The Public House in Mishawaka could barely fit all the 20- and 30-somethings who came out to the first winter session of Theology on Tap in South Bend on Thursday, January 15. After moving downstairs in order to accommodate the large crowd, Dr. Melanie Williams, director of Diocesan Mental Health Mi nistries for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, spoke about the importance of mental health while drawing upon St. Catherine of Siena’s strong mentality and love of self, which ultimately came from one thing: her love of God. The theme of the series is “Doctors of the Church.” “There is a mental health crisis going on in our country and in our world,” Williams began. A serious topic today, particularly among young people, Williams told the crowd that mental health can be influenced by several things, including biology, trauma, and environmental, social, and psychological factors. Photos by Eileen Bond But as described in her talk, Williams also believes spiritual factors influence mental health as well. For example, habitual sin can leave us feeling heavy and burdened, lessening our capacity to choose virtue over sin. “Mental illness is not a moral failure, but when we engage in habitual sin, it can inhibit our ability to choose the good,” Williams said. This is the same approach Williams uses in her work. “I approach counseling from the perspective of our Catholic faith, that each person has inherent dignity and worth.” During St. Catherine of Siena’s life, in the mid-14th century, when the Black Plague was thriving, there was little understanding of one’s mental health. It was more about the “psychology of the soul” according to Williams. Without the same resources we have today, St. Catherine used her faith and spirituality as her strength. “She really had to lean upon God and others, and God provided the grace for what she needed,” Williams told Today’s Catholic. Calling St. Catherine a role model in holiness and maintaining mental health, Williams stressed that “in her life of penance, she had very good mental health.” Even though she outwardly appeared to be suffering, she internally wrote and spoke of peace and was grounded in her love of God. Known for her role in bringing the papacy back to Rome from Avignon, France, St. Catherine is one of only four women recognized as a Doctor of the Church. Devoting herself to Christ at an early age, she refused her parents’ wishes to marry her off and instead consecrated her virginity to God. Later she became known for her many visions and her reception of the stigmata. In more recent years, St. Catherine has come under scrutiny for her extended fasting, with some scholars debating whether she may have had an eating disorder. While addressing the controversial topic, Williams wanted to be clear: “We do not go back into history and diagnose the saints based on modern terms,” she said. Drawing upon her own experience working with patients who have eating disorders, Williams said the root of the issue is usually dissatisfaction with self. But that’s not what you see in Catherine. Reading from St. Catherine’s writings, Williams stressed that the saint “loved the Lord and had a proper love of self.” Joseph Patus, 23, who attended the session in Mishawaka, was inspired to read more of St. Catherine’s writing after hearing Williams speak as well as hearing excerpts from St. Catherine’s writings. “It was really interesting for her to talk about her life and how it relates to mental health,” Patus said. Calling it a great community event, Patus said he’s been coming to Theology on Tap for a couple years now. “It’s great meeting a lot of good people and seeing familiar faces while getting food and hearing great talks,” he said. “I’ve never heard mental health talked about in that way.” There’s a lot we can do to care for our spirituality and our mental health, Williams told the audience. Besides taking care of ourselves emotionally and physically, other things that can help are staying connected with other people and finding ways to give of ourselves through acts of service. “If someone is experiencing mental or emotional distress today, the Church says you should use the resources that God has provided for us in our day and age,” Williams said about mental health care, “We have a call to use it if we are in distress.” If you are experiencing a mental health issue or crisis, you can explore diocesan resources through Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Learn more at ccfwsb.org/catholic-mental-health-ministries. The post Theology on Tap Opens with Discussion of Mental Health appeared first on Today's Catholic. ...read more read less