Photo by Amanda Hailey

SMYRNA—Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix, Arizona, was the guest speaker at a day set aside for clergy education about mental health in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.   

As many as 70 priests and deacons attended his recent workshop in Smyrna.  

The bishop has been touched by suicide, losing a brother, two sisters and a brother-in-law.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports suicide is a serious public health problem. It was responsible for more than 49,000 deaths in 2022 alone. The suicide rate has increased in 49 of the 50 states and is especially prevalent in young adults. 

Bishop Dolan established the Office of Mental Health Ministry in his diocese in 2022.