St. Joan’s Ministry
for
Mental Illness
by Danielle Engle
An Idea Marks a Beginning
Ronnie Angelus is an
example of the power of one individual to initiate and promote
positive change. As a parishioner at the St. Joan of Arc Church
(SJA) in South Minneapolis, she knows the power of the collaborative
ministry to promote change. And when one day she witnessed friends’ suffering caused by mental illness, she knew what
changes she wanted. “I didn’t want to see anyone suffer
as I had seen friends suffer when suddenly a traumatic event made
them aware that one of their loved ones was suffering from a mental
illness.” With this discovery, there soon followed the awareness
that “nothing will ever be the same again.”
In November 2004 Angelus
thought it would be good to reach out and support these families.
Together with fellow parishioner Mary Paradis, she spoke with Roseann
Rogers, the Director of Ministries at the SJA. “She [Rogers] is a mover and shaker without the bluster.” Rogers
was instrumental in seeing that the ministry moved forward with the
support of Fathers Jim DeBru-cycker and Jim Cassidy, the staff, and
the Parish Council.
A Gathering of Parishioners
By July 2005 there was
a core group who shared an interest in what is now the SJA Mental
Illness Ministry (MIM). They soon worked out goals and a mission
statement: “To decrease the stigma of mental
illness through education, resources and support.” Looking
back to the early meetings, Rogers said, “Little by little
all those goals are being accomplished.”
Another key player in starting MIM was parishioner Gene Sylvestre,
who helped secure a startup grant offered by the Council of Churches.
MIM used the money to train facilitators to lead two support groups:
one for Pursuers and one for family members. Public speaking training
is also offered for those who want to share their stories with small
parish groups.
The group has also used
another grant to establish a top-notch library. Sylvestre began
this effort by carefully researching the available materials. He
gathered recommended book and video lists from mental health organizations.
He also sought suggestions from parishioners. He then conducted
hours of research cross-referencing the lists to identify the most
highly recommended books and videos. The result is a well cataloged
library now available to the community. As he pointed out the various
offerings on the shelves, Sylvestre said, “For
this whole thing to be useful, it’s not just to get the facts
out. It’s to get the feelings out. I think that a lot of people
know that the only way we’re going to learn is by talking to
people who are mentally ill. That’s when the feelings come
out.”
Monthly Meetings: Speakers & Support
Groups
MIM continues to reach out to new participants, meeting on the second
Monday evening of every month. The meeting opens with a speaker on
mental illness issues. This is followed by a brief discussion and
then the two support groups break off, one for Pursuers and one for
family members of Pursuers.
A March 2006 a letter,
sent to area churches and other organizations, closes with this
invitation, “We invite you to join with us
to find ways that we can all work together to reach out to people
affected by a mental illness. With much hope, Roseann Rogers, Director
of Ministries, Mary White, co-chair, MIM, and Mary Paradis, co-chair,
MIM.”
For additional information, call 612-823-8205 or visit the SJA
Church Web site, www.stjoan.com and the Mental Illness Ministry
link. The link includes an updated listing of area events, contact
information, links and other features.
