In the nation’s capital – where stress, anxiety and mental health challenges sometimes impact the lives and work of those in government service, in legal and other professions, and individuals and families – St. Joseph Church on Capitol Hill hosted a “Come as You Are” Holy Week Prayer Service for Mental Health on March 26.
The gathering included prayers, songs, Scripture readings and reflections with messages tying together mental health and faith.
Anebi X. Adoga Jr., a Catholic native of Baltimore who works as a D.C. corporate lawyer and who helped organize the prayer service, greeted the estimated 100 people in attendance on that Tuesday evening during Holy Week, saying, “Welcome home. This is God’s home, you are God’s children, so this is your home.”
In his opening remarks at the prayer service, Father William Gurnee, St. Joseph’s pastor, noted that many of the people in the congregation were young adults. “So many know people who have had a tremendous amount of stress, and it doesn’t really matter your age, (whether you are) old, young, (your) race (0r) gender. All of us feel the pressure of life, and we really need support.”
The priest added, “We want you to be at peace tonight. It’s a night to be with other people who care about you and care about others and want to help.”
Then he offered an opening prayer, asking God to comfort and restore to health anyone suffering from mental health challenges like anxiety or depression.
The opening reflection song, “Come as You Are” by D. Crowder, M. Maher, B. Glover and N. Pacheco, included the lyrics, “Come out of sadness, from wherever you’ve been… Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal.”
The diverse choir of 12 young adult men and women was directed by Rebecca Rossello, a Baltimore-based soprano and choral teacher.
After the pastor’s welcome and opening blessing, the choir sang the song “All Things New” by E. Hagenberg, which included the lyrics, “Light after darkness, gain after loss. Strength after weakness… hope after fears… He is making all things new.”
The second Scripture reading included the passage, “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Then the Gospel reading from Matthew 6:25-34 quoted Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount telling His followers to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, “and all these things shall be given you besides. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow…”
The choir then sang the reflection song, “Come to Me” by D. Forrest, with its opening lyrics, “Come to me, all you who labor, and I will give you rest, all who are weary and burdened, and you will find rest for your souls.”
In his homily at the prayer service, Father Gurnee emphasized that people in the Bible, including Jesus during his Passion, faced mental health challenges.
“Anxious, afraid, scared, isolated, depressed, lonely, discouraged, preoccupied, shaken, traumatized, bereft. These are just some of the range of emotions that every human being feels. Hopefully, they are balanced by joy, faith, courage and hope,” the priest said, adding, “ But for some of us, the challenges we face seem to be dominant in our lives.”
Father Gurnee noted that the gospels show “this is not strictly a 21st century phenomenon. People have felt what we feel for a long time. Christ, who was fully divine and fully human, faced a crisis in His Passion. Scripture tells us: ‘He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.’” (Luke 22:44)
St. Joseph’s pastor emphasized the importance of people making their requests known to God through prayer, and he advised them to “pray in a way that is true and reflective of what our heart is really feeling… There is a real value to saying such things in a raw and unvarnished way. We unite ourselves to our true feelings instead of trying to push them away or being ashamed of them. God’s grace is more effective when we are united to the deepest part of our heart.”
The priest encouraged people to seek help and also to reach out to others. He said they have spiritual lifelines like the sacraments, and clergy, religious and laypeople willing to help. “And we have, most importantly, the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and to guide us,” he said.
The general intercessions included a prayer “for those who dedicate their lives to the mental and physical health of others, including doctors, nurses, therapists, counselors and social workers… that God may give them and those under their care the strength to face the challenges of each day.”
Prayers were also offered for those mentally and emotionally challenged by work or relationships, for people experiencing psychological harm from stress, anxiety or trauma, and for those who have lost loved ones, including people who have died in connection with mental health struggles.
Timothy Shriver, the chairman of the board for Special Olympics International, prayed “for parents and families, that they may have ears to hear the cries of the heart…”
After the choir sang the reflection song, “Come Find His Rest” by D. Forrest and E. Dwar, the congregation joined in the singing of the hymn “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” by Horatius Bonar that includes the words, “Come unto Me and rest.”
Before the prayer service ended, Anebi Adoga offered a reflection, saying, “The goal of this service is to remind or inform people that God cares about our mental health and emotional well-being and that like Jesus and with His help, we all can overcome our mental health challenges and help others to do the same. Our mental health is important to God, and God is important to our mental health because of the love that God has for all of us.”
Adoga noted that like many D.C. lawyers, “I have struggled with my mental health from time to time – fear, anxiety, stress – and whenever I have struggled with mental health, Jesus has helped me.”
He said stopping in at churches for prayer and reflection has been a source of strength for him, as have music and the sacraments and encouragement and support from priests, religious and lay people. He underscored how the inspiration for the prayer service and its music came from songs that spoke to those mental health needs he was experiencing.
The organizer of the prayer service underscored how Jesus in his humanity also experienced fears, stresses and anxieties, but through His death and resurrection overcame those challenges, and invites His followers to love one another as He did, and to seek eternal life.
“So often, we are called on to overcome the challenges in our lives and to be there for other people,” Adoga said. “…You came here to receive love and to share love. Really, our faith (calls us) to do the best we can, regardless of what life throws at us.”
He concluded his reflection by encouraging people to continue to walk with Christ during Holy Week, “knowing you do not walk alone.”
Then the choir sang the reflection song, “You Do Not Walk Alone” by E. Hagenberg, which includes the lyrics, “May you see God’s light on the path ahead, when the road you walk is dark… May you always remember when the shadows fall… You do not walk alone.”
After the final blessing, the choir and congregation sang the closing hymn “Amazing Grace.” Then some people stayed in the church for individual prayers and blessings or to receive the sacrament of Confession, and a reception followed in the parish center.
St. Joseph’s also hosted a Holy Week prayer service for mental health last year. In October 2023, the U.S. Catholic bishops launched a National Catholic Mental Health Campaign and novena, noting how mental health challenges have been amplified in recent years with the impact of the global pandemic.
After the prayer service, Cathy Rusin, the director of evangelization at the Capitol Hill parish, said the gathering was held “to let people know the Church is here for them and understands, and to underscore that Jesus understands.”
The Office of Deaf and Disabilities Ministry of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is sponsoring a Mass for those living with Mental Health Challenges on May 11 at 11 a.m. at the Pope Francis Center, 7202 Buchanan Street, Landover Hills, Maryland. Washington Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar will celebrate that Mass, and a reception will follow. Anyone interested in learning more about parish mental health ministry or other resources may contact Office of Deaf and Disabilities Ministry at specialneedsministry@adw.org .
