Dolorosa & Dolorosa Candles

Dolorosa, is it the way of suffering or a rose path when walking the way of mental illness?

This word, to which the phrase "Via Dolorosa” refers, traditionally means"Way of Suffering", especially regarding the Way of the Cross of Jesus Christ. But how might it apply to the path of mentally afflicted?


The question can be asked of the individual experiencing mental illness,wounds or disabilities. It is also relevant to the loved ones, caregivers, or mental health professionals who seek to help or care for the afflicted. The first answer would undoubtedly be a way of suffering. There can be no denying the suffering of the depressed, schizophrenic, bipolar or sufferer of other serious and mysterious disorders of the mind and soul. The suffering of the mentally impaired or those with psychological wounds is also undeniable. The fear, delusions, stigma and heart-rending loneliness of one who cannot effectively relate as the world around them may desire, or expect are all tragically real. 


The suffering or challenges are also very real for anyone seeking to care, help, or simply relate to mentally afflicted. Mental health professionals can also face many difficulties working in a field that is chronically understaffed, under-financed and usually at the bottom of the list of programs that may generate popular or politically correct enthusiasm.

So, yes the way of mental illness is a path of suffering. 
 Yet Dolorosa can also express a path of roses. While this path is beset with painful thorns it also is a path of beauty. It is realized by those who seek to walk the Via Dolorosa with Jesus that while it is a way of passion and suffering it does lead to the resurrected Christ. It is an intense journey in the redeeming love of God. So can the path of mental illness become when it is courageously walked in the love, faith, and hope that is found with God. 
It is a journey where we meet many precious and kind people traveling from diverse places and paths. We may also meet people, often cruel, uncaring, fear-filled and blinded by ignorance. Few other dimensions of life still have such a painful problem of stigma and fear. 
It is a mystery that still baffles. The Dolorosa Life is one of learning and living the care of the whole person, spirit, soul (mind) and body. It is a path of sharing together seeking to discover causes,therapies and healing for these afflictions with the grace and love of God.

DOLOROSA LIFE

All lives are sacred. Yet many suffer from afflictions* of mind and soul. Those that are so afflicted are often thought to be of less worth than others seemingly more healthy.

Dolorosa:

~ Affirms the worth and dignity of the mentally afflicted.

~  Serves to foster recovery and independence or healthy dependence for the afflicted.

~ Serves to nourish peace and comfort for the mentally afflicted and their loved ones.

~ Serves to overcome injustice against the mentally afflicted resulting from stigma, ignorance and fear.

~ Serves to encourage reconciliation in lives broken from mental afflictions.

~ Serves to enable fruitful stewardship of life, helping the mentally afflicted discover their worth and abilities for life.

Therefore the purpose of Dolorosa Life is to educate, serve and advocate for the mentally afflicted, their loved ones and society based on their worth before God and all humanity. To accomplish this purpose the following goals are established:

Goals:

1) Provide information, and educational workshops for parishes and clergy that will nurture faith communities of prayer and care for the mentally afflicted, their families and caregivers.

2) Facilitate and participate in sharing information between government, private and religious care resources.

3)To encourage and provide wholistic research and education that promotes the care, health and independence of the mentally afflicted. We recognize the essential unity of the spirit, soul (psychological/mental) and body of the afflicted, and their loved ones and seek to facilitate a model of care that affirms and serves the whole person.

4) Educate and inform the public as to the worth of the mentally afflicted and our privilege and responsibility to help in their care. With knowledge the stigma of mental afflictions can be eliminated.

5) Dolorosa Life is built upon Roman Catholic spirituality yet respects, welcomes and values all people and faiths. We seek to encourage and help build an interfaith\inter-disciplinary teamwork of care for the mentally afflicted.

*Afflictions include: psychological/mental illness, disability and trauma.

"[The Church] reminds the political community of its duty to recognize and celebrate the divine image of man with actions that support and serve all those who find themselves in a condition of severe mental illness.This is a task which science and faith, medicine and pastoral care, professional skill and a sense of common brotherhood must help to carry out through an investment of adequate human, scientific and socio-economic resources....

"Whoever suffers from mental illness'always' bears God's image and likeness in himself, as does every humanbeing. In addition, he 'always' has the inalienable right not only tobe considered as an image of God and therefore as a person, but also tobe treated as such.

"It is everyone's duty to make an activeresponse; our actions must show that mental illness does not createinsurmountable distances, nor prevent relations of true Christiancharity with those who are its victims. Indeed it should inspire aparticularly attentive attitude..."

Pope John Paul II, International Conference for Health Care Workers, on Illnesses of the Human Mind, November 30, 1997