In his first year and a half as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV has made the role of psychology within the life of faith a central talking point. From public appearances to conferences, this topic has animated much of his early papacy. This includes Pope Leo's decision to make mental health ministry his prayer intention for the month of October and the recent publication of Mental Health and Pastoral Accompaniment in Humanitarian Contexts by the Dicastery for Integral Human Development. This guide highlights a number of emphases within this important work which are also found in other parts of Pope Leo's ministry.
The Importance of Listening
Early on the document articulates the necessity of true listening. This is not merely physical presence, but an active skill that involves “setting aside our own impulse to speak, resisting the urge to offer immediate answers, and being truly present.” This engaged listening helps show the value of the human person and provides space for an individual to share their perspective without preemptive judgement. This vulnerability is a necessary prerequisite for authentic and fruitful human relationships, especially within the field of psychology.
Pope Leo has demonstrated the value he puts on listening throughout his pontificate. Within his October 2026 prayer request for mental health ministry, he asked the Lord to make the Church into “a safe space where everyone has a place - a community that accompanies and never excludes, that listens without judging and draws near without fear.” He also works to model this skill in his personal interactions. In an interview given soon after Leo's election, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization noted that Pope Leo had a particular skill for “deep and patient listening. Before making any decision, he devotes himself to careful study and reflection. He expresses his feelings and preferences without seeking to impose them.” Even beyond psychology, engaged and active listening helps to strengthen relationships and promote human connection.
An Integrated Approach to Mental Health
The Dicastery’s document also addresses the necessity of caring for the psychology of the whole person, both spiritual and biological. “Pastoral care should... be informed by established scientific mental health knowledge and good practice, brought into dialogue with the knowledge, experience and forms of care already present within pastoral life.” This involves knowing the limitations of various forms of care and when to bring in additional support systems. Even when dedicated medical attention becomes necessary, spiritual care does not end. “Continued presence, whether through follow-up conversations, blessings, prayer, or practical support to families, reinforces that no one is forgotten. In this way, the care offered is not only immediate, but enduring.” This multi-faceted approach is predicated on the human person being a composite of spirit and body, with both aspects influencing the experiences and needs of the individual.
Pope Leo took up this same theme in May of this year, when he addressed representatives from Spain, Portugal, and Latin and South America on the topic of Catholic education and its connection to mental health in the modern world. On this occasion, he said:
We cannot approach the issue of mental health solely as a clinical or technical matter. Undoubtedly, the contributions of science, psychology, medicine and the neurosciences are indispensable. But we also believe that human beings can live authentically — and overcome so many inner frailties — within a horizon of meaning.
Only the eyes of faith can introduce people to the fullness of this horizon, but this alone may not address all the difficulties a person faces. Sometimes a scientific approach is valuable to address real material and medical needs. In these cases the tools of both faith and medical science are needed so that one can consistently recognize their own worth and fully receive the gift of new life that God wants to give.
God with Us
The Dicastery’s document also reminds us of the necessity of hope. Rather than being a sterile optimism, true hope is founded on the fact that God in Christ is present with those who suffer. The document highlights that “the Church bears this hope as a gift received, never as optimism imposed upon those who suffer.” This hope, hard as it may be, allows life to continue and people to work for a better day that may seem far off.
Pope Leo also expounded on how Christ's presence with us in suffering gives a second chance at life in Spain earlier this year. Responding to a woman's testimony about depression and despair, Pope Leo said:
The Son of God took all the anguish, loneliness and suffering of humanity upon himself, in his own flesh. In those dark hours, as he was dying on the cross, Jesus shared our pain and revealed to us the face of a compassionate God, who bears our sorrows, who suffers with us, weeps our tears and remains at our side with his presence full of love and mercy.
This compassion of Christ, his suffering with us, is the basis of any hope and any continuance of life amid trials. The ability to get up again is, as Pope Leo stated, “a remarkable miracle that we see in many Gospel passages.” With this hope we can continue to walk the path divine providence has laid before us, loving those around us as we have been loved by God, until we come to spend eternity with him forever.
Sam Landon
Sam Landon is an Associate Editor at Midwest Theological Forum. He holds a master’s in religious studies specializing in New Testament and early Christianity from the University of Chicago. He has worked extensively in campus ministry to help young adults grow closer to Christ. He and his wife live in Chicago, IL.
