Thread by @MegHunterKilmer

cw: suicide

Last week I visited the grave of Servant of God Vincent Capodanno, the Grunt Padre, who was a marine chaplain and also worked with people at risk of suicide. That afternoon I visited Servant of God Dorothy Day, a survivor of two suicide attempts.

This was just after the feast of St. Therese, who had suicidal ideations, and just before the feast of Bl. Bartolo Longo, who nearly killed himself because he felt he was too sinful to be saved.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was tempted to suicide as a teenager. St. Ignatius Loyola had the same struggle just after his conversion. St. Mary Magdalen dei Pazzi and many others were plagued by depression and suicidal thoughts throughout their lives.

Mental illness isn't a result of an inadequate prayer life. Your mental health struggles aren't your fault. You can't pray them away any more than you can pray away cancer. Pray, of course, but see a therapist. Take your meds if you need them.

And try to trust that you are deeply loved, by the Father who delights in all that you are, by the Son who suffers alongside you, by the Spirit who strengthens and guides you. You are loved by Our Lady of Sorrows, who understands the anguish you feel.

You are loved by the Saints who struggled as you struggle and by those who loved others who did.

There is nothing to be ashamed of. You're not a bad Catholic if you have PTSD (like St. Alphonsa Muttathupadathu) or OCD (like St. Oscar Romero).

You're not a bad Catholic if you have anxiety or depression or bipolar. You're not a bad Catholic if you have violent urges, against yourself or others. You're a creature beloved by your Creator, and he wants you to get help.