions and programming. Training can range from knowing how to approach and talk to someone suffering from something as severe as schizophrenia to creating a space where people can feel safe opening up. Then, when necessary, connecting an individual with the resources or professional treatment they may need. Callahan is the executive director of USD’s Catholic Institute for Mental Health Ministry, housed in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences. As society becomes more aware and accepting of mental health issues, Callahan believes parishes need to become better versed in how to discuss those issues and help people who are struggling. “Something that I’ve really come to learn is that there’s a lot of folks that are sitting in parishes and in pews struggling with something … and they’re hesitant to come forward for a number of reasons,” Callahan

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