A Saint for Our Time

Photo by Segopotso Makhutja from Pexels

Mental illness, especially depression and anxiety, are rampant in Western society. In 2019, twenty-six million people were prescribed Alprazolam and Citalopram for depression or anxiety, placing those drugs in the top 20 list of all drugs prescribed. Now with the dreaded daily threat of Covid-19 and all that entails, mental disorders and illnesses are about to explode.

Medication can help, but many people find the side effects outweigh the benefits. I'm not advocating that people stop taking their meds, but if you're suffering from mild to moderate anxiety or depression and don't want to go on medication, or if you're currently on medication but you find your meds aren't totally taking care of the problem, do not despair. I have good news. We have a friendly, faithful, and effective advocate in the Heavenly realms: a teenage saint named Dymphna (pronounced "DIMF-nuh").

Today is the feast of the Irish martyr St. Dymphna. In Gheel (prounced "Gale"), Belgium, where she tragically died, the victim of a grieving, insane father, the townspeople care for the mentally ill in their homes. Amazingly, they have done this for hundreds of years, thanks to her powerful influence.

May St. Dymphna continue to intercede for all those suffering from depression and anxiety and every form of mental and emotional distress. For more information, contact the National Shrine of St. Dymphna at Massillon, Ohio, where you can enroll in the League of St. Dymphna for only $3.00 per year.

St. Dymphna, pray for us!

Saint Dymphna