To support and care for mental health: American Deacon Ed Schoener visited Ukraine

Deacon Ed Schoener serves in the Diocese of Scranton (Pennsylvania, USA), is a founding member of the Catholic Association of Mental Health Ministries and the Catholic Institute for Mental Health Ministry in San Diego.

Catholic Association of Mental Health Ministries

The Catholic Association of Mental Health Ministries aims to develop awareness among clergy and laity in the field of mental health and trauma, as well as to develop the pastoral care of persons with mental illness in Catholic parishes in the United States.

“We are working to make mental health ministry an integral ministry in the Church, available in every Catholic parish and community around the world,” the association members say on their official website.

Ed Schoener and mental health

Ed also serves on the National Catholic Partnership on Disability”s Council on Mental Illness and on the Board of Pathways to Promise, an interfaith cooperative that facilitates the work of the faith community to help people with mental illness and their families.

Together with family and friends, he founded the “Katie Foundation” after his daughter Kathleen committed suicide in 2016. Katie”s obituary, which Ed wrote, went viral as it spoke to the needs and challenges of people living with mental illness.

Getting to know the Ukrainian experience of mental health care

During his visit to Ukraine, Deacon Ed Schoener had the opportunity to visit the projects of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC and the UGCC Eparchies and Exarchates. Among them were the “‘DiyaTy’” Mental Health Hub of the Lviv Archeparchy of the UGCC, the Sheptytskyy Hospital, and the Dzerovych Educational Centre. The latter institution is currently implementing a project from the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC to strengthen the resilience of teachers.

Ед Шонер в Освітньому центрі ім. Дзеровича

He also had the occasion to get acquainted with the activities of the “Nazareth” Rehabilitation Centre in the Sambir-Drohobych Eparchy of the UGCC. “We showed him how our Centre works and told him that we currently have three people with mental disorders. Deacon Schoener said that he was very pleased that the Church in Ukraine takes care of such people,” said the Centre”s representative.

Ед Шонер разом із командою Реабілітаційного центру "Назарет"

In addition, together with Iryna Havryshkevych, Head of the Project Department of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC, the American deacon visited servicemen released from captivity and seriously wounded and their families who were undergoing a spiritual and psychological rehabilitation programme in the village of Maidan in Lviv Oblast on June 18–28.

“Ed was interested to talk to our psychologists Tetiana Kryl-Frytsak and Natalia Chorna from the ‘Po-Freud’ Psychological Centre and find out what gives strength and resources to our participants who have experienced the fears of war, injury, and captivity. Thank you for your support!” says Albina Brilliantova, the rehabilitation project coordinator.

As part of the working meetings, Ed Schoener met with Sr Sevastiana Karvatska, Head of the UGCC Commission for the Pastoral Health Care, to discuss the training and educational programme for clergy and consecrated persons “Healing the Wounds of War”.

Ед Шонер, с. Севастіяна Карвацька та Мирослава Полець

The deacon was surprised by the resilience of the Ukrainians and assured them of the prayers and support of US Catholics. “We will also consider options for cooperation in the field of mental health,” he assured.