April 7, 2025 // Diocese

‘There Is Hope’ amid Mental Illness

Clare Hildebrandt

Reporter

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Hosts Mental Health Awareness Night 

“Sometimes, those who suffer or have suffered from mental illness have trouble with trusting,” said Kerry Cervoni, a leader of the Sacred Heart Unbound Prayer Ministry at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Fort Wayne.

“It is a natural thing to protect ourselves if we’ve been hurt before, but if we keep this protection up all the time, we keep even the good things out – good things God has in store for us.”

On Wednesday, March 19, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton hosted a mental health awareness night, inviting officials from a variety of organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Catholic Charities, and St. Dymphna’s Refuge to speak to those in attendance.

The night’s aim was to encourage those who suffer mentally to open their hearts to the comfort and love of God. The event touched on how to best help someone with mental illness. A recurring concept was to simply listen and accompany those who are suffering on their journey of healing.

The event was led by Cervoni, who, as an active parishioner in the diocese, saw a need for greater mental health awareness in the Church.

Cervoni organized a night dedicated to discovering different sources of hope for those suffering with mental illness, all incorporating faith.

“This really was born from a place of just wanting to do more for those who have mental illness in general,” Cervoni told Today’s Catholic.  

Watching a loved one suffer inspired her greater outreach.

“My cousin suffered from mental illness for many years. It was hard to know how to help her, and oftentimes, she did not respond to the help I offered. When she took her own life, there were just so many questions,” Cervoni said.

“Often, Catholics with mental illness feel different and unattended to. It’s easy for them to isolate and become closed off. That’s why we planned a night like this, so we can be educated in how to help and to share hope in healing that is to come,” Cervoni explained.

She added: “Abandonment, shame, betrayal, rejection, self-condemnation are all things those suffering from mental illness may feel. But there is hope, and there is healing and greater understanding in the Lord. We’re here tonight to witness to that hope and to say, ‘You are not alone anymore.’”

Cervoni also assists with the Unbound prayer ministry at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. She credits the ministry with healing her own “memories – traumatic memories – by bringing them to Christ.”

“Having my own experience of trauma as a little girl and suffering through depression, I wanted to numb out,” Cervoni said. “I wanted to numb all these feelings. I went to counseling, which helped, but didn’t receive full restoration until I invited Jesus into my pain through prayer,” she said.

“In the prayer ministry, we accompany those who are suffering on their journey of healing through prayer. I encourage all to open themselves in this way. We do individual prayer sessions that all can sign up for.”

In addition to the testimonies to the prayer ministry, officials with the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) gave a presentation titled “Bridges to Hope.” The organization aims to educate the masses on how to approach mental illness.

“Mental illness is common, and it is no one’s fault,” said Marilyn Marchionni, a volunteer for NAMI. “They’re biological disorders. Treatment and support are necessary for healing. … And [mental health struggles] can create deep feelings of isolation, including spiritual isolation. Community – and especially faith community – is a lifeline for many. We must aim to make these stigma free so we can refer those who are struggling to these communities,” added Lisa Ganaway, another volunteer.

NAMI serves as an informational hub for mental health resources. Emergency phone numbers, support groups, and fact sheets are all listed on their website, nami.org.

Holly Rothenbush, a certified therapist, testified to the power of prayer and faith for those who suffer from mental health issues. Alongside counseling and medication, she said that “prayer leads to healing.”

“It is beautiful as a counselor to see what happens when we invite Jesus into situations,” Rothenbush said. “We can invite Him into painful memories and see things begin to shift. It is amazing. I’ve seen more progress in patients when embracing prayer than ever before.”

Last, St. Dymphna’s Refuge, a support group for mental illness based at St. Therese Catholic Church in Fort Wayne, sent speaker Kris Lill to the event.

“At St. Dymphna’s group, we have personal connection,” Lill said. “We meet once a month, on the third Monday of every month,” she explained.

“We recognized the need for just some kind of ministry that would support people in their mental health journeys, whether that be as a caretaker or someone who was suffering from anxiety and depression themselves.”

“We’re not therapists, counselors, or professionals in mental health,” Lill said. “We’re simply fellow humans on the journey.”

With so many resources and helping hands, those who struggle do not have to just “cope.”

“Christ wants to give abundant life,” Cervoni concluded. “We don’t need to just cope, because we have hope. We have hope in Jesus Christ who is our savior and our help.”

Clare Hildebrandt is a staff writer for Today’s Catholic.