What happened to those voices that did the initial work of raising mental health awareness in the Church? Stories of what it feels like to be discriminated against are not heard because those who are affected are shunned when they want to tell about their pain.

No one listens anymore. Why do the powers that be no longer give them a chance to be heard?

“It’s not part of our mandate,” is the answer we hear time and again. We do not have time to hear from them. Our focus has to be on those who give them support.

We can learn from Mother Teresa who worked among the poor and the sick, becoming as one with them so that she could understand their needs. It’s only when we suffer ourselves that we will be able to understand and speak about the suffering of others.

marja