Caring for the whole person includes mental health

Photo by Fernando @cferdophotography on Unsplash

We spent much of the morning setting up the cameras and the lights and checking the sound equipment. Sun spilled in through the floor-length windows casting doubt on the necessity of the lights we'd pulled out of storage. But we kept them up just to be safe.

Alejandro Calderón was in town and stopping by the Jesuit Conference offices. I'd never met him. I knew nothing more than that he worked for Fe y Alegría, a network that fights for education for some of the most vulnerable communities around the globe. Alejandro is the director of the team in El Salvador.

He seemed like someone worth getting in front of a camera.

Alejandro arrived, accompanied by a colleague from Magis Americas - a key partner of Fe y Alegría. Alejandro was bundled up against the February cold, his hair tied back in a bun, his glasses fogging beneath his mask. We ushered them both into our conference room, offered them some hot coffee. I sat at the far end, listening.

To read on see: www.jesuits.org/stories/cura-personalis-mental-health/

Eric A Clayton is deputy director for communications at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. He is the author of the forthcoming book 'Cannonball Moments: Telling Your Story, Deepening Your Faith' (Loyola Press). His writing has appeared in America Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, Give Us This Day and more.