Bishop John Dolan / ABC15 Arizona / Screenshot
CV NEWS FEED // Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix recently offered a personal reflection on the late Pope Francis’ leadership — especially his willingness to listen and act on the Church’s growing concern over the mental health crisis.
Bishop Dolan met Pope Francis on two occasions. It was their second encounter in 2020 that left a profound impact, ABC Arizona reported. During that meeting, the bishop urged the Holy Father to speak out on mental health, calling it a global concern.
“I basically said, ‘Your Holiness, it would be great if you were able to weigh in on this as well and do something for the good of the global Church because it is something of a pandemic, with the number of suicides,’” Dolan told ABC Arizona.
Bishop Dolan has experienced the tragedy of suicide within his own family, having lost three siblings and a brother-in-law in this way.
The Pope’s response was quiet but powerful.
“He leaned forward, and he was going to say something and then he just stepped back, and he goes, ‘I’ll do it,’” the Bishop recalled.
What followed was a series of efforts within the Vatican to elevate mental health awareness, especially among youth, according to the bishop.
For Bishop Dolan, that moment reflects the essence of Pope Francis’ legacy. Asked whether he sees him as “the People’s Pope,” Dolan affirmed: “He was the people’s pope, [even] beyond the Catholic scope. I think he reached out to people.”
Bishop Dolan recalled a phrase Pope Francis often used: “[H]e would always say, ‘Pray for me and if you don’t believe in God send me your kind thoughts,’ which was … that was amazing. It might not seem so now, but when he first said it, it really was.”
>> Catholic bishop shares personal mental health journey to encourage Catholics <<
