Diocesan Leadership Virtual Meeting

Wed, 05/10/2023 - 2:00pm EDT to 3:30pm

Catholic Social Teaching and Care for Persons Living with Mental Illness

The goal of the presentation is to raise awareness about mental health and creating a recovery – resilient oriented pastoral response through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching. The presentation’s objective is to examine the core tenets of Catholic Social Teaching and its implications for the pastoral care of persons living with a mental illness. Participants will together reflect and respond to the question, How does a Social Catholic Teaching lens help guide a pastoral response to persons living with a mental illness?

Deacon Ronald San Nicolas

Chair, NCPD Council on Mental Illness and Wellness

Member of Mental Health and Inclusion Ministries, Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington

Deacon Ronnie was ordained in the Archdiocese of Agana, Guam in 2003. He is a social worker with a combined 30 years of experience in behavioral health and university teaching in Guam, Hawaii and, the State of Washington. Presently, he is a teaching professor at the University of Washington, Tacoma’s School of Social Work and Criminal Justice. His ministry experiences include chaplaincy service at Western State Hospital, parish mental health ministry, and pastoral care to the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, and their families. He and his wife Missy married in 1986 and are blessed with three adult sons and two grandchildren. His youngest son is autistic. He resides with his family in Tumwater, Washington.

Diocesan Leadership Virtual Meeting

Catholic Social Teaching and Care for Persons Living with Mental Illness

Deacon Ronald San Nicolas

National Catholic
Partnership on Disability

Advancing the Meaningful Participation
of Persons with Disabilities in Church and Society