By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
VATICAN CITY | Today, The Pope Video for the month of November is being released. It is dedicated to Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention: “Let us pray that those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts might find the support, care and love they need in their community, and be open to the beauty of life.” The video is produced and distributed by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network with the support of the U.S. Diocese of Phoenix, (Arizona) and in collaboration with Vatican Media.
In the words of the prayer read by the Holy Father, “We come to you You this month for all the people who live in darkness and despair, may they always find a community that welcomes them, listens to them, and accompanies them.” He asks the Church – dioceses, parishes, religious congregations, associations of the faithful – to prevent the suffering of those who are desperate, who experience the temptation of taking their own life, which is made even more intolerable by loneliness. Everyone, believers included, “is also vulnerable to sadness without hope.” He asks the Lord to teach us “how to be close with respect and tenderness,” with “an attentive and compassionate heart,” to “offer comfort and support,” and encourages us to seek “the necessary professional help.”
A global problem
Today, suicide is a relevant theme in contemporary society. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, around 720 thousand people take their lives each year. This is a little less than 2 thousand per day. Over half of the suicides (56%) occur prior to the age of 50. It particularly affects those between the ages of 15 and 29. For the latter group, suicide is the third leading cause of death; for youth and young adults, it is the second leading cause. 73% of those who take their own lives live in low- and middle-income countries. However, richer nations are not exempt from this risk: in the United States, for example, the current suicide rate is a third higher than it was in 2000.
The Church: suicide and mental health
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 2280-2283) teaches that suicide contradicts love of self, others, and God. It likewise admits that serious psychological disturbances, anxiety, or fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish personal responsibility. At the same time, it invites us not to despair of the eternal salvation of those who have taken their own life, but to entrust them to God’s mercy and to the community’s prayer.
The general practice of the Church today is to treat very respectfully those who have died by suicide, partly because in recent years, the Church has progressively grown in its attentiveness to mental health, both through prayer and its pastoral care. This is confirmed by the international conference in Rome, which begins tomorrow and is organized by the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (ACMHM) under the patronage of the Pontifical Academy for Life. As Pope Leo’s prayer intention is released, people from all over the world involved in the pastoral care of mental health will gather for three days (November 5-7) in Pius X Hall, located on via dell’Ospedale. They will discuss how the Christian community can accompany people who struggle with mental health issues, depression, and extreme pain, and how to prevent the risk of suicide through listening and proximity. The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network will organize times for them to pray together, and The Pope Video for November, which accompanies the prayer read by Leo XIV, will also be projected.
Phoenix: a diocesan commitment to accompany and prevent
This month’s video was filmed in the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona (USA), which has made mental health a pastoral priority. The diocese has a dedicated Office of Mental Health Ministry that provides safe spaces for listening, offers community training programs, has developed partnerships with local organizations and healthcare providers, celebrates an annual Mass of Remembrance for those who have died by suicide, shares clear guidance on how to help someone in crisis, and leads public campaigns to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
“The Holy Father’s intention this month for those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts, particularly that they will find the support and love they need in their community, is very close to my heart”, comments Bishop John Dolan, Bishop of Phoenix. “I have personally walked the difficult road of suicide loss. I lost my brother, Tom, my sisters, Terese and Mary, and my brother-in-law, Joe, to death by suicide. There are certain wounds and mysteries that we cannot comprehend. And yet, we hope! We trust in a loving Father who holds our loved ones near, and we turn to one another, walking forward together as companions on the journey. If you feel broken, if you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, know that you are deeply loved and the Church is here for you. You are not alone.”
Listening and prayer
“The theme of preventing suicide,” states Father Cristóbal Fones, S.J., the International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, deeply challenges the Church. This is not the first time that a prayer intention highlights the fragility of mental health: in November 2021, Pope Francis asked for prayers for people who suffer from depression; and in April 2020, for those who struggle with addiction. He reminded us that the Christian community is called to take care of interior wounds, too. Pope Leo XIV confirms this and is relaunching this path. He has already indicated that in October 2026, there will be a specific focus on the pastoral care of mental health. This is a sign of his attentiveness regarding this crucial theme for today’s society.
“In November’s prayer, the Pope emphasizes that we are all ‘vulnerable.’ It encompasses every person, including religious and consecrated persons. Our human hearts, just like the Heart of Jesus, are not immune to being wounded and suffering. No one is exempt from the darkness of desperation. This is why the Christian community must become a welcoming place, a place of healing, where those who suffer feel at home.
“The Church is not a substitute for healthcare professionals – psychologists, doctors, therapists. It can carry out an important role by offering proximity, listening, and hope. We can learn in our parishes and dioceses about the types of lifestyles we can construct to promote prevention: reaching out to those who suffer, comforting those who are sad, taking care of each other, sharing the hope that inspires us. This is why the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network has mental health particularly at heart. Each month on the Click To Pray App, we dedicate a day to pray especially for this intention, to support those who are going through a particularly vulnerable time.”
Finally, within the context of the Holy Year 2025, The Pope Video acquires special relevance, since it allows us to learn about the prayer intentions the Pope holds in his heart. To properly receive the graces of the Jubilee indulgence, it is necessary to pray for the Pope’s intentions.
